Official Luthiers Forum!

Okay, okay, get it all outta yer systems, then help me out! I've been to Frank Ford's site, looked around here and there, saw Bruce's gizzy in the tools section here...but, I just can't seem to get a graceful looking nut...I mean, they work, but just seem clumsy to me and I spend more time than I'd like shaping...probably because I don't have a clear picture of what I'm "shaping"...any advice on shaping nuts for dummies?

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com

I think I could use some advise on that too! My nuts work but I think there is gotta be a better way!

_________________
Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Grady, my three-legged cat is going to the vet tommorrow. I imagine he`ll have something like that to say after the surgery!

_________________
Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com

Well Larry how bout you show us your nuts (seriously horrible topic name)
so we can suggest some improvements.

_________________
John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I was afraid someone was going to ask to see pics

_________________
Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Ask Grady tommorrow!

_________________
Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,

Have a look there:
Making a nut
Can you be more specific on what difficulties you have?

_________________
Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Larry,

I haven't done many recently, but when I was doing repairs and making new nuts, I eliminated as many flat surfaces as I could, except the bottom, the fretboard side, and the edge at the headstock. The top followed the fb radius more or less. I left only as much above the string slots to hold the string. AT the same time, the top also arched toward the headstock, with no flat surfaces there either. When looking at the nut in profile from the end, I'd make sure the thickness (the 1/4" part on a Martin-type nut) tapered smaller going from the headstock to the strings and was not parallel to the fretboard side. At the ends, I'd use as large a radius as possible where it curves down from the slots of the 1st and 6th strings, leaving only as much material there as is needed to hold the strings. Sometimes, if I was feeling especially generous or inspired, I'd create a sort of S-curve from the top surface down to the headstock, so that the nut would sort of "flow" from the top down to the headstock. Some old Martins have this curve. I found that eliminating flat and parallel surfaces and creating even the slightest curves wherever possible eliminated blockiness and made them more graceful. Time consuming, but my customers were very happy.

Oh, for the days of readily-available $3 nut ivory! Ignorance was bliss.

_________________
now known around here as Pat Foster
_________________
http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Ha, you should see the one on the Ibanez my kid got for Christmas. It is a rabetted nut. The darn thing is full bottomed, then rabetted toward the tuners. Only an 1/8th inch of nut presents above the fretboard. They slotted that and they were done. Not elegant, but it works.

I know. Not what you are looking for either. Everthing I learned I stole from Frank. Plus you get to hee-haw at the wonderful examples of how not to do it. www.frets.com Available on CD.Bruce Dickey38762.7950347222

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Larry, you could buy Dan Erlewine's Nut Making DVD from StewMac. I've got it but haven't had a chance to look at it yet.

_________________
Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Thanks guys, it made me feel better about using the LOL button I'm nuts about this place!

Serge

Hesh, you are right, you got to polish them, they are wonderful when shiny and reflective. Glasslike. Mmm MMM...

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Larry, have you seen a doctor about that? Perhaps a urologist...

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Yup nothin' nicer than polished nuts!

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

I'm with you on that one BOB, as long as one doesn't have to bend over backwards to achieve this!!

I prefer not to bend over AT ALL!
Laurent, I checked that link...nice, but when I got to the "round over, file and shape the top and sides" part, that's all he said about it! I'm okay fitting and spacing and filing the slots, it's just that the shape and form of the nut comes out blocky, clumsy, and all the rest...by the by, is that you in your avatar? If so, may I say that you resemble a close personal friend of mine!

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com

Is this a keeper or for someone else?

Have your customers complained?

Did you ever notice that nuts spelled backwards is "stun!"

Ron old man38762.9336342593

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

No one's complained, but I think out of kindness...they just don't seem like real nuts to me...(the guitar nuts, not my customers )...

_________________
http://www.presnallguitars.com