In this video, Chris May the master luthier of Overwater basses is going to show you exactly how to set the correct nut heights on your bass for optimum playability. As always, see you in the shed, Scott:) PS. This video is a snippet from our 'Bass Maintenance and Set-Up Guide' course within the SBL Academy. The course is over 2 hours long. Hugo benitez poker.
How To Check Nut Slot Depth Tool
The third and final step of setting up your guitar is to cut the slots in the string nut to a depth where you get the optimal first fret clearance for each string. Rather obviously, you want that clearance to be as low as possible, because the higher it is, the more your fingers will hurt when fretting the strings at the first few frets. Moreover, the intonation of your guitar will suffer (that is, your chords will be off even with perfect tuning) when the strings are too high above the first fret.So if we want the strings to be as low as possible on the nut, then what is the lower bound? One constraint is of course that the open, unfretted strings should never buzz on the first fret. However, there is another thing to be kept in mind: raising the strings at the nut will also prevent the behind-the-fret buzz that I mentioned earlier. Therefore, your ideal first fret clearance is usually a tad more than what you would absolutely need to prevent the open string from buzzing. That is true especially if you prefer less neck relief. My preferred values for the first fret action are .022' for the sixth string (that's the deep E, the wound string) and .018 for the first string (that's the high E, the thin unwound string), with the rest of them pretty much evenly spaced in between.
How To Check Nut Slot Depth Chart
- The slots on the nut are to maintain the string spacing. The best tool to use to make the slots, is a round tapering needle file. The slots only need to be half the strings thickness deep, to keep the string in place. Ideally the string will sit at the bottom of a semi circular slot, that is just a bit wider than the string.
- For nut slot repair, use the sharp tip to 'prime' the bottom of the nut slot by pushing it into the slot at three or four points along it's width. This helps the new material grip the bottom of the nut slot and resist breaking free prematurely. Put a tiny drop of Krazy Glue in the freshly cleaned slot, careful not to let it run.
- Rather than being concerned about the apparent depth of the string in the fret slot, check the nut action to make sure the depth isn't a problem. Hold down the string behind the second fret and press down on it between the second fret and nut.
- To check if a string is rattling in its slot, push the string sideways behind the nut with one hand then pluck it open with the other. If the buzz disappears, you've found the problem. Prev Page 6 of 13 Next Prev Page 6 of 13 Next.
When you buy a new guitar, you can almost be guaranteed that the nut slots are not deep enough. I have seen expensive guitars that came with as much as .035' of first fret clearance, truly a finger killer. To cut the nut slots deeper, get yourself a good set of nut slot files, e.g. from Stewart-MacDonald. For each nut slot, select a file that is as wide or a tad wider than the diameter of the respective string. (Making the slot too narrow will cause the string to bind in the slot, with very unpleasant consequences.) To work on a particular slot, take off the respective string, but make sure that all the other strings are on and tuned up, so that the neck is pretty much in the same position as it is normally when you play. Then cut the nut slot deeper with your file, angling it downward a bit towards the headstock.