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Post subject: Re: New Bridge and Tailstop
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2016 11:51 pm
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@nikininja, I wasn't actually referring to the width of the nut slots; it can cause a pinching string problem when changing to thicker gauge strings, but I don't think it's an issue in mud's guitar.

But in many guitars, the manufacturers leave the nut slot bottoms very high - measurings like .030" (0,75 mm) and over aren't rare, and at those digits the first frets will play sharp (measuring: capo on 3rd fret, measure clearance between 1st fret top and string bottom).
There are many recommendations for nut slot height but .010" lowE/.006" highE (0,25mm/0,15mm), the rest in a nice curve in between those, usually works just fine.

And I fully agree on the nut slot shape; a good contact point at the nut front, dropping and widening to the headstock side.


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Post subject: Re: New Bridge and Tailstop
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2016 3:04 pm
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Professional Musician
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Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:06 am
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jmattis wrote:
mud wrote:
Neck Relief = .09, E6= 5/64, E1= 4/64, the nut was high on both sides, can't remember or maybe don't want to, but the guitar is home and I'm at work. That is why I was thinking about 9's maybe they will sit lower in the nut slots

I hope you mean the relief is .009" :wink:
On the nut; I wouldn't go to a .009 set on a Gibson scale guitar, especially if you use that drop tuning: the thin strings are even more sensitive to finger pressure = out of tune easier. (BTW, the cents you mention aren't totally catastrofic. Modifying arth1's thought: a guitar never plays accurately in tune for every string on every fret.)
It's never a bad idea to use a pro; one setup fee includes checking/adjusting nut slots, and will take you a long way.
But if you want to DIY the nut slots, this may be useful: Ceri's instructions to fix a pre-cut nut


So I went home and checked out the epi SG, and though I said I was going to tweak the neck from .009 to .010, It played so nice and felt good that I decided I would leave it for now, as it is playing better than it has ever played before.
Now that I have been Buckering around for almost a week with the SG I decided it time for that straty sound so last night I Put the SG back in the case and grabbed the Am Standard. Now this guitar has always been easier to play and just feels better and a lot more money to buy, but I felt the SG seemed better, I realized its been a while since I checked specs.
The capo went on the first fret, held down a fret by the body, looked at the gap between the bottom of the string and the fret and there it was the GRAND CANYON, so out came the truss rod key and a little tightening of the rod, tuned it up, checked intonation and action and presto the strat again became superior in feel and play ability as it should
Amazing what a set will do
mud


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Post subject: Re: New Bridge and Tailstop
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 3:20 am
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Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 10:47 am
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Yes Jmatis, so was I mate.
Honestly, put some feeler gauges in your nut slots. See exactly how wide they are.
It's nigh on impossible to stop side to side wander of the slot file over a few thousandths of an inch mate.
Your slots are always wider than an 11-56 set.
Think about it. You've got your nice bit of bone, your super expensive Hosco .009" nut file. Now look at that file and tell me how you can guarantee you wont put pressure to one side enough. Honestly mate, you'd need a robot to do it.

_________________
No no and no


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Post subject: Re: New Bridge and Tailstop
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 2:12 am
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:53 am
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I mostly agree with the above, but when you (= generic) file the nut, the bottom is supposed to be round; that's why thinner strings work OK in slots made for thicker strings.
In my experience, the nut slots can be too narrow for a thicker-than-factory-default set on new guitars - many of them won't accept going from a .009-.042 set to a .011-.056 (or just plain G to wound G) without some nut work - and the pinching may happen on one string only, not the whole set.

But again: the height of the nut slots is, IMHO, a bigger/more frequent issue than the width.


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