I’ve watched several videos on how to make a guitar nut. Your tutorials are by far the best. They are so precise and easy to follow. I can now make or adjust the nuts on my guitars as needed. Thank you!
This is the best visual depiction of how to actually back file and still get a smooth ramp and take off point. Really helped me out a lot! Thanks for all the info and education you share.
Very useful information. I found the part about setting the action at the twelfth fret particularly helpful. I’ve watched almost every single video on the subject of nut filing here on RU-vid. You’re the only person who’s described dialing in action at the 12th, prior to filing the slots. I’m going to be filing a fender neck nut tomorrow that has pilot slots already made, from the factory. Thanks for the detailed information.
This is one of the few videos that shows the correct way of filing the nut level and then filing the break angle. Most guys just file the slots at the angle of the headstock which leaves very little material under the string at the fretboard side of the nut. That way may give the best intonation but also will cut the slots deeper over time.
I'm bone nut crazy. Just about every guitar i own ill pull the plastic nuts out, tusk xl, whatever. Gone. And shape nuts out of bone blanks. It is like one of the best ways to improve a cheap guitar. Or bring a parts caster to it's full potential. That and fret work; levelling, crowning, fred end dressing, polishing. It can essentially transform a cheap guitar to a custom shop feel. Ill do that before I even think about swapping electronics. Think most people do the electronics swap first because there is less skill required. But frets and nuts are where it is at. it takes a lot practice and tools. But it is a small step into a bigger world.
Hey Chris, I'm a very big fan of your work and i hope one day i can afford to buy one of your highline guitars. lately I'm all into repairing guitars and it all started when i wanted to refret my 95 strat. you provided me with great info with a simple precise approach and super detailed! please keep doing this. your Big fan From Egypt
sorry to be off topic but does someone know of a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I was stupid lost my login password. I would love any tips you can give me!
@Odin Francis Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and im trying it out now. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
I think this video will help me to solve an annoying buzz on a resonator guitar I bought. All of the notches are V shaped except the B string, and it is the one that buzzes. Thanks for the great video.
New subscriber here. I've got some nice guitars here with a lousy first fret action so I bought a set of the stew mac nut files. Then it occurred to me that I damn well better know my frets are straight first, so I bought those tools too. Henry Ford: "If you need a machine or tool but don't buy it you will find that you've paid for the tool but don't own it." I really appreciate you and your channel!
Thanks for a great video. What do you think of the method of holding the string down at the 3rd fret and making sure the string is just slightly above the 1st fret to set the nut slot height?
That is how I normally do it. However, I don't recommend it to novices since many of them want a number to shoot for. With a little experience, pressing the string to 3rd fret is a faster way to dial in the nut slot depths.
You just made me think about the nut width, if all we need is a shallow point where the string touches the nut, why do we use such wide nuts. we can have nuts shaped like a triangle or even as thick as the frets will be sufficient. This way we don't really need to make sure that only the front of the nut will be touching, because physically there will be only a front of the nut
Another great video Chris. Ty . I have a question sir. It kinda was addressed in comments below but was a bit vague. When filing depth , how much approximate material should remain flat where string rest before starting fall off towards tuners? Its a bone nut. I understand one doesn't want to sharp of an edge towards bridge but yet not too much material that may cause sitar and other issues. I'm guessing maybe 1/16" to 3/32" of flatness? Thanks for your time and very informative videos. Jim
What kind of material would you recommend for a Bigsby Tremolo bridge? I've seen people use bone than put oil or graphite in the nut slot. Someone recently recommended a Graph Tech nut. Thanks
Hey I’m just wondering if the files for the 10 gauge string are the exact same size, or are they a little oversized? Wondering if I could make files from feeler gauges for this.
Hi mate, I’ve seen some vids where they depress the string on the third fret and then measure the hight of the string at the first fret, do you see that as an acceptable method, thanks I find you vids the most informative
And again another detailed added. Do you polish your nuts? I'm kinda scared that I break the small ones. If you do, do you use a certain wheel for it or a small mini-motor tool?
