String size fitting the nut slot question

[amimbari]

My question is, what am I looking at here?

I see many many basses with the E and A strings above the slot on the nut ( fatter string than the nut was cut for ). including a couple of mine...

I never thought about it until I was looking at the hundreds that have it both ways, some in the slot, some above it, and wondered if I am missing something here.

Should I buy a replacement string set that matches the slot size, since until this day I never cared to worry about it since I never had a problem with anything, but now that I see it, the string(s) WILL sit lower off the fretboard if it is all the way in the slot, and now I am in the experiment mood, but not for 100 bucks to go buy 2 sets to "experiment", unless there is a real advantage.



thanks in advance

[Turnaround]

Are you sure the string is not sitting in the bottom of the slot? Don't judge by looking at the top of the string - the string should be sitting in the bottom of the slot, but on the fatter strings about half of the string's thickness should be above the upper surface of the nut. Check the bottom of the string in the nut slot and see if it is sitting down properly or if there is a gap under the string.

If there is a gap, the nut slot should be widened. Otherwise you risk the nut breaking and the action at the first fret will be too high. Of course, if you widen the slot and then go to a narrower gauge of string, you will need to install a new nut with the proper slot width. Too wide a slot can lead to the string buzzing in the nut.

[amimbari]

Originally Posted by Turnaround

Are you sure the string is not sitting in the bottom of the slot? Don't judge by looking at the top of the string - the string should be sitting in the bottom of the slot, but on the fatter strings about half of the string's thickness should be above the upper surface of the nut. Check the bottom of the string in the nut slot and see if it is sitting down properly or if there is a gap under the string.

If there is a gap, the nut slot should be widened. Otherwise you risk the nut breaking and the action at the first fret will be too high. Of course, if you widen the slot and then go to a narrower gauge of string, you will need to install a new nut with the proper slot width. Too wide a slot can lead to the string buzzing in the nut.

thanks turnaround, that's what I am going to do when I go home...I always "assumed" it is sitting in the bottom of the slot despite it's sticking up so far, but I will find out soon enough....

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by Turnaround

Are you sure the string is not sitting in the bottom of the slot? Don't judge by looking at the top of the string - the string should be sitting in the bottom of the slot, but on the fatter strings about half of the string's thickness should be above the upper surface of the nut. Check the bottom of the string in the nut slot and see if it is sitting down properly or if there is a gap under the string.

If there is a gap, the nut slot should be widened. Otherwise you risk the nut breaking and the action at the first fret will be too high. Of course, if you widen the slot and then go to a narrower gauge of string, you will need to install a new nut with the proper slot width. Too wide a slot can lead to the string buzzing in the nut.

+1 - Exactly

[atheos]

If the string doesn't sit in the bottom you can use a nut file to enlargen the slots so you don't need to change string gauge just because of that. It's a lot better to have comfortable strings and modify the nut to suit them.

[amimbari]

just an update, all my "what the heck is this stuff" is now over, yes I do see that in this instance, the string is sitting on the bottom of the slot, and just because it sits higher off the nut is not a factor, as the sides of the string are within the slot. I was just confused, as I have seen too many nuts where the strings fit perfectly inside the slot E and A string especially, including a couple of my basses, and was concerned the string was too fat for the nut on the new bass I just bought.

I know nuts are cut specifically for xxx diameter strings from the factory, and yes, I try to make sure I buy a set that the E and A strings were made for that nut-slot, and not try to put a .110 in a nut that was cut for a max of .105.


perhaps the width is correct, but the nut's slot "depth" not width in some cases must be deeper than others to have the E and A strings sit lower in the nut and not make the string sit so high.

thanks for all the help guys, and any more input would be appreciated.

[daveman50]

On a well-made nut, the top of the nut will typically be just a little higher than the halfway point of the string diameter. (This can vary depending on the string's angle from the nut to the tuners - if there is a greater angle, you might leave the top of the nut a little higher; otherwise the string can slip out sideways.) This means, among other things, that the top of the nut will angle down from the E to the G string. A high nut (where the nut is as high as the top of the strings, or higher) is simply low-quality work.

[amimbari]

Originally Posted by daveman50

On a well-made nut, the top of the nut will typically be just a little higher than the halfway point of the string diameter. (This can vary depending on the string's angle from the nut to the tuners - if there is a greater angle, you might leave the top of the nut a little higher; otherwise the string can slip out sideways.) This means, among other things, that the top of the nut will angle down from the E to the G string. A high nut (where the nut is as high as the top of the strings, or higher) is simply low-quality work.

well the low quality work may be a culprit I did not think of...as I go thru the headstock thread, theres a lot of basses that have what looks like a "higher" nut, which allows the majority of the string to sit between the edges.

on plenty of the others, it just looks like the nut is "low" and the string sits on the edges of the nut above the actual slot, which I checked yesterday on mine, but the string does sit on the bottom of the slot, even though most of the E and A string is way above the top edge of the nut.

again, not a problem for me with buzz/string height at the nut in any way, just another curious question since I have seen so many nuts cut where the E and A string sits almost flush with the top of the nut.