Start by loosening the string, not taking it off. In the end, it is all up to you. This is where the string isn’t able to clear the first fret and rattles against it, creating a string buzz similar to a sitar. ( I do this myself to get the nut to a "general " height) Acoustic Guitar Maintenance Overview with Darren Gallman (Video), Highlights from Gibson CEO J.C. Curleigh’s Visit (Video), The Toothpick Trick: Guitar Setup and Maintenance (Video). How high should the nut slots be? Bonus. If the nut slot is flat, then the string will rattle and buzz when played open. Background: Epiphone Jr. Adjusting A Locking Nut. Nut slots that are too high create a situation where the guitar is difficult to play in first position. Filing down the metal in the slots of a locking nut is not an option. String height at the nut should be as low as possible without causing open string buzz. The individual slot widths will be a function of the individual string gauges and will determine what gauged file you use on each nut slot. I created this website to share my knowledge and as a means for people to learn the guitar for free. Free Spins valid for 72 hours from credit. Within the 3 full-length DVDs you receive, you will learn everything from correctly restringing your guitar to adjusting actions, checking relief and more…. There really is no reason to set your height at the 12th fret before the nut. Again, these nut slot height measurements are workable specs to shoot for. 1. A good place to start is at the factory heights which are 1.5/64″ or .022″ for the Low E, A, D, and G strings, and 1/64″ or .018″ for the B and high E strings. Have you ever noticed that your string doesn’t quite fit in the nut, and tends to cradle itself on top of the nut slot? On Fender guitars with a scooped headstock design, you will want almost no angle in your cuts because there is almost no break angle in the string after it leaves the nut slot on the way to its corresponding post. The trick is getting the nut slots to the proper depths. The distance between the string and the 1st fret would nearly always be below .020 (.5 mm). To check nut-slot height, hold the string down at the third fret, and see how much it moves over the first fret. This is why you use a capo at the first fret in all previous steps — to take the nut slot heights out of the equation, saving them for last. This is the best reference I've found on nut slot height: Nut Action I have mine adjusted so that with my finger on the string at the second fret I can barely pass a business card under the string at the first fret. String Height At The Nut. Hold each string down on the 2nd fret and look at the space between the bottom of the string and the top of the 1st fret (Photo 9).We want this clearance to be as small as possible, yet when you play the open string, you don’t want to hear it buzz against the 1st fret. A Wooden Sanding Block– Non-wooden will do but again, it’ll require more elbow grease. Select a file that best fits the fret, and file the fret down a small amount. All dimensions are given in millimeters. Final slot height Take the slots to their final height with all the strings on and tuned to pitch. Same height as the frets. Make your adjustments, and if you feel a bit nervous, bring your guitar to a professional. That really depends on the depth of the slot in the neck, into which the nut fits. I did my due diligence and read through a dozen different threads and got a dozen different suggestions on measuring / setting string slot height. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Max Free Spins winnings £100. I used to be a full-time guitar instructor and had taught hundreds of people how to play the guitar. I can fix the issue by simply widening the nut slots .002” over the size of the actual string width and cutting the slots correctly. The nut serves to define and maintain the spacing of the strings, and to hold them at the proper height. Imagine a zero fret parked directly under the fret, for instance. If your string reaches the feeler gauge (.018 inches is the best gauge to use for optimal nut action height) you are all set.