It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 2:40 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 3:30 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:29 am
Posts: 15
I have a Fender Classic Player Strat on which the action is a little too high. After adjusting the truss rod and the bridge settings I found the nut was 1/32" higher than that of both my other 2 Strats. In looking at how to fix this I found 3 options. The 1st opinion is the remove the nut and sand it down to the correct height. The 2nd option appears to be replacing the nut with one which is pre-slotted from some place like Stewart-Mac and the 3rd option would be to buy a set of nut slotting files and cut the slots a little deeper. The final option appears to be the easiest but the cost for a set of files would be about $90.00, a little more than I had hoped. Does anyone have an opinion on which would be the best way to go? Thanks


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:15 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:18 am
Posts: 1530
Location: The Frozen Tundra of MN
Option one. :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:25 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:57 am
Posts: 13164
Location: Peckham: where the snow leopards roam
nashvillekat wrote:
I found the nut was 1/32" higher than that of both my other 2 Strats.

Hi nashvillekat: 1/32" too high? Wow. That's a lot, by guitar nut standards.

Out of curiosity, may I ask how you're measuring it? Are we talking about the top of the nut or the bottom of the nut slots themselves? I just ask because that's a surprising measurement, and we want to be sure before we start messing with the nut and/or its slots.

By the way, another option would be to simply take the guitar to a decent tech and have him spend five or ten minutes with his nut files getting those slots into exactly the right place. Quick and inexpensive.

Assuming the work really needs to be done, that is. Fender are usually pretty good at cutting their nuts.

Cheers - C

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:40 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
Ceri wrote:
By the way, another option would be to simply take the guitar to a decent tech and have him spend five or ten minutes with his nut files getting those slots into exactly the right place. Quick and inexpensive.

+1

Ask if you can watch the procedure -- that way, you also acquire some knowledge about how to service and maintain your instrument.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 4:55 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 6:29 am
Posts: 15
Thanks guys for the advise. There are no techs in my area, plus I like to do my own work if I can.

I remeasured and it sure looks like the 60's Strat is 1/32" higher than the nut on the 50's model. I measured several ways and they all come out the same. If you look at the 60's model it is noticeably higher.

I looked on You Tube at a video by John Carruthers and it doesn't look that hard to file the slots down, am I missing something?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 6:13 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:57 am
Posts: 13164
Location: Peckham: where the snow leopards roam
Hi again, nashvillekat: if all the string slots are too high by exactly the same amount then the easiest adjustment could be to sand material off the bottom of the nut, as Minnesotastrats indicated. But if the slots are out by different amounts then filing them individually is the only way.

Here's a test you can do on nut slot height that doesn't require any equipment.

Choose a string. Fret it at the first fret, and then examine how much gap there is between the underside of the string and the top of the third fret. Next, fret the same string at the third fret, and then examine how much gap there is between the underside of the string and the top of the first fret.

Those two gaps should be near enough the same. If the second gap, above the first fret, is bigger than the gap above the third fret it means the nut slot is too high and needs to be lowered. If the gap above the first fret is smaller than the gap above the third fret, or there is no gap at all, it means the slot is too low and you'll need a new nut.

You have to repeat this test for each string individually to find out what's going on across the nut.

Of course, measurements with feeler gauges are a better, more professional way of doing this. With gauges you simply measure the gap between the underside of the strings as they cross the breaking point on each nut slot and the top of the fingerboard. Those gaps should all be 0.02" / 0.5 mm more than the height of the first fret.

I think a year or two back I did some photos of all of that which make it clearer. If you want I can probably look them out for you.

To answer your last question, filing nut slots is perfectly do-able if you understand what you are trying to achieve, take appropriate care and use the correct tools (which, as you say, are expensive). On the other hand, miss-cut DIY jobs on nuts are a sure way to make a guitar play badly, or make it completely unplayable.

You pays your money, you takes your choice...

Cheers - C

_________________
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:06 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 8:03 am
Posts: 575
Location: In the Land of "Stratocaster"
Potential issue w/ removing the nut... It could break. Depending on how much glue was used (some have WAY too much!), The nut's powdered toast. They don't always come out nice and easy.
Suggestion, Have a back up nut just in case ;)
The pre cut tusq nuts are super easy to work with and they sound great.
Something to consider before going there.

_________________
★ ★ ★ ★ ★


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:27 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Mon Nov 25, 2013 7:26 pm
Posts: 2
How about option 4? These work great. Slotted many a nut with them.

http://www.amazon.com/Hobart-770085-Welding-Oxy-Acetylene-Cleaner/dp/B0017Z04Q2


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: lowering the action on a Classic 60's Strat
Posted: Mon Nov 25, 2013 10:27 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 12:48 am
Posts: 26417
Location: Tombstone Territory
Strat-Slinger wrote:
Potential issue w/ removing the nut... It could break. Depending on how much glue was used (some have WAY too much!), The nut's powdered toast. They don't always come out nice and easy.
Suggestion, Have a back up nut just in case ;)


A wise contingency plan......

8)

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: omar59 and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: