Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on May 21, 2009 at 12:54pm

Well, I don't do it "right"; I use a hacksaw blade, then finish up the slots with a torch-tip tool. The torch-tip tool is a cheap alternative to the expensive nut-slot files you can buy from StewMac.
A couple of tips...Courtesy of Frets.com....First, make a classic tool, a half pencil. Take a standard pencil and hold it up against a sander of some sort till one half the width is gone. (you only need a couple of inches of pencil)
Then, lay the flat part on the frets and use it to mark a line on your nut.
That line should put you in the ballpark on how deep to cut.
Make sure you angle the cut towards the tuners; you want a clean "break" for the string from the edge of the nut.

Check out the Frets.com page for a nice pictorial on final adjustment of the nut slots to get the best action.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 21, 2009 at 1:38pm

Mark Werner said:

Well, I don't do it "right"; I use a hacksaw blade, then finish up the slots with a torch-tip tool. The torch-tip tool is a cheap alternative to the expensive nut-slot files you can buy from StewMac.
A couple of tips...Courtesy of Frets.com....First, make a classic tool, a half pencil. Take a standard pencil and hold it up against a sander of some sort till one half the width is gone. (you only need a couple of inches of pencil)
Then, lay the flat part on the frets and use it to mark a line on your nut.
That line should put you in the ballpark on how deep to cut.
Make sure you angle the cut towards the tuners; you want a clean "break" for the string from the edge of the nut.

Check out the Frets.com page for a nice pictorial on final adjustment of the nut slots to get the best action.

Oooo...the pencil thing sounds like it will help a lot. Thanks, I am gonna try that next time.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 21, 2009 at 2:28pm

So, should the bottom of the notch be V shaped, or U shaped to match the shape of the string? We obviously don't want the string to rattle around in the notch, or it will buzz. Do I want it to sit on a V shape at the bottom of the notch? Do I want the notch to be tapered all the way down?

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Permalink Reply by Wade on May 21, 2009 at 3:23pm

Shallow U shaped notches work best for me. A bit of vaseline mixed with graphite dust from a pencil keeps things from binding.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on May 21, 2009 at 8:59pm

In order to get the depth of the slot right, I sometimes use a feeler gauge flat on the fretboard, next to the nut, I can then slot the nut with a file until I can feel the file hitting the gauge. Job done...use a cheap set of feeler gauges and don't use them for setting your spark plug gap afterwards!

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Permalink Reply by Big Steve on May 21, 2009 at 9:20pm

If I intend to use brass bolts for nut and bridge won't the threads serve the purpose of slots?

Big Steve

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on May 21, 2009 at 10:22pm

Hello i always make the string slots shallow U shape , you want the string to sit on the slot rarther than in it , if the string sits way down in the nut your slot will either be too loose or too tight and if the grooves V shaped your gonna cause problems with the string binding on the nut more so on wound strings ! make your nut shallower in height so the strings sit on the nut not in it hope this helps Here's a pic of the last one i did juju.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 22, 2009 at 1:07am

soundssogood said:

Hello

i always make the string slots shallow U shape , you want the string to sit on the slot rarther than in it , if the string sits way down in the nut your slot will either be too loose or too tight and if the grooves V shaped your gonna cause problems with the string binding on the nut more so on wound strings !

make your nut shallower in height so the strings sit on the nut not in it
hope this helps
Here's a pic of the last one i did
juju.

That is probably by problem. I am just making the slots too deep. I guess I need to make the actual nut shallower and just have the strings sit up near the top the way you have them. Nice job on that guitar btw...

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on May 22, 2009 at 10:04am

Ideally, the string slot should match the profile of the string. Thus the torch-tip tool, which is essentially just little round files... That's what nut-slot files are as well; they just cost more.

The harder the material of the nut the better; bone works very well. That way, the string doesn't bind as much. The tip about a bit of lube is good; graphite or other dry lube works well.
Iggy is exactly right; that's how "pro" luthiers set things up.
My nuts always seem a little too deep, I'm too lazy to knock 'em down to a reasonable height after I get the action right.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Thorsvik on May 23, 2009 at 5:17pm

Iggy I tried making nut slots and found it to be frustrating and time consuming, but not anymore! I use a zero fret and a string guide. Instead of filing slots, I drill holes. Using a simple wood fence on my drill press so the holes line up, I use a 1/16" bit on the guitar, I don't remember the bit for the bass. Here are two pictures below that illustrate. It's clearly unconventional, but I have found it works well for me and no strings jump out of the slots anymore!!! Whatever works for you. Doug

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 24, 2009 at 1:54am

Doug Thorsvik said:

Iggy


I tried making nut slots and found it to be frustrating and time consuming, but not anymore! I use a zero fret and a string guide. Instead of filing slots, I drill holes. Using a simple wood fence on my drill press so the holes line up, I use a 1/16" bit on the guitar, I don't remember the bit for the bass. Here are two pictures below that illustrate. It's clearly unconventional, but I have found it works well for me and no strings jump out of the slots anymore!!! Whatever works for you.

Doug

That is an intriguing and interesting solution. I assume you make sure the holes are below the level of the zero fret? Do you notch the zero fret at all, or just let the strings lay on top?

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on May 24, 2009 at 4:01am

I've used a zero fret from time to time too. They work well.
The downside is your neck must be PERFECTLY straight or you'll be chasing buzzes all over the neck.
Assuming the neck is straight, a zero fret is the easiest way I've found that takes a lot of the drudge work out of a neck set up.

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