How to check your guitar's nut | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 2

How to check your guitar's nut | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 2 | Thomann

Рет қаралды 102,521

Күн бұрын

In this episode of Guitar Tech Tips we focus on checking and setting up the guitar's nut.
This is the second step of setting up your guitar / bass.
We will show the last step of a great guitar setup: the bridge adjustment in our next episode so stay tuned and hit subscribe.
Here's how you check the neck relief, in case you missed it:
• How to adjust the trus...
Gear used: tho.mn/bhbs6
We use Triad-Orbit stands for our cameras, lights and mics: tho.mn/triad
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/xuad
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:25 Three steps of a good guitar / bass setup
0:40 Nut types
1:01 How to check the nut
1:40 Some numbers and measurements
2:02 what if the slots are not filed properly?
2:22 Let's file the slot - this is how you do it
2:57 What's with locking nuts on Floyd Rose guitars?
3:32 Are factory setups "perfect setups"?
3:44 It's time for a test ride :)
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Пікірлер: 114

@sven_bachmann Жыл бұрын

great video - as always! i recommend to permanently check if the fretted AND open-string notes are both in tune - that's how i determine my slot heights...

@louddude 3 күн бұрын

impressed by your positivity and clean lick in the end 👍

@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV 2 жыл бұрын

This is a great series and some great info is found here. I personally have experience shimming floyd Rose nuts and they can be a serious pain in the ass. I recommend stew mac's shims...they custom make them for floyd rose nuts made out of brass. They come with three thicker shims and three thinner shims and I had the most success using these shims. You can make your own though....just find an old feeler gauge set you no longer want and use tin snips to cut them. You can even drill holes in them but this often causes the shim to bow so you have to be really careful.

@alexs.9762 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, thats the content we all have been waiting for

@donlessnau3983 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent info. Well done. Clear and concise without all the silly bullshit on so many other sites. Thanks.

@georgerudinsky489 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for simplicity of an explanation, true pro approach.

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 3 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot! Really glad to hear that you've found it useful. //Kris

@ronfalkoff 4 жыл бұрын

Love this series!!! Please keep it going!!!

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks a lot Ron! You'll find the links in the description box under the video. //cheers, Kris

@ronfalkoff 4 жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses I found them Thank You!!! Love the series!!!

@filipvanboxelaer6124 Жыл бұрын

hey Kris, thanks for this video. I have a question. when I follow the 1st fret action guidelines of Stewmac, they recommend .011" (0,28 mm) clearance between the unfretted high E and the 1st fret, and .014" (0,35 mm) between the B and the 1st fret, .016" on the G. However, I noticed that the clearance between string and 1st fret when fretted on the third is then much lower than the minimum 0,13 mm you recommend in the video.

@bongorick Ай бұрын

Thank you for a well thought out and presented video. Subscribed.

@PooNinja 4 жыл бұрын

3:22 somethings you don’t wanna learn the hard way!!! I raised my locking nut with few strips of aluminum tape with the paper backing still on. I do play 10-52 or 60 for drop tuning so I needed a bit more clearance for the string to vibrate around 👍🏽

@PooNinja 4 жыл бұрын

There are a very limited number of folks I’ll let touch my nuts 😂

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Nice DIY fix Poo! :) //cheers, Kris

@rudygeorgiamulesandcountry1594 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your help ! ~Erie, PA~

@elalexander 4 жыл бұрын

This is really helpful! Thank you

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Stay tuned for new episodes. :) //cheers, kris

@WickBeavers 2 жыл бұрын

Nice playing, too!

@AnimalJohn85 2 жыл бұрын

Nice to see it wasnt just my les paul that had a badly cut G, this is great info though and imensly useful cheers.

@pauldncn1 4 жыл бұрын

Kris thanks my semi acoustic must be "grabbing strings" it doesn't stay in tune and if you tune it and leave it the timing goes up not down Time to find my but files Great series

@aleksik4028 3 жыл бұрын

This is nuts.

@malcolmdavidson1523 2 жыл бұрын

So you need a different set of nut files for each string gauge? And different sets for steel and nylon string acoustic?

