Advice on Cutting the Nut Please

asimmd

Hi All

I know that bridge saddle height and nut depth govern how low the strings/action is but how

do you balance the two.

What do I do first,set the saddles or cut the nut?

Thanks

Alan

octatonic

The best way to cut a nut is to use a half pencil (a pencil split down its length) that can sit on the frets and draw a line across the nut.

That is the point that you absolutely cannot go below- ideally you want to be 1mm above it.

streethawk

Morning, Alan.

You should start with the type of guitar and whether it's a new build or not.

asimmd

Sorry,

This is my first build.All new stuff,body is a Strat.

Alan

octatonic

asimmd said:

Sorry,

This is my first build.All new stuff,body is a Strat.

Alan

Get the nut right using the half pencil, and then setup the saddles to match.

With acoustics I tend to work on them both at once.

Another tip is to glue sandpaper to a large spirit level, like this:

http://www.wickes.co.uk/content/ebiz/wickes/invt/167337/Spirit-Level_large.jpg

On the underside.

You can easily hold the spirit level while removing material from the nut and it stores away easily on a hook.

ICBM

Nut first, always.

Then neck relief, then bridge.

You can sometimes need to go back and slightly re-adjust one of the earlier ones, but that order is the one in which - normally - each adjustment does not affect the correct setting of the others.

streethawk

Well if you think about it, saddles are adjustable and that's something you can deal with when setting up the guitar.

So your priority is to get the nut right. 

asimmd

OK,I just watched a Fender Video where the guy cutting the nut holds the 6th string down at the 3rd fret,and cuts

the nut until you can just get a 0.010 feeler gauge under the string at the 1st fret.

Would everyone agree this is a good way to do it?

Alan

octatonic

That is one way, not that way I use though.

Here is another way to do it:

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/Nuts,_saddles/a-nuts.html

ICBM

I do it the third-fret way, but I don't bother with the feeler gauges, I just look at the gap. I aim for roughly between a quarter and a tenth of the string diameter, for each string - yes, that means as little as .001"-.003" for the top E, which is barely visible. .010" is OK on the bottom E.

In my opinion the recommended gaps on Dan Erlewine's page are way too big (I have a lot of respect for him otherwise though!) - a clearance of .010" on the top E or worse 0.030" on any string will cause intonation trouble on the first couple of frets.

WezV

what ICBM said.  I also use the 3rd fret method and usually just eyeball it.  

i do own the stew-mac nut slotting gauge, but i hardly ever use it

octatonic

WezV said:

what ICBM said.  I also use the 3rd fret method and usually just eyeball it.  

i do own the stew-mac nut slotting gauge, but i hardly ever use it

Did you start out that way though?

From what I've seen that is the more experienced way to do it.

I'd be surprised if a newbie could sight in a decent nut cutting first few times out.

WezV

yeah, I always did it that way - although I did get it wrong more than a few times

octatonic

WezV said:

yeah, I always did it that way - although I did get it wrong more than a few times

LOL.

Andyjr1515

WezV said:

what ICBM said.  I also use the 3rd fret method and usually just eyeball it.  

i do own the stew-mac nut slotting gauge, but i hardly ever use it

+1 ref eyeballing it.  I find it is not overly critical as long as there IS a gap and as long as it's small.  I also press on the second fret and look for JUST perceptible movement (especially on the top E and ...any one else do that?

And I second what ICBM says, nut, then neck relief, then saddles/bridge.

Andy 

Sporky

WezV said:

i do own the stew-mac nut slotting gauge, but i hardly ever use it

I have one and use it, but the dial goes the wrong way. This irks me.

Rocker

Sporky said:

WezV said:

i do own the stew-mac nut slotting gauge, but i hardly ever use it

I have one and use it, but the dial goes the wrong way. This irks me.

It is American! Over there, they drive on the wrong side of the road too.

ChrisMusic

Rocker said:   It is American! Over there, they drive on the wrong side of the road too.

We drive on the left side of the road which is in fact the right side of the road, they drive on the right side of the road which is in fact the wrong side of the road.  This could so easily be a circular argument.