Members recordingtrack1 Posted July 14, 2015 Members Share Posted July 14, 2015 I never heard of this before though I've seen a few guitars over the years that had a zero fret? Check this out. http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Nuts_and_Saddles/ZerO_Glide_Nuts.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FretFiend. Posted July 14, 2015 Members Share Posted July 14, 2015 First time I've seen it too. It's been around for at least a year or so. That is an intriguing idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted July 14, 2015 Members Share Posted July 14, 2015 In my humble opinion, the big advantage of a zero fret is in setting up string height - you pop the nut out and level the zero fret to be exactly the same height as all the others. The nut then only sets the spacing. This looks like it would be hard to do that - you would need to file the bottom of it to get it exactly right. I've always wondered why zero frets haven't caught on with manufacturers if they are so great. It is simple to put one more slot in your fretboard and add a quarter inch or so to your neck length so the scale works out - particularly with a Plek it would actually be easier to set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted July 14, 2015 Members Share Posted July 14, 2015 I have several guitars with zero frets including my Steinberger. They may be fine on an acoustic but have some major drawbacks on electrics with light strings. The main one is with bending strings in the lower positions. The string needs to be secured close to the fret with narrow nut slots so the strings wont move side to side. The zero fret on my Steinberger is fairly close to the nut but the slots that space the strings are wider. When I bend strings they move side to side and wear on the zero fret with annoying pinging noises. I have to polish and recrown it on a regular basis. If I don't keep it in shape the zero fret grinds down flat and that in turn decreases the distance from the zero to first fret making for some sour chords. At least with the removable nut, you can level to the others. I don't even know if you could get a fret file over the zero fret in this setup to round it. (no less level it like Freeman mentions) It looks pretty tight to me. Maybe a 1/2 round file on the one side. For these reasons I see this system as being a rig at best. Even the photo doesn't look like that frets solid against the fret board to me. If you want increased sustain, just install a Brass Nut and you'll get all the open chord sustain you'll ever need plus additional advantages. Steel strings slide easily over the softer brass when tuning or stretching strings plus the brass self lubricates as it wears. Its sounds great too. Most last a lifetime when properly cut. You just need to shine them up a little every so often. (or coat them with lacquer to retain their shine) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted July 14, 2015 Members Share Posted July 14, 2015 Sounds like the nut slots need closing up or a new nut is in order with closer tolerance slots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members recordingtrack1 Posted July 15, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 15, 2015 I have several guitars with zero frets including my Steinberger. They may be fine on an acoustic but have some major drawbacks on electrics with light strings. The main one is with bending strings in the lower positions. The string needs to be secured close to the fret with narrow nut slots so the strings wont move side to side. The zero fret on my Steinberger is fairly close to the nut but the slots that space the strings are wider. When I bend strings they move side to side and wear on the zero fret with annoying pinging noises. I have to polish and recrown it on a regular basis. If I don't keep it in shape the zero fret grinds down flat and that in turn decreases the distance from the zero to first fret making for some sour chords. At least with the removable nut, you can level to the others. I don't even know if you could get a fret file over the zero fret in this setup to round it. (no less level it like Freeman mentions) It looks pretty tight to me. Maybe a 1/2 round file on the one side. For these reasons I see this system as being a rig at best. Even the photo doesn't look like that frets solid against the fret board to me. If you want increased sustain, just install a Brass Nut and you'll get all the open chord sustain you'll ever need plus additional advantages. Steel strings slide easily over the softer brass when tuning or stretching strings plus the brass self lubricates as it wears. Its sounds great too. Most last a lifetime when properly cut. You just need to shine them up a little every so often. (or coat them with lacquer to retain their shine) This makes a lot of sense. Also, I owned a DY55 Yairi for years with Brass nut and saddle. I loved the jangly sound of that guitar. I wish I still had it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 In my humble opinion, the big advantage of a zero fret is in setting up string height - you pop the nut out and level the zero fret to be exactly the same height as all the others. The nut then only sets the spacing. This looks like it would be hard to do that - you would need to file the bottom of it to get it exactly right. I've always wondered why zero frets haven't caught on with manufacturers if they are so great. It is simple to put one more slot in your fretboard and add a quarter inch or so to your neck length so the scale works out - particularly with a Plek it would actually be easier to set up. I think the selling point is that it's easier for someone to replace their nut with something like the Stew-Mac Zero Glide than it is for them to learn how to properly cut a traditional replacement nut. Most guitarists probably don't want to be bothered with learning how to cut nut slots (and replace nuts infrequently enough that they really don't have the opportunity to practice doing it enough to get good at it), and if you get it wrong, you can have all kinds of issues - string spacing problems and strings that are too close to the edge of the fingerboard, action issues, binding / catching / pinging and tuning issues, etc. Honestly, I'd rather just take the guitar to a good tech (such as yourself ) and have them do the work. It's not like my guitars need new nuts all that often... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted July 16, 2015 Members Share Posted July 16, 2015 There's also the point that a good set of nut files isn't cheap and most of us don't need them often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members recordingtrack1 Posted July 18, 2015 Author Members Share Posted July 18, 2015 I think the selling point is that it's easier for someone to replace their nut with something like the Stew-Mac Zero Glide than it is for them to learn how to properly cut a traditional replacement nut. Most guitarists probably don't want to be bothered with learning how to cut nut slots (and replace nuts infrequently enough that they really don't have the opportunity to practice doing it enough to get good at it), and if you get it wrong, you can have all kinds of issues - string spacing problems and strings that are too close to the edge of the fingerboard, action issues, binding / catching / pinging and tuning issues, etc. Honestly, I'd rather just take the guitar to a good tech (such as yourself ) and have them do the work. It's not like my guitars need new nuts all that often... I build all of my own electric guitars and cutting the nut is far and away the hardest part. I don't have a set of nut files. I use a hobby saw to cut the slot depth and use torch tip cleaners to round them out. It is a crapshoot at best, but I'm on my seventh guitar now and I'm starting to get pretty good at it. Nut files are expensive, but fortunately nut blanks are cheap, LOL! I haven't tried cutting a nut for acoustic yet. I'm trying to get my courage up enough to try an acoustic build. My tele and strat builds are freakin' excellent if I do say so myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted July 24, 2015 Members Share Posted July 24, 2015 The idea of the zero fret has been around for ages. What I find funny is that now that Gibson is putting them their pauls, a company now makes aftermarket ones.... Coincidence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members garthman Posted July 24, 2015 Members Share Posted July 24, 2015 . . . . I don't have a set of nut files. I use a hobby saw to cut the slot depth and use torch tip cleaners to round them out.. . . .f. Same here. And that's precisely how I do it. Works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.