@FrontendMedia 2 жыл бұрын

Nice, thanks 👍

@lutti7238 3 жыл бұрын

hey Kris, thanks a lot for this helpful Series. I bought a used Thunderbird. Ist had really thick strings on it and I think I have to work on the nut. Are the measures for Bass Nuts the same as for Guitar? Greets

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Ludger, bass strings need a little more space between the string and the top of the first fret (if you do the test I've shown in this video). Check out Episode 50 where I level the frets of my bass. After the leveling I check and file the nut, you can see it pretty good how much that space should be. Good luck! //Kris

@artemios9956 7 ай бұрын

Hi ! Should the groove of the nut be strictly according to the diameter of the string? Or is it acceptable to have a little more

@YannMetalhead 2 жыл бұрын

Good video.

@lukemakayabu4369 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Chris ~ always learning with you. My strings don't move when I do the test yet the guitar never buzzes and I'm able to bend to 2 steps ~ its an SG special. is there anything I should be aware of

@ibberman Жыл бұрын

I better get an SG. 😎

@MrRabbitPT 4 жыл бұрын

On the les paul there's some special way to file the nut on de G/D string (tuning issues)? because the angle to the tuning post?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

A slightly angled nut slot for the D and the G strings is ideal on guitars with 3L-3R headstocks. This way the break angle is lighter behind the nut. That's tricky though, because factory nuts are mostly filed parallel so you'd have to swap them and make a new one. If you have the tools, go for it. If not, it's gonna be expensive because you need quite some tools to make a new nut from the scratch. In that case it's better asking a guitar tech /luthier to do the job. //cheers, Kris

@drwhave Жыл бұрын

thanks for the tips, older borther of Macaulay Culkin!

@clemensmoeller4549 4 жыл бұрын

Nut files are pretty expensive, that's the main problem for me. I used a little sandpaper on a thinner string to make the low e string slot wider for a 56 gauge string once. It worked but I would not want to do it like that for all strings.

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

You're right, special tools are never cheap, especially quality tools. Good thing is, you buy quality nut files once and you can use them for many many years on as many guitars as you want. :) I'm happy your improvised filing method worked out for you. It sounds pretty risky though... :D Next time you could maybe visit a luthier /guitar tech, what do you think? //cheers, Kris

@clemensmoeller4549 4 жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses The slot for the E string was already pretty close and it wasn't a super expensive guitar (Ltd ec-256) so it wasn't a problem but for more difficult adjustments I'd have taken it to a luthier. Maybe some day I'll buy nut files but at the moment I don't really need them and I already have most tools I need for regular maintenance :)

@Waterinmenbenen 3 жыл бұрын

You can also use a piece of string to accurately file the slots. This only works with wound strings of course.

@ibberman Жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses So a set of files for 9's and a set for 10's ? No wiggle on a 9 allowed to fit a 10?

@06szymonszymanski 4 жыл бұрын

Kris when you get famous can I be your guitar tech? 🤣 Great video! Thank you 😊

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Haha! Or the other way around: can I be your guitar tech if you get famous? :D //cheers man, Kris

@patrickhansen205 3 жыл бұрын

good video; but what to do when the strings ar to low in the nut and touch the frets; and when the action on the 12th is ok ( 1.5 and 2.0 mm )?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Patrick, if the nut is too low, you have to try to fill it up or even swap it. I will make a video on how to do that in this series. Stay tuned! :) //cheers, Kris

@mostheinous 2 ай бұрын

Question when I buy a bridge for my Les Paul brass could you switch the saddles before they leave your shop because I’m having a hard time trying to take out the saddles and putting them back in pls help

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 2 ай бұрын

Hi, this is a subject you should contact our customer service about. They can tell you what is possible and how to proceed with your order. You will find the email address on thomann.de Cheers //Kris

@ArielRaskin 4 жыл бұрын

great movie! thank you. Would you make a movie about basses? 0.13mm is it lowest for all strings? What is the minimum for bass? Thank you

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Ariel, I measured 0.15mm on this bass, which has a pretty low action. As with all other measurements, you just need a little more space for the strings on basses. Not a lot more though. //cheers, Kris

@rodneycanales635 3 жыл бұрын

Would it be normal for the nut to be slanted?

@hanten10 4 жыл бұрын

Hello may I ask did you use StewMac files or any else?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Check out the description box for gear links. You'll find everyting in there. //cheers, Kris

@SakhaGaming 9 ай бұрын

thanks, tuned my mustang whole step down tuning and the F (G in standard) string does not play in tune up on top, this looks like will basically do that job, I already adjusted everything else, now just need the files :( Really wanna learn to play machine gun :)

@F3PIZZA Жыл бұрын

I have a guitar with both nuts, locking and standard. Trying to replace the standard and it isn’t easy.

