Why Does My Fingerboard Not Have A Nut Slot?

[Chuck Moore]

I am in the initial phases of my first build. I have my neck ready to go, however, the book I am reading uses a fingerboard with a nut slot, mine has none. I bought it from Stewart-Macdonald. How do I install a nut with no slot? Please help.

[thegarehanman]

Measure your slot spacing to confirm this, but that first slot is most likely an indicator for where the nut should go. The reason it's slotted for a fret is so that you can use a zero fret if you so choose. If you want a nut instead, use a table saw, or router, or whatever you should chose to either widen that slot(only remove material on the headstock side of the slot!) or cut the board at that slot, depending on what your design calls for.

peace,

russ

Edited March 13, 2007 by thegarehanman

[Chuck Moore]

Hey Russ,

Thanks for the reply. There is no fret slot at the very top of the board. It drops straight down to the first fret. The Yamaha strat style I have has a nut that seats up against the fret board. I am wondering if that is what this board is intended. The only boards at stewmac with slots are Fender scales.

Thanks,

Chuck

Measure your slot spacing to confirm this, but that first slot is most likely an indicator for where the nut should go. The reason it's slotted for a fret is so that you can use a zero fret if you so choose. If you want a nut instead, use a table saw, or router, or whatever you should chose to either widen that slot(only remove material on the headstock side of the slot!) or cut the board at that slot, depending on what your design calls for.

peace,

russ

[pmarlin]

Yeah I thought the nut just went up against the end of the board, I better go measure.

[verhoevenc]

Yes, with the stewmac boards, all of them except the 25.5" scale (Fender style) the nut just butts up against the end of the board. That's how Les Pauls are I'm pretty sure, I know my PRS is like that, and that's how all my builds are (and I've used stewmac boards). The nut slot oN the board thing is usually reserved for fender scales. But like Russ said, measure to make sure, but I can pretty much garantee if it's not a 25.5" scale, then the nut just butts up against the end. Most nut blanks (expecially ones from stewmac that aren't the Fender width) will be plenty tall enough.

Chris

[Mickguard]

I can confirm that the Stewmac boards don't have the zero fret --Russ is thinking of LMII, who leave that on.

So the end of that Stewmac board IS the nut slot. You can always add your own--take a piece of wood, shape it and glue it in.

[MiKro]

I can confirm that the Stewmac boards don't have the zero fret --Russ is thinking of LMII, who leave that on.

So the end of that Stewmac board IS the nut slot. You can always add your own--take a piece of wood, shape it and glue it in.

That's interesteing since the 25" template that Stewmac sells has the zero fret / nut face slot. Since I've never purchased a board from them I didn't know that.

Thanks

MK

[thegarehanman]

Actually, I wasn't thinking of anyone in particular. I've never ordered a preslotted board, but rich did slot a board for me once upon a time. I've since purchased a slotting blade and some templates which collect dust as I'm consumed by college.

[fryovanni]

As Russ mentioned I cut a slot(sometimes full nut slot, sometimes just a fret slot) to mark the board. I couldn't tell you for sure if Stew or LMI do this. However.... You should just measure to the 12th fret(at least what you figure is the 12th.) to confirm. Easy enough to tell where the nut should be(and guessing is not really an option).

Peace,Rich