Nut slots setup

[jazzbass64]

Hello,
how can I see if the nut slots on my basses are not cut too low or too high ?
Do you have some tips ?

[jrfrond]

Press each string down at the 3rd fret. If each string clears the first fret by about .010" - .020" (from high to low strings; it should grade upwards slightly), then your slot heights are correct. The lower strings require a bit more clearance.

[NKUSigEp]

There's actually an ancient Chinese secret for this one! First, play your bass. Next, if it sounds fine and plays fine, then the nut is fine.

[jazzbass64]

Thanks for these answers.

Well, to my opinion a bass with "low nut" will play easy on the first frets but not at tall on the middle positions of the neck - where I prefer a nut not cut too low...
This is why I' m searching for tips, just to get familiar with a "standard" nut.

jrfrond, thanks for the quote.
Well I have a doubt concerning .010''.
In my country we use meter... I can do the conversion but .010'' means 0.010 inch ? So 0.254 mm ?

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by jazzbass64

Thanks for these answers.

Well, to my opinion a bass with "low nut" will play easy on the first frets but not at tall on the middle positions of the neck - where I prefer a nut not cut too low...
This is why I' m searching for tips, just to get familiar with a "standard" nut.

"jrfrond, thanks for the quote.
Well I have a doubt concerning .010''.
In my country we use meter... I can do the conversion but .010'' means 0.010 inch ? So 0.254 mm ?

"



"Well, to my opinion a bass with "low nut" will play easy on the first frets but not at tall on the middle positions of the neck - where I prefer a nut not cut too low."

Well, you can scratch that opinion because it's totally wrong.

jrfrond, thanks for the quote.
Well I have a doubt concerning .010''.
In my country we use meter... I can do the conversion but .010'' means 0.010 inch ? So 0.254 mm ? :hmm

Too bad you doubt good info because the person whose opinion you doubt is spot on with the measurements that you requested.

Just to satisfy my own curiosity, If you don't know the correct answer to the question, how do you presume to know the wrong one? Hmmmm...

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by pkr2

...Too bad you doubt good info because the person whose opinion you doubt is spot on with the measurements that you requested.

Just to satisfy my own curiosity, If you don't know the correct answer to the question, how do you presume to know the wrong one? Hmmmm...

I don't think he doubted anything. I think he was just looking for clarification on an American-Metric conversion.

To clarify, 0.010 is .254 mm, and 0.020 is .508 mm. Hope that helps!

[jrfrond]

Oops! I would have given the metric equivalents if I knew that you wanted them.

The measurements I gave should work for all but the hardest players of open strings. I and most of my clients prefer the nut a tad on the low side. Another way to do this is to make ALL of the slots as high as the first fret, simulating a zero fret. This is the "theoretical" perfect height, but a tad lower compensates for the upward string angle towards the bridge.

[jazzbass64]

Thanks for these infos and clarification on the meter/inch thing !

pkr2, sorry my english speaking is too bad, thats probably why you misunderstood my words.Well...

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by jazzbass64

Thanks for these infos and clarification on the meter/inch thing !

pkr2, sorry my english speaking is too bad, thats probably why you misunderstood my words.Well...

My apology. I misread your intention.