Homemade Zero Fret

[Rob Page]

I've been curious about zero frets. Before I plunked down $$ for a Zero Glide I decided to bust out my files and make this one. Workmanship not great but big sound improvement. I'm sold. Going forward I'm going to always want a zero fret on my builds. So do most of you use Zero Glides or is there a trick for rolling your own?

 

[James Strange]

I am curious. What is the difference you hear with the zero fret? I was under the impression they were possibly helpful for controlling the string length and therefore helping to be in tune, not really impacting the sound.
Thx

 

[Rob Page]

I am curious. What is the difference you hear with the zero fret? I was under the impression they were possibly helpful for controlling the string length and therefore helping to be in tune, not really impacting the sound.
Thx

Just sounds brighter and "springier." I can't explain it but I like it! If you like a muffled "hofner"-like tone then you won't like it. My first impressions anyway.

 

[byacey]

You've shortened your scale length by 1/8", which will throw the intonation out of kilter. I don't know what you are hearing that's improved.

 

[James Strange]

If it sounds brighter, I have to wonder about the fit of the slots in the nut.
Glad you like the sound though.

 

[Beej]

Interesting, I hadn't come across the zero glide before. I like zero frets, but I just make a slightly longer fretboard for the zero fret. The Zero Glide seems specifically geared towards retro-fits.

Finished

• Beej
• Jun 17, 2020
• special edition build off walnut walnut build off 2018 winter build off 2018

Walnut Grace 6

 

[Reedt2000]

A zero fret shouldn't change your tone, other than the open strings. Once you fret a note, the nut is entirely out of the picture. I am concerned about where you've placed yours. If you look at the zero glide, the fret is set back into the nut so the top of it is where the original nut's witness point was. It seems like you've shortened your scale length without adjusting the position of all the frets... my brain tells me that's bad. I'd be curious to see what a tuner has to say as you play up the neck.

 

[rudy4444]

I've built a bunch of instruments with zeros and I do them by lengthening the board 1/4" and setting the string spacer (normally the nut) back from the zero fret. I most often do it on banjos because I build them so players can swap between steel strings and synthetics without needing to worry about slot width.

I posted on the banjo forum when the "Zero Glide" was first sold because they were marketing them at an introductory price of $10. A bunch of folks retro-fitted them and most liked them. The actual Zero Glide product is made so the stopping point of the fret is the same as the front face of a conventional nut.

Bob Taylor wrote in his "Wood and Steel" trade publication that he was not against zeros but opted to not use them because most players prefer a traditional nut.

 

[Rob Page]

You've shortened your scale length by 1/8", which will throw the intonation out of kilter. I don't know what you are hearing that's improved.

No, I haven't. The new zero fret is right on the fretboard side of the nut. I shaved part of the nut off to make room for the fret.

 

[Rob Page]

Interesting, I hadn't come across the zero glide before. I like zero frets, but I just make a slightly longer fretboard for the zero fret. The Zero Glide seems specifically geared towards retro-fits.

Finished

• Beej
• Jun 17, 2020
• special edition build off walnut walnut build off 2018 winter build off 2018

Walnut Grace 6

Yes, I realized that just after I posted that up. That's how I'll do them going forward. Thanks!

 

[Rob Page]

A zero fret shouldn't change your tone, other than the open strings. Once you fret a note, the nut is entirely out of the picture. I am concerned about where you've placed yours. If you look at the zero glide, the fret is set back into the nut so the top of it is where the original nut's witness point was. It seems like you've shortened your scale length without adjusting the position of all the frets... my brain tells me that's bad. I'd be curious to see what a tuner has to say as you play up the neck.

No, I shaved off 3/16" or so of the nut so the fret could sit right on the nut line. It plays beautifully now.

 

[Reedt2000]

No, I shaved off 3/16" or so of the nut so the fret could sit right on the nut line. It plays beautifully now.

Cool

As long as you placed it at the witness point you're good to go .

 

[nilorius]

Does after that zero fret the tuning must change and the first frets lengh, too ?

 

[Rob Page]

No, zero fret is exactly on the line where a typical nut and the fretboard meet. Imagine putting a capo on your guitar neck. Zero fret is exactly the same thing just behind the nut.

 

[punchdrunk]

Would a brass nut accomplish the same result?

 

[Koog]

I think the biggest advantage with the zero fret is it helps minimize overring and excess vibration when playing open strings. It gives the ability for more responsive, solid open notes.

I have zeros on both four and five string fretted basses and prefer to have them.

Nice job on your modification.

Koog

 

[Rob Page]

Would a brass nut accomplish the same result?

It's not the function of the material, it's the fact that zero fret is just another fret and as such, you can get the action much lower. Again, imagine a capo on a guitar. The fret in front of the capo would, in effect be "zero" in the new key the capo put you in. If you're really good at making guitar nuts out of brass then you can accomplish the same thing but I'm not so zero fret is great for me. I've heard that zero fret originally came about decades ago when manufactures started mass producing guitars and they needed a way for their builders—who weren't skilled luthiers to get the action right. Then they discovered what started as a make-do solution turned out to be a very elegant solution. These guys have a pretty good explainer vid if you're interested.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

It's not the function of the material, it's the fact that zero fret is just another fret and as such, you can get the action much lower.

Nothing prevents cutting nut slots to exactly the same height as a zero fret, (or higher, or lower), so a zero fret does not allow the action to be set any lower than it can be set with a nut. The slots in the string guide behind your home made zero fret must be lower than the zero fret itself, or the nut would be holding the strings up & off the zero fret.

Whatever the strings sit on at the zero location can made of the material & be the thickness (height) desired by the instrument owner. A nice rounded-top zero fret makes it simple to create a well defined witness point. A well cut nut can establish a definite witness point also, however, nuts aren't usually made of nickel or stainless steel, but they could be.

 

[Rob Page]

Nothing prevents cutting nut slots to exactly the same height as a zero fret, (or higher, or lower), so a zero fret does not allow the action to be set any lower than it can be set with a nut.

agreed. That's what I was saying with "If you're really good at making guitar nuts out of brass then you can accomplish the same thing"

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Perhaps I misread this part of your post;

zero fret is just another fret and as such, you can get the action much lower.

I interpreted the statement above as saying use of a zero fret enables getting the action much lower than using a brass nut.