Interesting. You set the height of all the strings with a single 0.01" (0.254mm) probe. Thus , in order for the probe to pass snugly , I think the height should be one tenth of about a millimeter more , that is , 0.35 mm height from the bottom of the string over the top of the metal fret will turn out . If I use this method to set this value on my acoustic guitar ( with metal strings ) , and get 0.35 this value, in particular, as for the first thinnest string , it will clang at the middle stroke , which is unacceptable . Although the sound production on acoustic and electric guitar is absolutely the same . Unclear. For an acoustic guitar with an average force of impact on the string , a 0.016 " probe is used to adjust the height of the first string above the first metal fret .
I could never play a guitar with that high of an action. I set all of my guitars at 4/64" E2 and 3/64" e4 at the 12th fret. I use a digital string micrometer and always install a Zero Glide nut and a bone saddle (if acoustic).
Very very usefull video, HI Chris, please I have a question, I just bought a brand new Fender Duo Sonic, since first day I have found a wierd tone in the 2nd and 3rd string (B and G standart tunning), the weird tone is only in the first and second fret, for example when im pressing Chord A mayor/minor , D mayor/minor. the weird tone is there..like the guitar was our of tunning, I think the problem is with the slot in the nut for this strings....probably is not deep enough or/and wide enough.... I was using gauge 10 to 46...the wierd tone was very noticeable....now im using gauge 8.5 to 40, the problem is less noticeable..... what do you think is the problem? thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge!
@@HighlineGuitars Thanks Chris for your time, I live in Bolivia....not very easy to find a good Luthier here, anyway im learnig a lot from your videos, so I will take a shot trying to fix this on my best analisys, Best regards.
Another great vid, Chris. I would be interested in your views regarding compensated nuts. Are they worth the extra effort? And, (as you do in so many of your other vids) is there a clear step-by-step standard formula on developing them?
Compensated nuts work. However, most people don't have an ear to notice, which is why they aren't found on many guitars. The extra effort is only worth it if you can hear the difference. I don't know of any formula for making them.
@@HighlineGuitarsgreat. Another question, is it possible to just buy 2 sizes of nut files & use it on all gauges? 0.10 for G,B,E & maybe a 0.26 for D,A, low E? Thanks
I'm really having a hard time pulling the trigger on what appears to be expensive specialty tools, but the $10 grooved wire "nut files" on Amazon have rather sucked for the thin gauges. Have you tried any specific brands and deemed them worthy of the ~$100 ask?
The only ones I can ever find are the overpriced StewMac files. Gotta wonder where they source those $.50 wholesale files. It’s one thing if you use them all the time, but for just a couple of guitars...expensive.
Just get to the source who is making it. The files you often see luthiers use are Ibanez files...again a branding but the ones making it and earned a lot of trust are made from HOSCO in Japan. They're the same as the Ibanez files just without the brand on it. I can't tell you where the Stewmac ones are made, but most of their tools are overpriced if you can't get a discount via a membership or a sale. Always keep in mind what material you work on and how the tools work. If you work with diamond like coatings, the only thing ruining them are intense heat by using it nonstop with high speed. With normal use they last several years even for luthiers and repair shops. If you just use them on your guitars and you have the same gauge of strings on all of them than you don't need a full set at that point. And you can use one gauge for more strings if they're kinda close to the gauge of the string. There are some files from gold smiths that also work quite well, but that's personal preference or helpful when you know someone who is in that business. The further you move away from any connection from "luthier" or "guitar" tools, the prices get a bit lower and sometimes the quality rises drastically. If you put string gauges and file sizes in a spread sheet, you'll see what you need.
WARNING ⚠️ do not use .010 gauge for every string! As far as I’m aware the following are standard measurements: 6 & 5 string =.020in 4 & 3 string =0.18in 2 & 1 string =0.16in
@@HighlineGuitars Oh I do, but I’m just pointing out what your lacking in your video ie important information, after all you did file the nut didn’t you.. So again.. what’s the measurements between the top of the first fret and the bottom of EACH string. ? If you don’t know the answer to that, how did you know how deep to cut the slots. ??
@@kingdom777866 the measurements can be whatever you want them to be. It all depends on what kind of action you want at the first fret. There is no specific measurement.
You can't. If you try to, anything that rubs against the surface (the inside of a guitar case, your arm, your clothing) will polish the surface. If you want a satin sheen, you have to use a clear coat formulated to dry with a satin sheen.
