setting up the nut

rgalpin · Post by **rgalpin** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 4:32 pm

I have a guitar with similar buzzing issues as roger's - strat with a standard fender 6 screw - I decided the neck must be warped or something because I get buzzing and bottoming out before I get good action.

the next thing I want to try is deepening the nut slots because when I play it with a capo, it feels great - what is the best technique? I fear I will just chew right down past the point of no return and be very sad - is there a trick to keeping from ruining yourself?

stratonenator · Post by **stratonenator** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 5:45 pm

Don't deepen the nut slot, it's too permanent. Just sand down the bottom of the nut on a flat surface and you'll be all set.

sadwings75 · Post by **sadwings75** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:15 pm

I've been cutting my own nuts for awhile but just recently built the best one so far. I used feeler gauges that I bought from Sears for like $5 which allowed me to taper string height down (low E is higher than A and so own) If you use feeler gauges and put them under the nut slow while you're filing, it will prevent you from going lower than you mean to. Does that make sense? I got an old Dan Erlewine video where he goes over all of this, that turned out to be really helpful as well.

YMI5150? · Post by **YMI5150?** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:18 pm

not a bad suggestion if the nut is a flat bottom nut. some are, some are radiused.

stewmac sells files. not too difficult and nice to have. you'd need them at any point where the nut radius does not match the fretboard radius anyway.

rgalpin · Post by **rgalpin** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:57 pm

bring the mountain to mohammed - (is that still a politically coorect allusion?) - anyway - DUH!! That is way easier and less dangerous. excellent! I'll be doing this tonight! Thanks [from under the rock] --- i guess it pays to stick your head out from under the rock and ask a simple question now and then - many thanks. -Rob

dirtycooter · Post by **dirtycooter** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:15 pm

Erlewine's Guitar Player repair book is really helpful. That dude must be one of the best guitar techs ever. Never cut my own nut before but I use feeler guages as he mentioned in the book to check neck relief and action, as well as a machinists rule-way cheap and simple to obtain as its only 6" and graduated out in very small 32nds and 64ths. Awesome to have and be able to reference the result of every adjustment you make on the neck. The ruler allows you to stand it up on top of the fret ans reference how high the bottom of the string is away from that fret when you look at it from the side. Way helpful and lets you see really whats goin on all the way up the neck on each fret and string.
Awesome to be able to tweak in a half of a 64th better action and know its clearly visible to let you know what you gained or lost.
Got an awesome playin axe and want to apply the same relief and string heights and even nut height? Just measure your fave and now you have a reference for the guitar that needs tweakin where it needs to be.

AJW · Post by **AJW** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:17 pm

Stew-mac also has a new tool for this: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Speci ... Gauge.html

I've used feeler gauges in the past, and that does work fine if it's done properly. I'm still thinking about getting this tool though.

sadwings75 · Post by **sadwings75** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:30 pm

Yeah since I got them I've used the feeler gauges for setting action; really a very helpful tool. I was going to buy the ones that stewmac sells (for around $30), but thought to check in Sears and they had some that had even smaller increments that cost $5.

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setting up the nut

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