Am I Nut-less?

Techmonkey · #1 08-05-2005, 03:12 PM

Well, I'm building a 5 string bass... Got fretboard/neck blanks but neither are cut to size. I accidentally ordered a Fender style nut instead of the other, thicker type. Having never owned a Fender instrument before though I don't know how I could go about designing the headstock to fit the nut in on the fretboard rather than after it...

So should I fork out another £8 (I'm running real short of cash) for a new, right sized nut, or should I just cut the fretboard Fender style? If so, how?

Thanks,
Tech.

Fasoldt Basses · #2 08-05-2005, 03:49 PM

Just tried my first fender-style nut slot today. The zero fret position was already cut by LMI. I measured the thickness of the nut and marked that thickness from the front edge of the zero fret slot. Then I used my fret saw to cut another slot so the outside edge would coincide with the width of my nut blank. I used a 3/64" bit in my dremel tool to route out the material between my two slots. I set the depth of the bit to the depth of my slots. I did'nt have to worry about routing a strait line, since I had an extra .024" or so on each side. Once this was done it took just a little time to file the slot to the perfect width. Quite easy. Go for it.

Techmonkey · #3 08-05-2005, 07:18 PM

Thanks for the advice! So did you have an inch from the end of the fretboard to the zero fret?

Fasoldt Basses · #4 08-05-2005, 10:08 PM

LMI gave me 3/8" from the zero fret, which left about 1/4" past the nut slot on the headstock side.