Quick Question

[Dingus420]

hey im almost done building my custom stratocaster and i was wondering wuts an ideal height for the nut to be above the fretboard? or should i install the frets first and see how it sits before worrying about the nut?

[lowrider]

Install the frets first. It'll get in the way when finishing your frets anyway.

[Acousticraft]

Install the frets, level and re-crown them with a fret file first. You need the bridge fitted so you can tension your strings.

I like to file the nut so it is the correct width and remove the excess height by laying a thin steel ruler over the frets along the neck so it sits up against the nut. I then move it across the radius of the frets and mark with a sharp pencil on the back of the nut. File off but stop about 1 mm away from your pencil line. Next I mark out my string centres and start a shallow cut with a thin bladed saw.

I then glue the nut in place with a little super glue although with the strat you wont need to do that.

I fit the strings and tighten them enough to take out the slack and file grooves with a nut file until when fretted at the 3rd fret the strings just clear the first fret by about 15 thou" over the wound strings and about 10 thou over the treble. I find this gives a nice low action at the nut. You can go lower but you risk getting fret buzz. Once the strings are sitting nicely I file the top of the nut down so there is about half a string depth on the wound strings and a full string depth on the plain. Then the corners can be nicely radiused off.

Edited July 13, 2008 by Acousticraft