What is the optimum nut height and bridge height combination. What are the best materials to use?

I have been building and experimenting for a couple of years now. 

 

1) I am curious for peoples thoughts on the best set up heights for the nut and bridge.

 

2) Having experimented with many materials, what is the best nut material and bridge material?  

Views: 11640

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I'll send you 2 dimes for a pound! :)

It is so much fun to read some of the responses to question... from back a few years! Here in Australia, September 2019, I found a 20c piece gives me a quite nice gauge... I'm still fighting the sound of my pewter slide hitting the edge of the fretboard, tho. Guess I'll have to keep working on it.

These are some great tips. After nearly 50 builds -all with either bolt/threaded rod, or skeleton key nuts & saddles- I'm just now starting to mess around with bone. My big question is how do you slice it cleanly? I have a dremel and a diamond tip blade, do I just stick the bone in a vice and go for it free hand? Then belt-sand or file it from there? That process seems like it would take just this side of forever. Other than a band saw, is there an easier way to slice bone thin?

As for the string height, awhile back somebody here said they just slide two pennies under the strings -between the strings & the first fret- and use that as a gauge. I tried it and it worked so well for me that I've been doing it ever since. I even superglued 2 pennies together and now I have a "first-fret string height gauge". This may not be a comfortable height for everyone, but I've had consistently good results.
As for bridge height? I dunno.. sometimes I just file-away until stuff quits buzzing. ; D

Good tips thanks out with the super glue
Queens face to queens face? ....;>0

Yep. Man, there's obviously some pretty revealing stuff in that new Abe Lincoln movie, huh? ; )

I just use the diamond cut off bit in my dremel and hold the bone blank with my fingers. The bit won`t hurt you if you hit your finger. That makes the cleanist cut and you can use the surface of it to fine shape the nut or saddle.You can always go with a carved bone skeleton key to get that awesome bone tone !!!

 

Thanks, Randy. When it comes to "unlocking the mystery of bone", you are the man!

Boneified the best boner
(no offence meant)
Thanks Randy inspiring stuff

Tough question.........

Over time, you will develop a personal preference for string action height. Some people like very low action while others like fairly high action. In the meantime, you can take tips from some professional guitar techs regarding action height.

Here is a good overview about string height and how to set it up.You'll find that action at the 1st fret is usually not considered unless chasing a problem. Normally, action height is measured (set) at the 12th fret. There are several charts showing typical Low, Medium and High action.

A lot depends on what you want to do. If you finger notes (fret them), most people lean toward lower action height. If you are playing slide, low action just makes it harder (assuming you have frets). If you are playing a slider, action height is not important (withing reason).

Ask about the "Best" nut and bridge materials and you may end up in an endless discussion where everyone has logical reasons for their particular choice. Bone for the nut has been the traditional choice on acoustic guitars for centuries for a reason. It's hardness helps to allow the string to vibrated without losing energy through the nut.

Electrics seem less critical with regard to nut material with options including bone, metal and various synthetic materials.

Bridge material, just like nut material is all over the place. Bone is used on some acoustic bridges and adjustable metal bridges are common on electrics (for a reason). When Les Paul was searching for a guitar design with more sustain than he was getting from his hollow bodied electrics, he tried a solid wood body with a metal bridge firmly attached to the body. He found the combination of solid wood and a firmly attached metal bridge produce better sustain than other designs. Thus the birth of the Les Paul guitar.

If you are looking for more sustain then a hard tail metal bridge screwed firmly to a pass-through neck will do the trick. If you are looking for some other trait, then other bridge designs may be better.

It all comes down to what you want to accomplish. I use a round steel zero-fret along with a hard tail bridge to maximize string sustain. It has worked for a long time, but like everyone else, I have an opinion.

Try different materials and decide for yourself what you like.Keep us posted.

Thanks old keys work well, Bolts and nuts and old screws on old wooden rullers.seem to work quite well too.. harder the wood the better. I have also used a fret on a hardwood before that seems ok..I tend to use a no head allen screw now 4mm - 5mm approx on a hardwood base..but most things work...

 

The action 1/4 of a sprite can in height!Half a sprite off set can doesn't work quite so well....but the upturned camping kettle was awesome lol

Tri can resonator bridgeTri - Can 2

RSS

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Forum

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 21. 11 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

How to Get Your Own Music on Spotify

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies

CB Bass Guitar

Started by Mi Rankin in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Justin Stanchfield Jan 27. 5 Replies

Latest Activity

A.D.EKER commented on Dar Stellabotta's video
Thumbnail

A Cigar Box Guitar Six Stringer Built by Louie Lamanna

"i See Your ready to Blow away the GRAND STADIUM ! tree strings more of DAR DELIGHT !! Shine Girl !…"
4 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Thank you for the kind comments Doug! Glad you liked the Picture !"
4 hours ago
BrianQ. commented on Dar Stellabotta's video
9 hours ago
BrianQ. liked Dar Stellabotta's video
9 hours ago
Southern Ray commented on Southern Ray's photo
Thumbnail

Project Punch!

" Thank ya again Keith!"
11 hours ago
Southern Ray commented on Southern Ray's photo
Thumbnail

Punch Project!

" Thank Ya Keith!"
11 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on AGP #'s photo
Thumbnail

AGP #527 - ''Led-Zep 2''

"This build really strung you along Alan! Reminded me of all my fishing line experiments; a lot of…"
12 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Diggin’ the slow blues. I like that last pic Andries! Look at all those cool guitars. Yeah!!!"
13 hours ago
Dar Stellabotta posted a video

A Cigar Box Guitar Six Stringer Built by Louie Lamanna

This video is the unboxing and the demonstration of a beautiful, six stringer built by Louie Lamanna. Join Louie and I June 15 at the second annual Pittsburg...
14 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's video
Thumbnail

Hail the Resurrection Day: 2-String Violin Chugger Cigar Box Guitar

"Happy Easter to you too Andries! The passion is definitely in full swing. Turns out I’m…"
14 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on Doug Thorsvik's video
Thumbnail

Hail the Resurrection Day: 2-String Violin Chugger Cigar Box Guitar

"Happy Easter Doug ! the Passion is in full swing !"
15 hours ago
A.D.EKER commented on Ricky D's photo
15 hours ago

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->