Hello!

I bought a RI'62 Strat from the Hot Rod Series some month ago, quite expensive guitar, and I have some concerns about the e-string slipping sometimes outside of the fretboard while playing.

In fact, the nut placement is such that the space between the edge of the small e-string and the edge of the board (2mm) is shorter than for the big E-string (3mm). You can see that clearly from the picture below.

I did not pay alot of attention to that when I bought the guitar. Afterwards, I've been to the store looking closely at how nuts are placed on Fender strat guitaris (distance AT THE NUT from e and E strings and the edge of the board), and I've seen that there is a lot of diversity, with sometimes very important assymetry! This seems to be typical Fender, because the placement seems always to be centered on other guitars brands!

Questions:
1) On my guitar: is there a problem with the nut alignment, or is this within the acceptable range (picture).
2) Generaly speaking: why is the nut on all Fender guitar not always perfectly centered (with sometimes extreme settings)?
3) Is there a "rule" concerning the ideal relative E-e string distance from the edge of the board at the nut level?

Thank you for comments and opinions.

Michel

The spacing should be the same on both sides. www.stewmac.com sells a string spacing rule that is used to mark the places that the nut should be cut. I'd get a new nut installed and have it cut using this rule. Good luck!

Here is a link
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_saddles.html

Almost forgot, Welcome to the forum!!

The nut spacing on your guitar is off but I suspect that its not causing string slip off. Nut slot spacing will only really affect the first 3 maybe 4 frets. Where the tension pretty much negates the chance of the string pulling off at that point. Its neck alignment that caused every string slip off problem I've seen.

Nut slot spacing is offcenter for a very good reason. Its to accomodate the thicker bass strings. The measurements are still taken from the center of the nut, but the bass strings are set further apart so that their thicker strings feel evenly spaced beneath your fingers. It looks to me like the string spacing on your nut was reversed prior to them being cut. So you've got treble side spacing on the bass side and vice versa.

Its a warranty issue so take it back and get it fixed. Get them to look at the neck alignment too whilst their about it.
Did you buy online?

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Thank you for your answers.

String spacing seems to be constant on my guitar: 7mm everywhere (from center of the hole to center of the hole). But I don't have precision measure instruments

Not bought on the internet, but at the "MusicStore" in Koln, Germany (fairly far away from my place, since I live near Brussels).

You are very welcome. Good luck!

String spacing will still be ok but shifted over. The reason being the center of the slot is marked then cut, everyone to a different width. You really need a set of digital calipers to measure it out as your dealing with measurements down to the thousandth of an inch. Cutting nut slots is a funny old affair, its as much to do with feel as it it mathematical accuracy. It does look to me that your nut was marked for a lefthanded guitar then cut for a righthanded one though. Its a simple fix. The string/edge dropoff is also a simple repair, as long as the neckpocket of the guitar isnt wildly out of shape.

You may want to get intouch with fender europe. I'm pretty sure your warranty is valid at any fender service center as long as you have your sales receipt.

All the best with it Michel.

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Maybe the OP needs a custom Ninja-nut!!!

It does look reversed like you say Niki.

Thank you all for your interesting comments. Here below some additionnal pictures.

You see that, although the high e-string at the nut is closer to the edge of the board, the neck alignement is set so that strings are perfectly centered at the 12th fret. Consequence is, of course, that, at the 21th fret, it is now the low E-string that is closer to the edge of the board.

Playability is globally correct, high e-string slippages out of the board only happenning when playing in low positions pull offs involving open string.
Typically: e|---5p3p0---5p3p0---- is a problem.

Maybe thoses pictures inspire some additionnal comments from you?

Thank you
Michel

Michel

If you look closely the strings are fairly evenly spaced. You need to judge it from the center of the string though. Reason being the thickness of the bass string pushes its edge further to the edge of the fretboard.
That said it doesnt look like theres much room to spare, perhaps the neck is a little narrow? The saddles of the guitar are a set width and I cant see the nut spacing alone affecting up around the 12th fret. Nut spacing coupled with a narrower neck would certainly come closer to explaining to my mind how your getting string slipoff on low frets.
The good news is that the neck alignment is bang on.

I honestly think you should get the guitar back to a service center. Whether the neck is a tad narrow or not remains to be seen, its just speculation on my part. Not that its necessarily a fault, its entirely down to whether you like it or not. It could certainly be alleviated a touch with slot spacing.

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