Nut Filing - Any tips and advice

[Count Bassy]

Well, I've done it.

To be honest I haven't taken it to the nth degree, but have reduced the clearance at the first fret by about half. I wasn't actually struggling down there before, but its definitely a bit slicker down at that end now. Just need to let everything settle down for a day or two and then tweak the intonation.

To be more honest I did f*** up on the A string and took it too low, and ended up super-glueing a bit of plastic (a bit of the base from a CD Spindle pack) in and taking it down again.

[kendall]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1383818507' post='2269412']
Well, I've done it.

To be honest I haven't taken it to the nth degree, but have reduced the clearance at the first fret by about half. I wasn't actually struggling down there before, but its definitely a bit slicker down at that end now. Just need to let everything settle down for a day or two and then tweak the intonation.

To be more honest I did f*** up on the A string and took it too low, and ended up super-glueing a bit of plastic (a bit of the base from a CD Spindle pack) in and taking it down again.
[/quote]

When I overfiled a nut I used a mixture of superglue and baking soda, let it dry, refiled it and coloured it in with perm. marker pen. I did this over 18 months ago as a temporary repair and it's still going strong.

[LITTLEWING]

[quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1383389340' post='2263887']
A cautionary tale .....

In my recent new found confidence at nut-filing , I ended up filing the E slot too low on my main bass. The problem was completely caused by inexperience and not using the right tools. I was using the welding tip cleaners, which are significantly narrower than the E, A and D strings. I ended up filing a "waisted" slot on the E. So the string was sitting on the waist, and I was filing the slot underneath it progressively deeper, but each time I checked the string it was too high because, of course, it was sitting on the waist, not at the bottom of the slot. So once I cut the waist out, the slot was too low ! This would not have happened with the correct size nut files (which I seriously considering buying) which cannot really cut a waisted slot. But also, having done this once, I will not do it again, even using my "incorrect" tools.

It's a brass nut, and I have bodged it back up to height with a superglue/kitchen paper mush, which sets amazingly hard. I tried at first with solder (as it is a metal nut) but the solder was too soft. The superglue mush sets much, much harder and seems very firmly attached to the brass.
Sonically, I cannot tell the difference but the longevity of the repair is clearly going to be a doubt. I will change the nut at some point.

So, the moral of the story is that if you are trying to do the job without the ideal tools, take it very, very slowly, and check that there is no daylight under the string when it is settled in it's slot each time you re-check it.

Also, things can be nicely resurrected with superglue and kitchen paper, at least temporarily, if you botch it.
[/quote]
Ha! Must be something to do with the Fawley Fumes. I just did my first ever brass nut recently on an old Westfield Precision with a set of Draper needle files and thought I'd got it right until a week or so later when it all settled, the E had sunk a tad too low and was buzzing open string on the first fret. A small shim of plastic cut from a drill bit pack and a smidge of No More Nails took it up where I could start again with a bit more patience and new-found knowledge.

Happy to say although I've left it a gnat's nob higher than I'd like, it's playing like a Custom Shop. I'll give it till New Year and see how things are looking and then maybe take it (very slowly and carefully) down to about 0.015 and that should be the biz.

[gjones]

I bought these files and used them this morning on the offending nut. Looks like it's done the job and my bass plays much better on the first 3 frets. I recommend taking it easy and checking every 10 secs to make sure you've not filed too low. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00439E2MQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00439E2MQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/url]

[hamfist]

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1384957130' post='2282761']
I bought these files and used them this morning on the offending nut. Looks like it's done the job and my bass plays much better on the first 3 frets.
[/quote]

Well done that man.

[skydivepaul]

Just been reading this with interest as after a week and half of playing my new jazz bass to death I found my finger tips are getting sore!! I have been playing bass for nearly two years and I thought my fingers had hardened enough

After a bit of checking last night night I checked the action height and found it to be exactly as per fender specifications but when checked against my Ibanez it was double the height.