@diegovalenzuela7206 8 ай бұрын

.13 mm for E6. What are the measures for the rest of strings?

@stanislavmigra 4 жыл бұрын

Hello Kris? Whats your opinion between genuine bone nut and graphtech tusq? Is it worth going for true bone? Another thing, is there any "easy" solution for nut slot, that is too deep? I have second hand guitar, that have good nut, but D string has just too deep slot and it drive me crazy, I just folded piece of paper there and it kinda work, until I do bend or vibrato and the tuning goes away. Yo, and great video of course ;)

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Hey, I like both, but for different styles of guitars. Both will be perfect and will give you the same tuning stability and both are self lubricating. It's more about the feel and looks for me. I like bone on traditional style guitars and Graph Tech on more modern guitars. //cheers buddy, Kris

@stanislavmigra 4 жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses thank you Kris ;) and any "easy fix" to nut, that is too deep? Or is the easiest thing to buy pre made Graphtech and drop it in?

@ClaudioAraya 7 ай бұрын

@@stanislavmigra I guess by now you replaced the nut yourself? I saw at the stewmac video's that they use a nut repair paste for these things. For me it was cheaper to replace the entire nut, in my case for a real bone one and it did the trick. Tusq is also an option if you like a more crispy sound on your guitar. Mine is a ES-335 Guitar which i prefered to use bone nut instead.

@stanislavmigra 7 ай бұрын

@@ClaudioAraya I did it another way. I removed the nut, put bit of wood under and did all the slots bit deeper. I was thinking, that its waste to ditch perfectly functional nut with lots of material to work with

@jyddentz 4 жыл бұрын

Stupid question. what is the height of the nut . I want my Les Paul kit to have the right height. thank you.

@JoaoMarcelo_1 4 жыл бұрын

I've been playing my guitars with a relative high action for the past 30 years. Now I'm experimenting with lower action, but I notice some string "slap" noises after lower the action, isn't fret buzz. Can you play a lower action guitar accoustic only (electric guitar)? Without an amp? I just need to hear this to know if what I'm experiencing is normal. Kris, amazing content! You guys at Thomman make my quarantine days a little better! By the way, I really like the pedalboard's brand / genre chanlenge videos. Also a fan, and subscriber, of your channel.

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! :) If the string slaps against the frets due to the lower action you could try a thicker string gauge. Fun fact: 10 gauge strings with a high action feel like 11 gauge strings with a way lower action. And what's the benefit of that? Thicker strings tend to move around less and vibrate less wildly, because they are stiffer than thinner strings when tuned to the same pitch. Simple but important advice: always test if you have annoying noises with new strings. After a few weeks strings start to vibrate with a bigger amplitude because of wearing out. More amplitude - more noises and fret buzz too. //cheers, Kris

@glenmiles483 3 жыл бұрын

Does the neck need to be straight before you check and adjust the height at the nut?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, it should be, yes. My recommended order of setting up a guitar / bass is: 1. neck relief 2. nut 3. bridge setup. If you look at our Gutiar Tech Tips playlist, you'll find these three videos in the right order. Cheers! //Kris

@guitarado 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, 1:10 is the check the same on acoustic ? because the strings and action are different there

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 2 жыл бұрын

It's pretty much the same thing on steel string acoustics too. Just leave a bit more space between the string and the first fret, especially if you tend to pick / strum the strings hard. The string gauge and material (bronze vs nickel) doesn't change anything. It's all about the playing style that matters. Cheers //Kris

@guitarado 2 жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses Yes Kris, es ist schwer... Tommy Emanuel uses low action setting, and he strumms, fingerpicks etc all sound great

@mercigoku Жыл бұрын

Hey nice video!! For 009 can I use the same as you or do I need another gauge?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yes I use the .010 file for .009 too, that works perfectly. Cheers //Kris

@AngeloThingy Жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses hey thanks for the reply!! im Thomann client for a long time now. the service is great!!

