-812- A word about Nut slot height

the height of the nut slots it's a vital importance to the overall setup of a guitar. if the slots are too high playing in the first position is tiresome and in some cases can become hurtful. The easiest way to tell is if you try to play a bar F chord and you notice that your index finger almost feels like it's in pain.

In this video I'm just showing you a simple way of checking the heights to make sure that they're correct. and the old roll manner in which it's done.

#812 #812guitars #repair #string #restoration #203 #greenwich #luthier #luthiery #craft #wood #acoustic #setup #music #play #lumber

[ryanguffy]

Thanks for the tip, so many measurements and specs out there, when this looks straight forward and relatively easy to check.

[marshallohio]

OMG, I love it. ! ! I'm a player of 40+ years, and I seldom use measurements in setting up a Guitar 🎸 !! 64th this and 64th that starting guide lines is just that !!! Starting Point !! Nevertheless, if all strings are high at nut, then I take nut off guitar in sanding the bottom down !!

[django]

Thanks for posting this video. This is the method I use too. Works like a charm. Much faster and simpler than using feeler gauges.

[mauriciogambini]

Great !!!! Thanks for sharing this valuable information.

[DougHinVA]

He really knows what to do and why.... I always pressed at fret 3 but he is a real pro. Listen to him.

[flyingash]

I like this method. My neighbor used to work at a guitar repair shop in Nashville. He showed me this same trick.

[rickcurtis]

Excellent! This works perfectly, thank you!

[bronsonguidry]

A thing that I'm learning, pertaining to nut slot height, is that if they are too high, it is much harder on your fingers to play chords or notes on those 1st few frets, besides the fact, or theory, that you are bending notes out of tune while pressing the string down. I feel like I don't hear much about these things, but they seem important to know... as to "why" you should care if they are correct.

[vikingmike]

Awesome experience-based advice! Cheers! 😊

[elglo]

Perfect example. You should not even be able to see the string move, with this method. Just hear the little ping sound. It should be so low that movement, and the Gap, is almost impossible to see.. That ping is what you're looking for. Put a capo on the first fret and move the test down one fret and test it and that's how it should look. I shoot for 001 when dealing with the treble strings. Basically no gap. Slightly more on wound. Maybe 003-005. If you want to measure

[jerryjaystone]

Dude!! Way cool technique. I am so grateful!!

[brianmulligan]

Little confused, didn t he say hold down the second fret, he looks like he s holding down the 3rd fret

[rptek]

Great video. Thanks! I wish you could make full video on all strings.

[buck]

Every time I replace a nut the High E string pings when I pluck it open. All other strings are fine just high E. 3 nuts in a row. I’m using a .010 nut file for a .09 string slot. Already should I use a size .012 nut file?

[johnrobertpalomo]

this 2 min video is the best video on nut heights on youtube

[PitStop-uu]

I have done a different concept for my ESP guitar. On my german handmade Lefay bass there is not a nut but a zero fret at ITS place. OK. Interesting concept. Ive done the same concept in my ESP strat. The Idea the neck is very straight the zero fret IS the perfekt hight to all other put the nut out, closed the gap und put the zero fret IT strings are laying lower and the strat rings like a a second try on a cheaper guitar i had the Idea to close the nut gap instead with a peace of wood than with a Floyd Rose locking saddle behind the new Zero works also great....before doing that you must remove the string peaks and the the thickness of the Metal plate to come with it under the hight of the zero IT works

[jackramey]

Does this apply to electric guitars? Does this apply to all six strings? Thanks.

[qjarman]

Great tip man thanks for sharing that 👍

[Klien.Niwane]

I have a taylor 114ce. and I wanna adjust the nut height myself. Do I do this when I already have set my guitar in a proper relief? or I do make the neck straight, and that's when I start filing?

[auntoneyofuntease]

Now that's good to know. I recently found a cheap starter classical from 99. I cut a tiny piece of a credit card at an angle to measure my good guitars nut hieght then mark each string height with a sharpy. Knowing this would have saved me some time. But either way, I set it up like true classical and brought that cheap guitar back to life. Probably sounds better than when new, because they really don't set up those cheap classicals good.