I noticed that the strings required greater pressure to push down onto the frets on my jazz bass compared to my Ibanez (hence my sore finger tips )

I lowered the action but this only partially resolved it but also introduced some fret buzz lower down.
I put on a set of old strings in case the new one were not broken in yet and this helped a little.

upon inspection of the nut height I noticed it is around double the height from the bottom of the string to the fretboard on my jazz bass compared to the ibanez. a very quick measure before work today:

distance from bottom of E string to fretboard

Jazz bass : 4mm
Ibanez : 2mm

I realise the measurement needs to be from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string but didn't have time this morning to accurately measure this.

I am thinking I may need to file the nut out a little.

Any help or advice greatly received

Paul

Edited November 21, 2013 by skydivepaul

[gjones]

[quote name='skydivepaul' timestamp='1385027072' post='2283484']
Just been reading this with interest as after a week and half of playing my new jazz bass to death I found my finger tips are getting sore!! I have been playing bass for nearly two years and I thought my fingers had hardened enough

After a bit of checking last night night I checked the action height and found it to be exactly as per fender specifications but when checked against my Ibanez it was double the height.

I noticed that the strings required greater pressure to push down onto the frets on my jazz bass compared to my Ibanez (hence my sore finger tips )

I lowered the action but this only partially resolved it but also introduced some fret buzz lower down.
I put on a set of old strings in case the new one were not broken in yet and this helped a little.

upon inspection of the nut height I noticed it is around double the height from the bottom of the string to the fretboard on my jazz bass compared to the ibanez. a very quick measure before work today:

distance from bottom of E string to fretboard

Jazz bass : 4mm
Ibanez : 2mm

I realise the measurement needs to be from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string but didn't have time this morning to accurately measure this.

I am thinking I may need to file the nut out a little.

Any help or advice greatly received

Paul
[/quote]

The video, which I put up earlier on this topic, shows a professional guitar tech filing the nut of a new Standard Mexican Fender Precision. Which goes to show that it wasn't exactly set up to perfection when it left the factory. He is setting the string height at the first fret to 0.559 mm. He's using a set of proper bass files which cost about £70 to £80 new. If you don't have much experience setting up basses I recommend just taking it to a guitar tech as he/she will have the correct files.
The bass tech in the video has others on youtube which show you how to adjust your truss rod and saddle height so you bass is easier to play. Which is always handy to know how to do.

[skydivepaul]

Took it very steady and filed each groove in the nut down using a set of needle files and also a set of welding tip cleaners.
Went very slowly and followed advise as per the video

Hey-presto I now have a much easier bass to play
I only took a very small amount out of the nut and kept refitting the strings to check the height
Thanks for posting the video....great help

[Dazed]

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1382972195' post='2258621']http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tip-Cleaner-Needle-file-set-guitar-nut-files-/170996340430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27d02d16ce

When/if you get a proper set of nut files it all becomes so much easier
[/quote]

Thanks for the tip off

[gary mac]

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1382972195' post='2258621']
+ 1 to all the above &

Needle files are great but the small string slots may need some careful attention with something smaller - like welding tip cleaners - [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tip-Cleaner-Needle-file-set-guitar-nut-files-/170996340430?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27d02d16ce"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item27d02d16ce[/url]

When/if you get a proper set of nut files it all becomes so much easier
[/quote]


I'm going to order a set of those, thanks John

[Annoying Twit]

Everyone keeps saying that it's so much easier with the proper tools, but I found it pretty easy with welding tip cleaners and needle files. Was I just lucky, or is it really that much easier? If so, how?

[skydivepaul]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1387151423' post='2308877']
Everyone keeps saying that it's so much easier with the proper tools, but I found it pretty easy with welding tip cleaners and needle files. Was I just lucky, or is it really that much easier? If so, how?
[/quote]

Yes i found it pretty easy with needle files and welding tip cleaners. I am an engineer by trade so was a fairly simple task.
If I was filing 5 of these down a day I would invest in a set of nut files, hard to justify for the odd one that I will do.

[booboo]

The problem with filing down nut slots is there are two heights. Too high and too low - very difficult to hit the sweet spot in between, and when you do you'll always think it could go a bit lower until it gets too low and the fret buzz starts.

Edited December 17, 2013 by booboo