@mercigoku Жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses I wanted a set with 6 nut files, that worked for both 009 gauge and 010 strings. what do you recommend thanks

@gunsofsteele 4 ай бұрын

For shits & giggles I took every string on a MIM Strat down to 0.10mm & the low E is the only one clanging & buzzing. Raising that slot back up while watching this video. Thanks. BTW, lowering them did not help me play faster so I'll keep playing really loud. 😁

@larryfleming7295 4 жыл бұрын

I noticed you used a Gibson in the video and not a HB, was it to show even the top brands can need a little attention or just because?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Hey, it's a bit of both. These guitars are our "video studio guitars". We play them, we love them and we always have them in the main studio. Due to the lockdown I couldn't get other guitars for these episodes, so I went with these babies. :) But yes, it's also important to know, that most brand-new guitar can be tweaked a little. Well maybe not hand-made custom shop guitars... Those should come with an exceptional factory setup. ;) //cheers, Kris

@mikechecka292 3 жыл бұрын

Beware: One extra swipe with a nut file and you'll be replacing the nut. I found out the hard way with a brass nut on a bass. I barely scuffed it with the file and had to buy a new nut.

@jonljacobi 8 ай бұрын

Remove the nut and sand from the bottom if wholesale lowering is required. If you screw up, you can then shim it if you go too low. On top, stroke/replace string/tune/measure, stroke/replace string/tune/measure. Slow going, but easier than swapping in a new nut because you ruined the old one.

@ruchirsajwan 3 жыл бұрын

I recently bought sc1000 and the website says the nut is 43mm, I ordered a tusq nut of the same dimension and found it was big. I checked the nut width on my guitar and it’s 41.9-42mm I don’t know why this misinformation?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for letting me know about that, I'll send the info to the HB people to check what's up. //cheers, Kris

@ruchirsajwan 3 жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses thanks Chris! I love the guitar though.

@SoulScavenger 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, I’m getting a lot of sitar buzz on my low E string on the locking nut. I’ve never done any repairs of this kind before , is there a simple fix or do I have to take my guitar to the shop. Thank you in advance.

@andrasiboti 7 ай бұрын

I cannut believe how easy this is..

@johnrenshaw2461 2 жыл бұрын

Very good presentation by Thomann, so why did my SC550ii PAF arrive 5 weeks ago with every string at the nut so badly set that every note at the first fret was so sharp the guitar is unplayable. Not everyone has specialist nut slotting files!!! When I contacted Thomann they simply said return the guitar which I do not want to do for a problem that when I find a local luther I can get fixed. The quality control at Thomann is very poor.("THOMANN QUALITY SERVICE-checked by 2562"), whoever this quality controller is he needs a lesson from you. My guitar remains unplayable!! Kind regards, John Renshaw, Spain.

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 2 жыл бұрын

Hey John, I'm sorry to hear that. Occasionally you'll find poor setups on all kinds of guitars in every price range, not only on Harley Bentons. It shouldn't happen, clearly, but thanks to the crazy demand and the speed everything has to happen in order to get the instruments to the customers, it's sometimes inevitable. That's why it's important to have a customer friendly customer service that offers to fix / replace the faulty guitar if there's an issue. That's why they offered you to send the guitar back for the setup. I highly recommend getting a fret-end file and nut files because in the long term you save a lot of money and frustration with maintaining and setting up your guitars. Take care! //Kris

@AnthonySmith-io3ki 4 жыл бұрын

Could you do a video with a bass?!?

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 4 жыл бұрын

Hey, from the next episode you will see more basses, we made sure of that. You do exactly the same thing on a bass as what I showed here on a guitar. You just need nut files for basses. I put those on the gear list too in the description box. //cheers, Kris

@amazingthingsfromaroundthe2057 3 жыл бұрын

Wait till you go and try to buy some of those "nut slot files" and see how much they are going to cost you!

@everready19373 3 жыл бұрын

I used a old piece of guitar string.

@amazingthingsfromaroundthe2057 3 жыл бұрын

@@everready19373 I wound up just getting a new nut and sanding off the bottom of the nut to get it down to where it needed to be rather than file out each slot. New nut costed $11. Nut file set is $300.

@goncaloveiga 3 жыл бұрын

So expensive for home use!

@everett3038 2 жыл бұрын

I went to Walmart and bought a pack of small files 5 or 6 flats....4.96. I believe

@diegotrovetti4040 Жыл бұрын

@@amazingthingsfromaroundthe2057 online in Stewmac is $200 set of 6 files.

