Cutting A Nut (ouch!)

[SrDeMaFp]

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

To keep it short - are there any good tutorials out there for cutting a nut? Is there a rule of thumb as far as the depth of slots goes in relation to the first fret?

[Saturnine10]

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[Saturnine10]

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[normh]

There are not any rules of thumb as far as the depth of the lot in relation to the first fret. Different people do things differently. Some common methods:

 

Some use a northern light and file the slot down until when you hold the string at the second fret you see just the barest sliver of a shadow under the string. Why North. Because the sun can be seen from the east, south, and west and they don't want to be blinded.

 

Some file the slot until there is a very slight amount of travel until the string touches the first fret when tapped and the string is held at the second fret.

 

I use feeler gauges to measure the distance between the crown of the first fret and the bottom of the string. While different things affect the height I file to, a begging, and often ending, point E to e is (in 1000ths) 15, 14,13,11,10,9.

[MahaloVision]

I just use the half pencil technique, draw the line, then file down to that.

[Belva]

I use the push the string down right on the 3rd fret and use a business card between the 1st fret & string method to get the slot depth right. I find it also helps to use a radius gauge (same as the fretboard) to get the nut shaped close before I put it on the guitar. I know there is a free set of radius gauges on the internet somewhere. Just can't remember where.

BTW I've been doing my own nuts since I was about 12 years old.:poke:

[WRGKMC]

Go to the stuart McDonald site. They have a tutorial there someplace. There are exact recomended factory height measurements you should use to ballpark the height off the first fret. Having the nut too low can cause fret buzz, and too high causes strings to get bent sharp in the lower positions.

 

After you do a few you can eyeball them in. If its your first time I suggest using feeler gauges to limit the cut depth then eak it in from there.

 

Do you have fret files? Its extremely difficult to get a good U shaped cut that holds the string well without causing buzz without them. You also want the cut angle to be parallel with the headstock and or string breakaway to the tuners.

[SrDeMaFp]

Thanks for all of the advice, fellas!

 

 

Go to the stuart McDonald site. They have a tutorial there someplace. There are exact recomended factory height measurements you should use to ballpark the height off the first fret. Having the nut too low can cause fret buzz, and too high causes strings to get bent sharp in the lower positions. After you do a few you can eyeball them in. If its your first time I suggest using feeler gauges to limit the cut depth then eak it in from there. Do you have fret files? Its extremely difficult to get a good U shaped cut that holds the string well without causing buzz without them. You also want the cut angle to be parallel with the headstock and or string breakaway to the tuners.

 

 

I'm gonna have to take another look around Stew-Mac's site. I must have skimmed over it when I was looking around.

I do own feeler gauges so, that's a plus. I also own fret files (if you can call them that). They're the "Norman" fret files from eBay. They've worked fine for lowering/widening fret slots on stock plastic/"trem" nuts but, I've yet to cut a bone nut from scratch with them. I really can't afford a set of real nut files right now so, they'll have to do. We'll see how they perform. Does anyone have experience with the Norman files? Thoughts?

[Belva]

The Normans are just fine. My first set was Normans. I still prefer to use them for my rough work. Then I switch to the good files only because the Normans cut really fast. You probably have the spacing gauge that came with the kit. If so, use it.

Also, don't be afraid. I was at first. Just make sure you have at least one xtra piece of bone just to phuck up Murphy and his damn law.

Once I learned I had people lining up to get their nuts done (don't go there!!!!).

[MadSkillzMan]

Just make sure you have those rounded files, or trust me, itll buzz and sound like crap on an open note

[Belva]

Just make sure you have those rounded files, or trust me, itll buzz and sound like crap on an open note

:thu: The Norman files are rounded at the bottom.