Guitar nut slots

Subject: Guitar nut slots
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 11:11 PM

I've been to frets.com which says (and it seems logical) that the angle of the nut slot should be halfway between the plane of the fingerboard and the plane of the peghead (assuming there is no string tree), but what about the angle the other way? Should the nut slot be parallel to the neck, or point at the relevant machine head, or be halfway between the two?

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Peace
Date: 27 Jan 06 - 11:41 PM

"If too high, you must saw (with fine-gauged saws) or file (with nut-files) the slots down, a few strokes at a time, until they are right. Drat, sometimes that single extra stroke was one too many! In cutting the slot, the best way to proceed when you start to get close to the desired depth is to check it after each tool stroke. Make sure to angle your tool-stroke to yield a slot floor that is inclined relative to the fretboard but just about the same as the angle of the headstock or flatter– certainly not steeper."

From here.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:03 AM

Frets.com asserts that if the downward angle of the slot is parallel to the headstock or too close to parallel to it, then although the string bears correctly at the front of the slot, there is a risk of back-buzz since the string will be loose-ish through the rest of the nut. I find that convincing.

My question however was whether the plan view should show the slots going through the nut in line with the fretboard and then anglng to the machineheads, or should show the slots pointing at the respective machineheads, or halfway between the two (which seems logical.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:12 AM

Yeah. That does make sense. There are people here who know luthiers (and maybe one or two who are regulars). Keep this refreshed.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:23 AM

This is given a 'clean bill of health' from Frets.com

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:28 AM

"A too-wide nut slot is not necessarily all that bad. The strings may still bear at the front edge, ***be supported along the entire slot***, be at the right height and spaced evenly."

From the same site, this seems to indicate that there is a bit of a curve in the groove from neck to head.??

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:35 AM

Yes, I agree that logically the side elevation of the slot should be a curve, but I can't imagine the short distance between the front and back ofthe nut permitting buzz. However, not having a curve might affect whether the guitar sufers the dreaded "clicks" as it is tuned - which is what interests me about the sideways angling (or otherwise) of the slots.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 04:42 AM

Man, this is a tough question.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 05:58 AM

You might ttry the lutherie section of the 13th fret discussion forum. Some world class luthiers check in there and love to discuss topics like this. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Peace
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 06:01 AM

www.13thfret.com/

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: mooman
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 06:04 AM

I always cut my slots so that the bearing surface is at the fingerboard side of the nut. I angle down a little more than the angle of the headstock towards the headstock side so the slot is slightly falling away as the string leaves it on its way to the tuner. Buzzing, in my experience, has more to do with the profile of the slot than anything else. I try to finish the slot with a very fine needle file to give a round profile to the slot which is the best. The slot width should, as far as possible, match the string diameter.

A square profile, e.g. as given by a fine luthier's fret saw (I have them in several widths), can be OK, especially for unwound strings but I will still try to get the finest part of my needle file in to round the slot if possible.

A V-shaped profile, e.g. one cut with a V-profile file, tends to buzz the most as the wound strings have two very narrow bearing surfaces and strings can on occasion jump out of these depending on the geometry of the headstock and depth of the nut.

The ideal depth, if it is possible, is such that the wound strings sit so half of their diameter is in the slot and half above. Squeaks can be reduced by applying a little graphite from a sharp pencil into the slots.

Hope some of this is understandable and helpful!

Peace

moo

(trained and ex-fulltime intrument repairman)

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: GUEST,The Barden of England in Spain
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 12:34 PM

Just noticedthis and thought that maybe it's why Fylde guitars are made with a 'Zero fret'. And Martin Carthy has his Martin made with a Zero Fret too. Should it stop 'nut' problems I wonder?
John Barden

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Rapparee
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 02:49 PM

Hate to admit this, but I read the title of the thread as "Guitar nut sluts." It's an interesting problem, even though I can't contribute to the discussion since I play trumpet.

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 03:12 PM

Yes, John, I am a zero fret aficionado, for several reasons - no change in tone between open and fretted strings, hardly ever intonation problems from that end of the neck, no buzz problems on the only zero fret guitar I ever re-jigged, easy to fiddle string height if you take all strings off (but God help you if you take too much off) - so why do more people not use them? I think they ought to provide more sustain too. Even the re-issue Hagstrom SuperSwede (OK it's electric) has abandoned the zero fret of the original.

But are you suggesting I modify a Hagstrom J-45 to fit a zero fret? Sacriledge!

Subject: RE: Guitar nut slots
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 28 Jan 06 - 03:12 PM

PS, if anyone knows a guitar nut slut, if she is slim and well spoken, PM me!