apl
Stand Up Comity
So why does a guitar need to be strung to cut the nut? The target is a point some distance above a plane defined by the first and second frets, right?
Roguetitan
New member
strung for reference to keep a check to make sure you dont go too deep on the slot depth while cutting in and dressing the slots.
Light
New member
No more than a couple of thousandths above the first fret. You can use a very thing straight edge, but you'll have a hard time getting it as accurate that way.
Light
"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Light
"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Roguetitan
New member
Yes
I actuallly use an automotive feeler guage that i tack down with a piece of maasking tape on the edge of the feeler guage until I get down to the nitty gritty then I string it up and guage with the string for finishing touches
muttley600
Banned
If your cutting for an electric with low action the depth of the slot can be the same as the fret hight. On an acoustic with higher action it can even be a gnats cock lower. A good setup is also needed to get it right.
I've described my method here in the past. Basically it involves a pencil with a flat planed to one side so you can draw a fine line on the face of the nut at the fret hight. Then cut just above it. String up and play with the neck relief, action and slot depth until all are just so. It's something you get good at by doing quite a few. Take your time on the first few, you'll get quicker as your confidence and ability grows.
I've described my method here in the past. Basically it involves a pencil with a flat planed to one side so you can draw a fine line on the face of the nut at the fret hight. Then cut just above it. String up and play with the neck relief, action and slot depth until all are just so. It's something you get good at by doing quite a few. Take your time on the first few, you'll get quicker as your confidence and ability grows.
rayc
retroreprobate
My luthier uses a computer guided laser - seriously he rigged it himself.
For the brass nut he cut for my Bruno he used hand & eye I think.
For the brass nut he cut for my Bruno he used hand & eye I think.
apl
Stand Up Comity
Have you got a pic of that pencil gizmo?
muttley600
Banned
It's just a pencil that has had half of it planed away. Take a block plane or similar and hold it upside down in a vice. Run the pencil over the blade so you are shaving off the whole length keep going till you have half a pencil.
You can then use it by laying it on the first few frets and mark the bridge at the same hight. If your still confused I'll try and remember to take a snap later.
apl
Stand Up Comity
It's just a pencil that has had half of it planed away. Take a block plane or similar and hold it upside down in a vice. Run the pencil over the blade so you are shaving off the whole length keep going till you have half a pencil.
You can then use it by laying it on the first few frets and mark the bridge at the same hight. If your still confused I'll try and remember to take a snap later.
OK, I get it. Thanks!
Roguetitan
New member
I have a Laser I use for setting the relief, crowning and fret leveling. a laser don't do much good for cutting string slots in nuts with radiused fretboards though.
Marking the nut with a half pencil as someone else mentioned should be the first step taken in determining the heighth of the top of the fret and transfers the fretboard radius to the nut also.
muttley600
Banned
Just to bring a bit of reality back to the job in hand. Computer guided lasers or any other "micro" measuring tools is a waste of time and effort for this job and pretty much others in the building process. A nut slot is right when it's right, not when a laser or micrometre says it's right.
Some related comments here