Nut hassles

[Diggydude]

I'm working on a neck from an AG-1 kit and am having some issues with the nut. More specifically, the wood where the nut goes. If I place it flat against the maple, there's a gap between the nut and fretboard. Then if I push it up against the fretboard, there's a gap on the bottom.



I believe I need to make the corner between the fretboard and the neck more of a 90 degree angle, but how? Another worry I have is that the frets are tall, jumbo size, and I don't think I can lower the nut much more without issues with string buzzing.

Thoughts? Advice?

[FrankenWashie]

Looking at your last pic, there seems to be a radius in the corner of the fretboard/ neck join. The edge of the fret board doesn’t appear completely square either.
I would use a very sharp, very flat backed chisel and run it down that radius, with the flat held down against the nut ledge. It is either that or try to get a square file in there to square that all up

[McCreed]

I'm seeing the same thing as Frankie. That interior radius looks to be the main culprit.
I also approach this very much the same way as FW, except I don't have a fine chisel set (yet) but I manage to fix these type nut slots with a combination of a chisel blade on my Excel Hobby Knife, square flat file (with a toothed edge) and a flat jeweller's file.

If you have issues with the height after you squared the slot, it can be shimmed solidly and neatly with a layer of veneer.
I've done this many times and why I keep a range of different timber veneers around for "colour-matching". Of course the veneer can also be stained to match as well.

For whatever reason, this seems to be a common issue with G-style (neck) nut slots. I doesn't seem like it should be that hard to get right during the manufacturing process . Factories have way more, and better, gear than I do...

[WeirdBits]

It may also pay to first use the StewMac fret calculator to check the nut distance to the first fret crown, so you know where the nut should be before shaving anything away.

[McCreed]

It may also pay to first use the StewMac fret calculator to check the nut distance to the first fret crown, so you know where the nut should be before shaving anything away.

That's a fair point. I have not found the fret distance to be off thus far. Just wonky cutting of the nut slot.

However...now you've got me paranoid...


[sneaks off to go measure every guitar he owns 😬]