Guitar String Spacing & Making A New Nut
- Feb 4, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: 11 hours ago
GUITAR NUT MAKING SYSTEM - COMPENSATED STRING SPACING
Our guitar nut making system uses compensated string spacing. The spacing between strings is gradually widened to ensure that the distance between adjacent strings is consistent across the fretboard. This provides slightly more space for easier playability on the thicker strings. It also allows for an increase in the overall 'E' to 'E' spacing for enhanced comfort.
A distinctive aspect of this tool is its ability to compare the instrument. The jig is configured directly from the guitar. This enables accurate work to be performed away from the guitar using an exact comparison of the instrument.
EXAMPLE
Ibanez Art Series guitar requiring a replacement nut:-
The fretboard crown should be marked across the nut blank.
GUITAR NUT & SADDLE VICE
The Guitar Nut & Saddle Vice serves as the core of the jig.
The vice replicates the instrument by measuring the base of the nut slot with a sliding plate setup, akin to employing a vernier depth gauge. The nut seating plate has two different ends which can be swapped around - a flat end for standard nuts and a curved end for fender style curved bottom nuts.
Vice Specification:
Jaw Width 75mm
Maximum Nut Thickness 10mm
Minimum Nut Thickness 2.5mm
After the comparison is made, the jig plates are secured together. This establishes a datum on the jig that matches the depth of the guitar's nut slot. The marked pencil line should meet the jig crown.
NUT TOP PROFILE TEMPLATE
The nut is positioned in the jig and clamped with the template. The template choice depends on the fretboard's radius.
The nut top profile template is designed to offer a precise guide for shaping the nut, ensuring that only a minimal amount of material remains for nut filing.
The height of the top profile's arc gradually rises from the treble to the bass side. This results in about 0.5mm (0.020”) of stock material for nut filing on the treble side and 1.0mm (0.040”) on the bass side.
The nut is returned to the instrument, and the positions for the outer strings can be marked.
NUT STRING ACTION TEMPLATE
The String Action Template then replaces the Top Profile Template.
Note: Since the string action templates are smaller than the top profile templates, the shaped nut profile highlights the remaining stock for nut filing, with a gradual height increase from 0.5mm on the treble side to 1.0mm on the bass side.
STRING SPACING GUIDES
The precision spacing guides guarantee accurate string positioning and prevent errors from manual marking, as all string slots are cut in a single setting.
HANDY CHARTS
The jig comes with a set of spring spacing reference charts, which list all the available string spacings on the guides. The charts are divided into separate sheets for instruments with 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 strings.
For a full list of spacings refer to the product details in the webstore.
The string spacing guide is moved left or right until the desired outer string spacing is matched - by aligning each of the the outer string positions previously marked across the nut with a guide slot.
The string positions are marked along the top of the nut. (If the string slots need to be angled toward each specific tuner, a small notch can be made at each string position, and the nut can be placed back on the instrument to determine the angle for each slot).
SETTING THE ACTION & AVOIDING OVERCUTTING THE SLOTS
The spacing guide is removed and the string action plate provides a reference for filing to depth.
Since the jig is directly referenced from the instrument and the string action template is designed to set the action at around 0.5mm above the 1st fret - (assuming a standard 1mm fret height) - this serves as a general guideline and will be influenced by other factors including the exact fret heights and string gauges.
It is recommended to pause filing of the slots at an intermediate stage and check the nuts' action on the guitar - with the strings under tension - as in some instances filing all the way to the jig plate could overshoot the action.
Using offcuts of the same string gauges will help to fine tune the slots and identify any string binding.
