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Nut files... ?


billybilly

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I got my set over 10 years ago and they're going strong. They're from StewMac and made in Japan. I don't think they were really cheap, but they've been great. The box they come in says "Files of minute use" - har.

 

I've heard several people recommend welding tip cleaners but haven't needed to check them out.

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Very simple, go into a Home Depot or Lowes, and get a set of welding tip cleaners.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lincoln-Electric-Oxygen-Acetylene-Torch-Tip-Cleaner-Kit-KH575/100341101

http://www.lowes.com/pd_425647-47120-SGY-WELD12___?productId=50021986&pl=1&Ntt=welding+tip+cleaner

Perfect for filing nuts and saddles. A word of warning, buy two sets, since the thin ones for the high E, will bend on you.

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I'm no luthier either, but have done a lot of nut work on my guitars after I learned how important it is to have solid materials in the tone path. (Somebody posted a scientific study years ago that suggested that fretted notes are also affected tonewise). In any event, I went on a purge replacing plastic and lubritrac nuts with tusq and quality graphite mostly. I think the first one was a bone nut I had a luthier install which improved the tone of a Tele I had and convinced me it was all true. In any event, my modus operandus is to buy pre-cut nuts, sand the bottom to fit and use a file to compensate only if necessary. Ebay has tons of venders selling nuts for all types of guitars and also includes dimensions. One example here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Graph-Tech-Tusq-XL-PQL-6060-00-Epiphone-Style-Slotted-Nut-NEW-Auth-Dealer-/291349220207?hash=item43d5c44b6f

 

As for the files, I just got a set of hobby files at my local hobby store, think it set me back $15.00. Perfect for everything save for the high-E, for which I have used an exacto blade (also an inexpensive investment with lots of application).

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I do a lot of setup work and having a quality set of tools is simply money in the bank for me. However there are two cheapie options - welding tip clearers and taking a set of feeler gauges (ten bucks or so at an auto parts store) and filing teeth into the ones that you need for the string gauges that you use. You sometimes see these on evil-bay pre toothed.

 

If you want to invest in real files, I don't think you can beat the StewMac double edged ones. Buy them a couple of thou bigger than your strings.

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I've used needle files and used Feeler gauges with teeth. None do as good a job as a normal set of files. They aren't cheap but you only need one set per lifetime doing your own instruments. If you're in business they should pay for themselves after a couple of jobs.

 

I made my own feeler gauge files. I had half a dozen sets hanging around and took one set and used a thin Demmil cutting wheel to add notches.

They actually work quite well but you have to mix and match the gauges to get exact sizes. The thinner sizes had single gauges you could use but some of the thicker sized like .048 .036 required me to mix a couple together to come up with say .049, and .037.

 

Feeler gauges are also flat so notches wind up being square at the bottom which can cause buzzing. Fret files are rounded like the string so going with the fret files is better all around when it comes to quality work.

 

Using one of these gauges work like a champ too. If you use a capo on the 3ed or 4th fret then use this gauge to taper the nut slot heights from the low strings being the highest to the high strings which are lower, the playability makes all the difference in the world.

 

The meter is good for checking string height and fret heights as well. I was doing some fret leveling on a guitar to check the high and low sides of a fret so I had an idea how much needed to be taken off. Lets you know if the middle frets are worn more then the high or low ones too. Taking them all down even is allot easier when you know where the wear is.

 

I been using it for string heights at the 12th fret too. Its gets me within 1/1000 of an inch accuracy.

 

Nut_Slotting_Gauge.jpg

 

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1/1000 is precision, not accuracy btw. smile.png

 

I think most people understand what I meant. Its a good tool to have. Much better then using feeler gauges to measure cutting depth. The gradiants on the meter are 1/1000 and the tool helps you target the small height differences at the first fret accurately (or precisely if you choose)

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Ehh, I don't know. I don't measure, nor care if it's within 1000's of an inch. It's all by feel. I can look, see how much needs to be done, and can leave the micrometer and laser at home.

 

This. It's not rocket science its a guitar. Keep the micrometer for your dick measuring.

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