They are definitely under the tree.

I can see the nut is shorter on the high string end than the low
string end. Looks like it was poorly made. When I grow up, I intend
to change it out for bone or ivory and get rollers for the trees.

Hey, tomorrow is payday. Sometimes you feel like a nut -sometimes
ya don't

_________________
Bobby
Coming again soon to a club near you
... or at least one near me. Hopefully.

OK, not that then. If you are sure that there is nothing stuck in the slots preventing the strings from seating fully into the slots, then it could be a bad nut, or just that the slots aren't deep enough. Do the 9s set deeper into the slots than the 10s?

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I've not tried 10s yet. There is nothing in the nut causing them to pop out.
I can figure by looking that it is the nut height - short on that end. They used
to stick and go out of tune, so I put a little pencil lead in there. They don't
stick now, but if I get a little rowdy, they pop out - it's as though they are
trying to get away from me

_________________
Bobby
Coming again soon to a club near you
... or at least one near me. Hopefully.