The nut on my neck feel off how do i put it back on so i can addjust it

Strings buzzing can either be the action being set too low, or the frets needing dressing or the neck not having enough relief or being actually warped. We can't tell from here.

https://acousticlife.tv/fix-your-acoustic-guitar-buzz/

https://acousticguitar.com/ask-the-expert-why-is-my-guitar-buzzing/

Learn how to adjust the truss rod in your guitar, if you can. That's the easiest fix that does not involve specialized tools, filing frets, or disassembly. You may need to buy or borrow a long hex driver to reach the truss rod adjusting nut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyqrSRI2asc&feature=youtu.be&list=UUM-CsUeK57J8grv9BSBRRhQ
If it is a simple relief problem, that may fix it.

Adjusting the height of the bridge requires taking out the bridge and shimming it, which involves some woodworking skills (unlike an electric guitar where you can adjust bridge height and intonation with screwdrivers and or hex wrenches)

https://www.haloguitars.com/store/blog/what-causes-fret-buzz-and-how-to-fix-it/

https://breedlovemusic.com/acoustic-guitar-blog/how-to-fix-and-avoid-fret-string-buzz-on-a-acoustic-guitar

This should be possible to fix, depending on the cause, but because this is an acoustic guitar adjusting the action, frets and any major neck issues is a job that should be looked at by a qualified person. Keep in mind that your Alvarez is not a hugely valuable guitar, so you want to set a budget and get an estimate.

what is the rest of the serial # the line in the back is called a skunk stripe and is where the truss rod is put in for adjusting the neck

It appears to have 2 trussrods protruding from beside the nut on the headstock. These set the straightness of the neck. Turning the nuts on the end with usually a 1/4 inch allen wrench is the adjustment. A slight turn to the right brings the middle of the neck up, a slight turn to the left brings the middle down, if laying on a table looking down the neck. I would prop something under the middle to avoid unnatural flexing while I do it. Be extremely careful and allow the wood to sit a spell between adjustments. Make take some time to get it right.

you probably damaged the nut, check the distance between the low e string and the first fret after your tuned to standard. pluck low e string only if its buzzing on first fret you may either need new nut or a repair on the neck. if you have any questions feel free to ask

Taken from http://www.learnguitarsetups.com


There are a few golden rules when adjusting your truss rod. First, only use the rod to keep your neck as straight as it needs to be...do not use it to adjust your action! Second, only use the proper tools. If you do not know what the proper tool is, check with the manufacturer. Truss rod nuts are easy to strip, and once they're stripped, they are expensive to fix! Finally, do not force anything; an eighth of a turn can make a drastic change. Remember, if the truss rod feels tight or doesn't seem to be doing anything, take it to a professional.

1. Start by sitting with the guitar in the playing position.
2. Tune it to pitch if it is not already.
3. Capo the first fret. If you do not own a capo, you can use your fretting hand.
4. Next, fret the bass string with your picking hand up near where the neck joins the body. This is typically around the 14th fret, but it may be higher up with some electric guitars. In our example, we'll be using the 20th fret.
5. Use the string as a straightedge held against the neck which will either bow away, or against the string. This is how you determine the amount of relief in the neck. You can also use a steel ruler placed along the length of the neck, in the same manor.
6. In our example, the approximate half way point between the 20th fret and the 1st, will be the 7th fret where we will observe the distance between the top of that fret and the bottom of the string (or ruler), as pictured. Notice the gap. Hint: Half way down the neck is often between the 7th-9th frets.
7. If you have a gap between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string, you likely have a bowed neck. If there is no gap, it is likely either dead straight or back-bowed.

HOW MUCH TO ADJUSTThe bigger the gap, the more relief is in the neck. Normally, we want just a small amount of relief in the neck for optimal playing, about the same as the thickness of a business card or less.

If there is a gap, tighten the truss rod clockwise until you have something closer to what we're after. Slide a business card in between the top of fret and bottom of the string (or ruler). Make sure you are placing the card parallel with the string or ruler. If there is no gap, you may be either dead straight or back bowed, so you will need to loosen the truss rod counter-clockwise to get the results we are after. Hint: If the strings are buzzing in the first few frets and open strings, it is often a clear indication of a back bow.

Remember, do not force anything to get the results you are after. If it is hard to adjust or spins freely you may need professional assistance.

The final step in setting your relief is to test it out! If it feels better, you're done! But take note, straightening the neck may actually make your guitar play worse! Consequently, when the truss rod is tightened, the height of the strings are lowered, which can create string buzz if your guitar isn't setup properly to start. Likewise, it can make a poor fret condition more noticeable. So, if your guitar plays worse after adjusting the neck, it is either too straight for your playing style, or it is a sign that more work is needed. Thankfully, you can easily reverse the changes you've just made if required.



For pictures and further info, visit www.learnguitarsetups.com

Check the neck to body attachment. There may be a problem there, especially if it has been strained in the past. The fact that the strings were so high when you got this would indicate there MAY be a problem with the neck attachment or the body where it attaches. Word of caution: Investigate how repairs are done on the instrument before attempting a fix. Using wrong materials can permanently disable an instrument. Banjos DO go out of tune easily, depending on how they are played. Another thing to remember is that strings are within about 10% of breaking when in tune on stringed instruments.

Two ways I'm familiar with ::

1) adjust the bridge downward (I looked at the guitar on line -- couldn't tell if it has an adjustable bridge)

2) remove the cover above the nut (where the tuning keys are) -- use a wrench to turn the nut on the rod which runs thru the neck -- it doesn't take much turning of this nut to have a big effect


With either approach, the issue with adjusting the strings closer to the finger board is that too much adjustment will cause the strings to rattle on the frets.


Charlie

First, try lowering the bridge. Lower it as ow as you can without the strings buzzing excessively. Check the straightness of the neck. You can adjust the truss rod and put a very slight bow in the neck if low action results in too much string buzz in your case. The nut may also be too high but a simple bridge adjustment should do it.

Sometimes the truss rod (nut you are referring to) will do the trick. The truss rod runs under the fingerboard and allows you to give the neck relief or tension. Some truss rods are dual action but I'm guessing yours is designed simply to give basic relief of the neck. I would make sure the truss rod is adjusted properly before sanding down the saddle. If you sight down the neck you should be able to see the relief in the neck - just use the string as your straight-edge. Most guitars need a slight amount of relief but higher-end guitars can be almost straight (better fretwork.) Once the neck has been adjusted correctly you can move forward with the setup.

Make sure the nut is also the proper height. If the nut is too low (1mm height between bottom of string and first fret) you should get it replaced by someone capable of doing such a thing. If the nut height is okay I would suggest moving forward cautiously by sanding the bottom of the saddle. Make sure this is done patiently and carefully as it can drastically change the sound and playability of the guitar. Hardly any material needs to be taken off to lower the action just a little. Error on the side of not-enough than too much. Make sure the bottom of the saddle remains flat! If the bottom isn't flat the guitar can sound horrible and if there is an undersaddle pickup it might not pick up evenly. The easiest way to do so is to tape some sandpaper rough side up on a flat surface (just don't pick something like mom's heirloom or something important in case it gets scratched.

If you'd like more detail check out http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/Repairs2.htm

Good Luck!