@travelingman9763 Жыл бұрын

How to properly lower a nut by shaving the bottom?

@KR0W3LY 3 жыл бұрын

Not a big fame of the nut shape in this video. The resting bed isn't long enough. Due to the shape of the nut, the slot will wear out faster and runs a greater risk of binding (this can cause tuning and string bending problems, even act as a wedge to split vintage or older bone.) The back angle should be taken from the tuning machine, not the head stock angle. Lots of in the ball park info though. Entertaining 😄

@Lorak669 7 ай бұрын

Factories knows how we like our guitars. as low as posible and comfortable. but the cheap out on this apart from the price tag on the guitar.

@camsprocket 2 жыл бұрын

.13 mm (.005)???? Are you sure? The Gibson factory spec for the Low E is 2/64 (.030) and for the high E 1/64 (.015).

@ncshaw7772 2 ай бұрын

Too bad there is no tips on actually widening the nut slot for thicker strings...say 12-56 on a 25.5" fender scale for drop b.. or maybe some alternatives such as jewel files, lighter tip files (I believe thats what theyre called) not everyone can blow $80.00+ on nut files.

@jakobe_bryantgaming5580 4 жыл бұрын

Lol I came to check my guitar's nut, hopefully its doesn't hurt or anything

@AKAJACE1337 3 жыл бұрын

Talk about compensated guitar nuts

@alphonsebrandon1106 4 жыл бұрын

Does it mean that thomann don't check guitars when they send them to client? ;-)

@hussamhaddad 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, that's how I received mine. Had to file the nut

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 2 жыл бұрын

Hi, Thomann is a retailer, not a guitar manufacturer or a distribution. Guitar brands do their own QC or they let their distribution companies take care of that before they ship their products to Thomann. The only exceptions here are Harley Benton, Chapman Guitars, Solar and very few other brands that get QC'd here at Thomann. Those will get checked here since in those cases Thomann is the distribution too, not only the retailer. A nut with a factory setup is not a fault, it's just a generic setup. Those who don't like super low string action will have an awesome experience already. Those who want to lower the action can visit a guitar tech and "personalise" that setup or watch Guitar Tech Tips and take care of that fine-tuning themselves. :) Cheers //Kris

@u563rick6 Жыл бұрын

Carve some nuts

@OliverSutton1962 3 жыл бұрын

How to set up a nut that's already perfect huh! 🤔 oh and the numbers .13 for the E string... And?

@philippdawo2683 Жыл бұрын

You put the Les Paul on a Fender mat! How dare you!

@loki-thegodofmischief3288 2 жыл бұрын

No one should even have to do this, not after paying such a large sum of money

@ThomannsGuitarsBasses 2 жыл бұрын

Hey, this is a little more complicated actually. First of all it's a matter of taste. Guitar companies will not file the nut to the lowest possible height because if the new owner of the guitar wants the strings a little higher it's too late. Having to swap the nut right after buying a new guitar would be a way bigger issue and is unacceptable. And second of all you barely have to improve the factory nut setup on expensive guitars that get QC'd by actual guitar techs / luthiers. This nut improvement subject is mostly a relevant when we're talking about factory produced guitars. Cheers //Kris

@loki-thegodofmischief3288 2 жыл бұрын

@@ThomannsGuitarsBasses I don't agree with you. You're a store with products to sell. So you'll make people believe they need to buy all kinds of after market nonsense. You guys should just offer your customers a free guitar set-up with each purchase, that'd be more honorable of ya & it'd permanently solve this problem too. Also, I've purchased Gibson USA & Gibson Custom Shop models which required a professional setup. Even Jackson USA models too. No, there's no excuse for it. All guitars are expensive. A so called cheap guitar for 300 bucks is a lot of money to spend in this post lockdown world for many many people.

@pacman_pol_pl_polska Жыл бұрын

@@loki-thegodofmischief3288 Retard alert!

@loki-thegodofmischief3288 Жыл бұрын

@@pacman_pol_pl_polska thanks for the warning! I wish you the best of luck in your recovery from retardation

@cooloutac Жыл бұрын

@loki-thegodofmischief3288 I agree they are probably just afraid of the strings buzzing and ensuring that they don't. when I see all these videos comparing guitars and talking about how the action is good on this one and not on that one. I laugh becausethe same exact model guitar can have 13 different actions at 13 different f****** stores. Lmao. That was the case with my Martin guitar.