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I’ve found that cutting nut slots, like sharpening, is a process where investing a little time to develop the chops to do it jig-free pays massive ongoing dividends in time saved.

I just used mine last night to slot a new nut. I appreciated the stability of the stack of feeler gauges so that I could cut evenly down to a consistent level across all the strings.

I realize that a highly experienced person would regard the tool as yet another tool-in-search-of-a-problem device fromStew-Mac, but for me using it gave me an unambiguous picture of what I was doing. And just one slot needed touching up.

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Peter Havriluk

Peter it's not a matter of an experienced, working in the trade person being critical it's very much a case of this tool does not do the job well and it instills beliefs in the users that are not even accurate.

For example you mentioned a consistent level across all strings. This is not desirable, every nut slot has independent requirements dictated by the string it supports, it's mass, stiffness, arc, pitch, etc.

Every one of the six slots I cut on a six string has a different depth and sometimes dramatically different.

On Floyds I have to estimate and shoot in the dark because a Floyd nut can't have the various slots independently cut. So as an example my high e might be .0005" high over the first fret crown and my low e may be .005" over the same first fret crown (this is when fretting between the 2nd and 3rd and holding). All the other strings have different nut slot depth settings too.

This is also the down side of a zero fret, one size does not fit all when it comes to great guitar set-ups and there are six nut slots (on a six string) for a reason, we have to opportunity to optimize each one independently.

Even instruments with "courses" of two strings such as mandolins because of how many winds may be on a string post the two slots may be different depths even if the strings are level to each other. Every slot is an independent job wanting to be addressed and optimized as such.

Not being critical of you Peter I don't at all agree with your suggestion that consistent nut slot depth may be a goal, it's not, each slot is different and has different requirements and should be approached as same.

I agree. Each string has a specific height in it's slot and they get progressively higher from high e to low E. Most players tend to bang on the open chords so I like to give a little more wiggle room on the bass strings. If they play with a light touch then they can go lower.

I remember years ago trying to use feeler gauges and for me it simply didn't work. The little SM tool is probably good to cut slots in a hurry to a point but then you would want to remove the tool and finish off by eye.

What I find works for me is that half pencil trick marking the line on the nut equal to the fret height. I can hurriedly cut the six slots to the line, and actually I go well below the line as experiences has shown me, then install the nut and finalize it under string tension.

A nut slot is perfect when one more file stroke would ruin it.

I much appreciate the thoughtful and detailed responses to my comments. This is a tutorial I wasn't going to get anyplace else. Thanks for the thoughts and taking the time to express them.

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Peter Havriluk

That's what I do too with the half pencil, very handy for hogging off the heavy lifting in the slots for sure. It's also a good illustration that a slot may end up below the line and still not be too low. This surprises people when they realize it for themselves that the strings may arc enough that a nut slot may be correct even if it's depth is below the level set of the frets.

I gotta weigh in here... For a newbie, it's a good tool to train yourself, get your skills together, and give you a reference. However, by the time you've made a hundred nuts you should be savvy enough to know what you're doing. Also - I do not set the strings at the same height across the fingerboard. The plain strings will be a bit lower as a general rule. If you do your slot shaping correctly from good bone, you won't have any binding in the slot, no settling of the material, enabling good intonation and an easy playing guitar.

After you've made thousands you won't even think about it - your actions while shaping will be automatic, a matter of repetition and experience. I have used the same 6" scale for setting action since the late 70's because it is a known value. My training as a tool & die maker taught me that precision with repeatability yields dependably superior results. It's an internal rigidity, so to speak. Develop it.

Learn to roll your wrist when cutting nut slots. I make the nut slot a bit wider on the backside to reduce friction on the string, paying attention to angling the string to the proper string post. You are working in multiple dimensions - side to side as well as down. No sharp angles, smooth radii will enable the string to slide through smoothly, with no sticking and not inducing any unwanted tensions. Yes, the string will arc in the nut. Don't fight it - plan for it, and use it. Experience will pay off.

Learn when to stop. Literally one more gentle stroke of the file can ruin your work. Besides, you can always take more if need be. We can take material off, we can't put it back on.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I will just like to add one more thing. The best tool I ever bought from Stew Mac is their nut slot spacing rule. That was a game changer for speed and accuracy.

I have used the same 6in Starrett rule for about 25 years and recently bought the Stew Mac string height gauge tool (or what ever they call it). I find I end up just using the 32nd and 64th inch rule on it just like on my 6in rule so I'm not so sure about that one.

Ha, I also use just the 64th inch scale on the StewMac tool. I still find it a bit more convenient to use then my Starrett 6" ruler.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

The steps on the SM string action ruler are much easier for me to see than 64ths on a rule.

I do use a lighted magnifying headgear - really helps with the close work.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

My eyes ain't so good either, but I've found this recent acquisition mucho easy to use and read, in 1/100ths"
The white on black really jumps out.
Not so sure about the "Flat and Philips screwdrivers" right top and bottom though.....

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I like the SM action gauge too (I use metric). I like that the thickness of the line is defined at 0.1mm so I can quickly differentiate between say, 1.25mm and 1.35mm, with no squinting.

Yeah I think I need to get used to it. Like Chris was saying when you have been using one tool and one method for so long you develop a relationship with it.

The one thing about the SM gauge is that it sits across two frets so it's stable.