Nut Files as cheap as possible but not cheaper?

[fender3x]

Since I started building I have been using cheap acetylene torch cleaners for bass, and a set of feeler gauges that I cut teeth into with a rotary tool. These approaches worked OK, but were VERY slow, and while adequate, not at all better than adequate.

So my wife decided that maybe I should get a real set of nut files for father's day. So I decided to go for it! ...but it turns out I am still a cheapscate. Also how do a get a set that will work for electric guitars, steel string acoustics, classicals and basses without breaking the bank?

Best deal I have found: Shopping the sales I found a set of 10 Hosco edge cut files on Amazon for under US$ 80. I think this will do pretty much all of my guitars, as well as the G string on a bass. I looked at the cheapest way of adding the three that I still need for a four string bass...and ended up on a website called "Plaza Japan." There I found the cheapest price I have seen for individual Hiroshima Uo-Chikyu nut files in the sizes I needed for 6,945 Yen (US$ 43.).

This still seems like a lot for tools I don't use much, at least until you price them at StewMac. Also factor in that I think the Hiroshima file company makes these files for Hosco and Stew Mac. Maybe the price is not so astounding when you consider that it seems that one company in Japan makes most of the acceptable quality nut files in the world.

[Trevor Davies]

I think this is a good move. Some tools are worth their weight in gold! In my opinion, a good set of nut slotting files and a good fret file are essential. I have a set of Hosco nut slotting files for electric guitars, and one for bass. I did cringe at the cost, but I do not regret getting them.

I really like the tapered sides on these files. I think they allow for slightly larger strings to fit the slot.

I also tried the torch cleaners with limited (or no) success. I have also tried the "blade" style slotting files - but found they are not as user friendly.

[fender3x]

Thanks for the vote of confidence. Looking forward to giving them a try. I have work to do on a classical, a bass an electric and an acoustic coming up...so should be able to give them a workout.

I also tried the torch cleaners with limited (or no) success. I have also tried the "blade" style slotting files - but found they are not as user friendly.

1+ I have made the torch cleaners work on bass, and feeler gauge "blades"on an electric and an acoustic. They worked...and they were cheap...but that's about all I can say for them. They also took forever and made my fingers very sore ;-)

Since we're on the subject, I think it's worth mentioning at least one product that is very interesting and from what I can ascertain, quite good....but that was about double what I paid. If you exclude the cheap Chinese files, torch cleaners and needle files sets pretending to be nut files, it seems that you are left with just a few good options. The most common steel nut files are Stew Mac, Hosco, Uo-Chikyu. There are a couple of others that like Maxparts or Grizzly or Ibanez. All are made in Japan. All but one of these companies have two things in common: making files is not their main business, and their files look just like files made by the Hiroshima Yasuri company...which makes the Uo-Chikyu branded files. They make lots of other files too. More kinds of files that I was aware existed. So, if you are going to get files like these for the best price...you are essentially looking for the best deal on Uo-Chikyu files. http://www.hiroshimayasuri.com With a bit of help from google translator, I was able to find files that looked identical to all the ones above, except the Ibanez...but pretty close to the Ibanez too...and they the Ibanez files are not cheapter...but I digress.

There is one "contender" that is quite different than the others: Music Nomad files. These are intriguing. Mostly what reviews exist are good. I have found one that is good, but liked the Stew Mac diamond files better (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZjIGlUexR8). Getting a set of Stew Mac Diamond files for all kinds of guitars and basses would cost more than my first two cars combined. Even the guy in the video who loves them admits they are out of *his* price range and he would probably not have reviewed them if they had not been sent to him free from SM. The Music Nomad files, meanwhile, are diamond coated and about $15 each if you buy them in the 16 piece set. That has sizes for every type of guitar and 5 string bass. If you buy them at once, that is, you get them at about the price you'd pay to get 16 individual Uo-Chikyu steel files. It's about twice what I paid for steel files, but you get diamond files that should last for a long time.

So would the Music Nomad files be a good deal? Maybe. Would love to see a review that compares them to steel files...and they haven't been around that log so hard to know how they do over time. Still, I am intrigued by the fact that the guy who runs Music Nomad actually had them patented...as well as a number of other tools they sell. And some of their other patented products are worth taking a look at as well, I think. I read the patent on the nut files and it was surprisingly interesting to see the engineering that went into the development of these files. I was also surprised to see how many patents they have for guitar products (Rand Rognlien is the Chief Cook and Bottle Washer at MN) https://patents.justia.com/search?q=music+nomad

OK, I think I can see daylight now on the other end of the rabbit hole...