Fretless nut replacement

[Acoustik]

I've converted the stringing on my new (to me) Clement fretless 5 string from "low b" to a "high c", and need to cut a new nut for the new string dimensions.

Is there a best practices guide, or suggested specs for cutting a fretless nut?

Should the nut setup be any different than when cutting a fretted nut?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

[Billnc]

Originally Posted by Acoustik

I've converted the stringing on my new (to me) Clement fretless 5 string from "low b" to a "high c", and need to cut a new nut for the new string dimensions.

Is there a best practices guide, or suggested specs for cutting a fretless nut?

Should the nut setup be any different than when cutting a fretted nut?

Thanks in advance,
Jeff

The previous owner of my bass cut the nut fairly low to the fingerboard. Lowest of all the fretless basses I have owned. I like it.

[Acoustik]

Do you get much buzz with the low cut? I know there is a quite a bit of side to side movement with the thinner strings from the high tuning, but not sure if it is side to side as well as depth causing the buzz.

[john grey]

Thee ARE specific files that are often used. They are thin rat-tailed fine files and (I've seen) two fairly sharp "v" files. Most often these files are available all over the internet and aren't too expensive, even in quality large sets. I would suggest making your string decisions first obviously. The obtain some plastic or most any polymer material that allows you to cut with single direction stokes. You could use most anything to practice with until you get to the point when you don't rush yourself, and can place the strings in a fairly tight consistent group. A quality measuring tool gets to be a really useful item about then.

Remove the old nut and measure off the distances to determine if your new strings will match your spacing, etc.
The important thing is to do it several times before starting on your permanent nut. The practice will slow you down and allow some careful cuts without hesitating. Even the edge of a plastic item will help getting that "feel" of one direction cuts, spacing and depth.
There ARE guides. Go to luthier's supplies web pages and see what they have. - There are many books in all aspects of simple setup agenda.

[walterw]

if that bass has an angled headstock, you may not need to do anything at all.

if the strings do rattle in the slots, it's a simple matter for a tech to pop the nut out, shim it up slightly, and cut narrower "troughs" in the bottom of the wide slots to hold the thinner strings.

[berwick63]

The later videos in How To: Fretless Bass Conversion show him working on a fretless nut. I believe he uses a .014 feeler gauge and cut the nut slots right down to it. It's all personal preference when it comes to set ups though.

[Slowgypsy]

Originally Posted by walterw

if that bass has an angled headstock, you may not need to do anything at all.

if the strings do rattle in the slots, it's a simple matter for a tech to pop the nut out, shim it up slightly, and cut narrower "troughs" in the bottom of the wide slots to hold the thinner strings.

Clement headstocks are not angled.