I am about to start cutting a nut from a "raw" bone blank for my flamenco guitar. It's a lot like a classical guitar. Same basic shape, flat fingerboard, etc.* From a setup standpoint, the biggest difference is the action. Flamencos have a much faster action, and are often a bit buzzy. The action on mine is way lower than any classical I have seen...but I confess that I have not ever held or played another flamenco guitar, so I don't have much of a standard for comparison.
With normal playing there are no buzzes on any but the low E string when fretted (or capo'd) at the the 1st fret. With a capo at the first fret, there is .007 clearance between the high E string and the 2nd fret. All the other strings appear to have .009 clearance at the 2nd fret. The exception being the low E, which only has clearance of about .002. It's the only string with a buzz when capo'd, so I want to raise it just a hair.
I have read a number different things about setting up a Flamenco:
1) Set it with the same clearance over the first fret that it has when over the 2nd fret when capo'd at the first.
2) Set it up exactly like a classical, because the action is set at the bridge not the nut.
3) Set it up by feel. (Not viable in my case since I don't have any feel.)
4) Set it up with the "third fret" method using a piece of paper to slide under the first fret with the 3rd fret capo'd.
Would welcome any thoughts! Left to my own devices I'll probably try to combine methods 1 and 4. I'll also probably use a bit of the "Barden method" and have a couple of additional nut blanks handy in case I mess it up.
*I thought this was a classical guitar for years. I got it in trade from a buddy with small hands, who found it uncomfortable to play. It has a sticker inside from a local luthier...but I have never found the guy and don't know if he still exists. I always thought it was a "first attempt" by a local luthier, because it has a poplar back and sides with occasional knots and big green streaks. There are also some visible tool marks and some improvised looking wood choices in the heel. But I loved the low action and volume. I also liked the spruce top and shellac finish. I thought these were idiosyncrasies, and did not realize that the action, volume and spruce top were all characteristics of a flamenco guitar.
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Originally Posted by Simon Barden
