Bone nuts.

[Simon Barden]

On my needle file set, the flat file is 0.048” on the side dimension, which is fine for cutting a slot for a 0.045” G string. I’d always start smaller and expand the width, even with proper nut files, so that would be fine for getting all the initial slots cut, which will need widening on the E, A and D strings.

The nozzle cleaner files have been mentioned by others as OK for cutting bass nut slots, but the sets I’ve seen don’t have the diameters for cutting slots for the E and A strings as they only go up to 1.5mm diameter (which at 0.059” is slightly too small for a 0.065” slot.

You don’t need feeler gauges to determine a good starting height for the nut blank, just a ruler. Depth of the slot (or thickness of the fretboard for an end-of-board nut) plus 5mm (maybe 6mm for a 5-string). An 0.105” string is just under 2.7mm deep, so 5mm still leaves 2.3mm space above the board, which is more than enough for fret height and clearance.

Final nut height adjustment comes after you’ve done the final nut slot depth adjustments.

[Jetblack]

Thanks again for your help Simon, appreciate it.
ok my fret board comes in at 3mm to the center and 2.5mm to the sides, the nut blank is 6mm height fits nice and snug into the slot, so that leaves me with 3mm to cut the slots according the center and 2.5mm for the E and G strings, the blank has a radius and looks to be pretty close the neck radius, So im not sure if that will be enough height to cut and sit the strings in ?? Though it should be enough if I don't go too deep to start with, doing the 3rd fret and height check as I go, if go 1.5 mm deep for the E slot will that be enough to hold the string in position without it popping out or should I go to 2mm deep which will leave 1mm clearance to the fret board at the nut, seems like very low action, without doing anything at this point. It will be a fine line. Is the nut not heigh enough ???

[fender3x]

The nozzle cleaner files have been mentioned by others as OK for cutting bass nut slots, but the sets I’ve seen don’t have the diameters for cutting slots for the E and A strings as they only go up to 1.5mm diameter (which at 0.059” is slightly too small for a 0.065” slot.

I made a mess out of a blank with needle files. That may just be me. If I had better hand-eye coordination I would have learned the violin. (my mother thought I'd never have the dexterity for it...so...bass). I have found the nozzle cleaners to require a lot of patience, but with that proviso they have been darned near idiot proof on my bass nuts, at least for this idiot. BUT, you do have to search for the right set. Most are like Simon says. The biggest one is not very big. You can find bigger ones. I was lucky enough to find a set that was specifically for 5 string bass, so it had sizes that worked well for E, A strings. There's one for the low B string too, but I have never used it, not having a 5 string bass...

[Jetblack]

Fender3x, Your absolutely right, Ive made a mess of 2 blanks thus far with the needle files, I started with the triangle file so I could get the marks indented, quite surprised at how quickly that file bedded in, then of course using wider round files to try to get a rounded seat and of course keep that angle towards the tuner bases. Then using the nozzle cleaners for the other finer slots, 2 nuts in the bin, the others are in the "rethink" box. Ill now be semi patient and await the TUSQ nuts and keep practicing my Bass using the plastics.