locking nut making weird cracking noise

[stratman219]

when i loosen the nut on my 7DBK, it makes a weird cracking kind of noise. i'm not sure what it is but it doesn't happen on my rg, and i tighten them the same. there are no cracks in the neck and i'm pretty sure that it isn't the neck cracking.

my only guess is that the screws holding the nut onto the neck are too tight or too loose.

any ideas?

[Rich]

When you loosen the nut? Or when you take the pads off?

[stratman219]

when i take off the pads

[Rich]

Put a little light oil on the threads and the underside on the bolt head

[stratman219]

what kind of oil and where can i get it?(i know, stupid question....)

and what about WD40? that would just smell and probably screw something up right?

[Rich]

Light oil is light oil, go to the hardware store. Use WD40 if you want, I hate the stuff.

[btweensunandmoon]

air tool oil is the best light oil that i've come across. Marvel mystery oil is almost as good. I recommend those 2.

[btweensunandmoon]

overtightening of the pads is whats probably causing that cracking sound. back off a little or you may strip the nut.

[LimHae]

You've got a bunch of good suggestions here, but I have one more hypothesis. Check to see if your truss rod cover goes under the back edge of your locking nut (or if there is anything that might be in contact with the nut). On my S370 the truss rod cover was underneath part of the locking nut and it made the cracking noise you describe. I got the creaking whenever I tightened and untightened the pads or when I used the trem. I trimmed the truss rod cover and the cracking went away