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Getting a good nut seat?

Posted by BenBob on May 26, 2010 at 1:15pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Strung up my first last night and it's almost there... That little box is louder than I expected, and that's without soundholes yet. Very cool! It wasn't hard to get a couple good licks out of it either. I can't wait to add a pickup and try it though my amps!

 

A problem though:

 

I wanted to do a fender-style headstock with a grooved nut, so I sawed it in and cleaned it up with the edge of a file. I made a nut out of red oak scrap, but I can't get a good seat and the high string has a dead sound because of it. If I really force the edge of the nut down it sounds fine.

 

The bottom of the nut is dead flat (checked against a straightedge with a backlight), so the problem is the seat. No matter how careful I try to be, I can't get rid of the slight curve that causes the nut to rock in there.

 

Ideas?

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Replies

  • Erik Jackson March 29, 2011 at 6:20pm
    hahahaa

    Crow said:
    here's the best nut seat i've ever seen.

    http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/10/comfy-chair.jpg

    what, what was the question??
  • BenBob June 5, 2010 at 2:33pm
    Well, I tried the little strip of sandpaper but I kept breaking it. Finally, I took a straightedge to my FILE and there's the culprit lol. One edge was concave. I carefully filed with the other edge and got the seat good enough for government work. I made a new nut just a bit higher and I'm in business!

    Thanks guys.
  • Brian " BigB " Saunders May 27, 2010 at 3:38pm
    You're not right dude LOL

    Crow said:
    here's the best nut seat i've ever seen.

    http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/10/comfy-chair.jpg

    what, what was the question??
  • Gadsden Guitars May 27, 2010 at 2:25pm
    Turn up/on your speakers, it's just audio of a rimshot.

    Crow said:
    okay, a big red button? it doesn't do anything..
  • Crow May 27, 2010 at 12:57pm
    okay, a big red button? it doesn't do anything..
  • Gadsden Guitars May 27, 2010 at 11:44am
    http://www.instantrimshot.com/

    Crow said:
    here's the best nut seat i've ever seen.

    http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/10/comfy-chair.jpg

    what, what was the question??
  • BenBob May 27, 2010 at 3:34am
    I wonder where I could get one of those? Saks?

    Crow said:
    here's the best nut seat i've ever seen.

    http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/10/comfy-chair.jpg

    what, what was the question??
  • Jon Pruett May 26, 2010 at 11:37pm
    Haven't seen that one before - looks very supportive. :)

    Crow said:
    here's the best nut seat i've ever seen.

    http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/10/comfy-chair.jpg

    what, what was the question??
  • Jon Pruett May 26, 2010 at 11:36pm
    Before you cut sound holes, see if you can fine a way to slightly open the box and see how the sound is different. On my last build I was very happy with the strong volume, rich tone, and long sustain - until I opened the lid (which is on the back) just a little bit and it all flattened out - turned very shallow, tinny, and dropped off quick. Now I'm very glad I put the strings on it and tested before I cut the sound hole.

    From reading other discussion groups, some people do say a sound hole improves the tone - and I have sound holes on two others that I've made and I'm happy with them. But I would recommend testing before you drill if you can.
  • Crow May 26, 2010 at 10:28pm
    here's the best nut seat i've ever seen.

    http://www.geekologie.com/2008/11/10/comfy-chair.jpg

    what, what was the question??
This reply was deleted.