1st Timer: Gauged Nut Files or Swiss Needle Files?

[FenderGuy53]

Guys:

I own a Fender American Strat and Tele and a Martin acoustic/electric dreadnaught.

I've been reading up (Dan Erlewine's Guitar Player Repair Guide) and I think I'm almost ready to try to do my own basic setups (neck relief, saddle height, nut action and tremolo bridge). If I get good at it, I may do this for friends, too, but I don't intend to make this a business.

The only tool that I don't have, but think I need, is a tool to adjust nut action.

Here are my questions:

Do Fender and Martin nuts typically require adjustment, or are they within spec from the factory?

If adjustment would be required, should I use a gauged nut file set or would a Swiss needle file set be adequate?

Thanks for any help.

[Vizcaster]

There's really no substitute for gauged nut files. Some people get away with welding torch tip cleaners, but you have to have an awfully good hand to be able to know how big a slot you're cutting. With a gauged nut file you know exactly the kerf size it's going to make. Expensive, though. Luthiers Mercantile International has a good set of 8, but you probably want to add an open-stock file of .028 if you use string sets with an .026 string (for some reason the set of files has every other string size for most string sets EXCEPT for the .026 string where they give you an .024 file).

[FenderGuy53]

Originally Posted by Vizcaster

There's really no substitute for gauged nut files. Some people get away with welding torch tip cleaners, but you have to have an awfully good hand to be able to know how big a slot you're cutting. With a gauged nut file you know exactly the kerf size it's going to make. Expensive, though. Luthiers Mercantile International has a good set of 8, but you probably want to add an open-stock file of .028 if you use string sets with an .026 string (for some reason the set of files has every other string size for most string sets EXCEPT for the .026 string where they give you an .024 file).

I just purchased an 8-piece guitar nut file set from Warmoth for $64 plus shipping. It includes the exact size for 4 of the 6 strings (I use 10s now) and has close sizes for the remaining 2 strings. From what I understand, I can gently rock a smaller file from left to right to get a slightly larger kerf.

Thanks.

[fabiomayo]

A Dan Erlewine's idea:
Improvise with old strings. Use a small file for starting the grooves
and finish them with old strings (each for it's correct position).
He suggests gluing them to popsickle sticks (thinned down, of course).
Round grooves with the correct width where the strings sit nicely.
Should take patience though.

[Vizcaster]

Incidentally, Swiss needle files have many uses, but they don't have the proper round-bottomed, straight-sided shape for a properly cut nut slot, and they're too big.

[Rob DiStefano]

Gauged nut files are the pro way to go. Nut slots must have rounded bottoms, to reasonably meet (and be slightly larger than) the string gauge in question. This achieves maximum contact between the string and the nut, in order to effectively transmit "tone".

Flat bottomed nut slots can't do that. "V" bottomed nut slots won't do that, and are just plain stupid. Either of these two incorrect nut slot cross sections will also contribute to buzzing and intonation issues.

In a pinch, super gluing a 2" or so length of proper sized wound string to the edge of a popsicle stick makes a nut slot cutter of sorts that will create a proper nut slot cross section profile. The down side is that it'll take at least ten times longer to "saw" that slot than with a proper gauged nut file.

Have fun.

[Old Cane]

Originally Posted by Vizcaster

There's really no substitute for gauged nut files.

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Gauged nut files are the pro way to go.

Yes.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Gauged nut files are the pro way to go. Nut slots must have rounded bottoms, to reasonably meet (and be slightly larger than) the string gauge in question. This achieves maximum contact between the string and the nut, in order to effectively transmit "tone".

Flat bottomed nut slots can't do that. "V" bottomed nut slots won't do that, and are just plain stupid. Either of these two incorrect nut slot cross sections will also contribute to buzzing and intonation issues.

In a pinch, super gluing a 2" or so length of proper sized wound string to the edge of a popsicle stick makes a nut slot cutter of sorts that will create a proper nut slot cross section profile. The down side is that it'll take at least ten times longer to "saw" that slot than with a proper gauged nut file.

Have fun.

I 'm almost startin to think this should be put up on the Header of the Main page, as often as it's addressed...or maybe just USE GAUGED NUT FILES.......