Tuning help

[dingobass]

Yep,
if it is the whole nut then rip it out!
Clean away any glue residue from the nut slot with a small file.

The easiest way to lower the nut is to glue a piece of 80 grit sand paper to a thick piece of glass or a chunk of steel.
Then you just rub the base of the nut on this, again just a few strokes at a time and keep checking the bridge height set up and intonation as this will change.

DB trick number 873, an American Half Dollar coin is just about the right thickness to use as an under string height gauge at the nut end. (Place it on the finger board) 8-)

[Gavin1393]

Quote from dingobass on May 1, 2013, 19:39
Yep,
if it is the whole nut then rip it out!
Clean away any glue residue from the nut slot with a small file.

The easiest way to lower the nut is to glue a piece of 80 grit sand paper to a thick piece of glass or a chunk of steel.
Then you just rub the base of the nut on this, again just a few strokes at a time and keep checking the bridge height set up and intonation as this will change.

DB trick number 873, an American Half Dollar coin is just about the right thickness to use as an under string height gauge at the nut end. (Place it on the finger board) 8-)

[Gavin1393]

Quote from Gavin1393 on May 1, 2013, 19:59

Quote from dingobass on May 1, 2013, 19:39
Yep,
if it is the whole nut then rip it out!
Clean away any glue residue from the nut slot with a small file.

The easiest way to lower the nut is to glue a piece of 80 grit sand paper to a thick piece of glass or a chunk of steel.
Then you just rub the base of the nut on this, again just a few strokes at a time and keep checking the bridge height set up and intonation as this will change.

DB trick number 873, an American Half Dollar coin is just about the right thickness to use as an under string height gauge at the nut end. (Place it on the finger board) 8-)

What's this in Aussie dollars???

[dingobass]

About $1.02.....

The measurement is 2.17mm / .085" :P

[Gavin1393]

Ok, so the American dollar is on its way to worthlessness so lets try the Aussie 5c........1.30mm
10c.......1.85mm
20c.....2.21mm
50c .....2.52mm
$1.........2.62mm
$2..........2.73mm

[Gavin1393]

So there you have it, since DB has helped all the Americans to sort out their nut problems it leaves me to help out the Australians including DB.

So follow DB's recommendations on the measurement but use an Aussie 20c peice (equivalent of an american half dollar).

[Brendan]

DB what should a bass be at the base of the fretboard? My acoustic is so far out of whack that I've already had a go at sanding down the bridge and still feel I need to take another couple of mil off to get the action down to something usable - keeping it high for now as at least it's developing finger strength...

[Gavin1393]

Brendan, regarding your acoustic, has the soundboard bellied? Because if it has it is that that needs to be fixed and sanding down the bridge will simply weaken it and the walls of the bridge will snap off under the pull of the strings on the saddle.

[Brendan]

Soundboard looks OK - I think I need to loosen off the truss rod a little. I think there's a little bow at the nut end of it. Other thing is not to buy cheap next time - it's > 10 years old and was picked up to be a backup bass. Until now I haven't really looked too hard at it, but with this interest in how to set up a guitar properly I'm starting to get the idea that I need to do a bit of work on it (including some new strings for the first time in its life - everything needs a birthday some time).

[Brendan]

Sorry Gav - also a touch tired here - meant that I took a few (maybe 1.25 - 1.5) mm off the bottom of the saddle - figured at worst I'd need a new one. Bridge not touched. Saddle's also only plastic so a couple of passes on 80 grit and it's a bit better.