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Topic: Gauged Nuts and other methods to keep strings level |
Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 11 Sep 2018 10:18 am |
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Curious what the latest technology might be for making sure all strings are level on the top to eliminate string buzz at the first fret? I've heard of gauged nuts but have no experience with them or who makes steels with gauged nuts. Has there been any updated advances in this area?
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2018 9:21 am
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I think I've read that some of the custom builders with slot the nut to accommodate your particular gauge strings.. on older guitars you sometimes have to get creative. I seem to have read somewhere that even Jerry Byrd would put shims under some strings to get them level...
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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Larry Carlson
From:
My Computer
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Posted 12 Sep 2018 10:37 am
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I've made about a billion nuts. Well, more or less.
My only method of leveling strings has been to carefully file the slots in the proper gauge and then string it up and file again to get the proper height.
I do that until the first fret rings clear.
I know that doesn't help but it's what I have done.
And I do it with this little tool. It's a $10 torch file and it has all the gauges that I need.
I have done nuts made of bone, aluminum, acrylic and other materials with it.
It's done a pretty fair job for me.
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 12 Sep 2018 11:02 am 3D printed
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GeorgeBoards Manufacturing makes what you are asking about.
We 3D print with Polymer infused with 40% harder powder, carbon Fiber, Stainless Steel Brass,Copper Bronze , and so on.
Carbon fiber is the most stable and sounds good to a Rickenbacher specialist.
I can make nearly any scale size V grooves to specific depths and spacings.
We have been doing it for a few years and have a lot of possibilities.
As we say; Add Money and Stir.
Hope this helps.
George -io
_________________
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Maker of One of a Kind Works of Art that play music too.
Instructional DVDs
YouTube Channel |
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Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 12 Sep 2018 5:19 pm
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| Larry Carlson wrote: |
.
My only method of leveling strings has been to carefully file the slots in the proper gauge and then string it up and file again to get the proper height.
I do that until the first fret rings clear.
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I do the same when using aluminum angle. After doing this hundreds of times I have a good idea how much must be filed after stringing it up. Usually takes less than 5 minutes to get the tops of the strings all even. My fret files are from StewMac and make a U shaped slot. However, when turning the slots on round rod, I use a V shaped tool and Mr. CNC adjusts the depth and width at the same time. Different program for each of the common tunings. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 17 Sep 2018 3:24 am
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Sorry I can't remember who, but someone on here came up with a clever idea (and built it!) for an inverted nut and bridge for this specific purpose. Think a raised bar at the nut and bridge that the strings pass UNDER, not over. String guides raised even higher behind each are required, I assume, to set string spacing and ensure enough tension at the break angle on the nut and bridge. No matter what gauge strings you use, the tops would be flush! Pretty clever. (Whoever came up with that feel free to take credit, sorry I can't recall who)
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Jouni Karvonen
From:
Helsinki, Finland
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Posted 17 Sep 2018 5:09 am
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I did remember:
Fouke Industrial Guitars
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 17 Sep 2018 12:46 pm
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That's it, thanks Jouni.
I wonder if you could do a ridged/screw type surface for the string guide rod, which would allow the user to set whatever string spacing they wished. It's a neat idea anyway...the nut being (IMO) more valuable for that approach than the bridge, just because nobody usually has their bar up that close to the bridge, but fret 1, non-level strings are a nuisance. I had aftermarket nuts made for my stringmaster just to try and improve it (using low C C13, a very heavy 8th string...).
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 19 Sep 2018 5:35 pm
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| Larry Carlson wrote: |
And I do it with this little tool. It's a $10 torch file and it has all the gauges that I need.
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Larry: where did you get these nut files? Pretty cool. (My purpose is for an electric, an .009 set.) |
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Brooks Montgomery
From:
Idaho, USA
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Posted 19 Sep 2018 5:40 pm
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| Jouni Karvonen wrote: |
I did remember:
Fouke Industrial Guitars
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That really is quite an ingenious nut design!
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A banjo, like a pet monkey, seems like a good idea at first. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 4:38 am
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Such a great design I'm surprised no one came up with it before and it hasn't become the standard. No one cares of the bottom of strings are level, the only thing that matters is that the tops of the strings are level. I hope others start incorporating this kind of design in their laps
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 8:32 am
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| Looking at it from a manufacturer's perspective, it's easy enough to make. Generally speaking, when something is not commonly out there in the market, it's because people don't want to pay for it. There's a lot of machining in this nut so cost would be high in small quantities. Probably take a lifetime to sell 100 of them. |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 8:45 am
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| Hey Bill,,,that's the design that I mentioned to you that I had considered several years ago,,,got the idea from a dobro capo that I saw one time. I guess the demand for something like that just doesn't justify the cost. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 10:58 am
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Sonny, I'd be curious to know how many of these Fouke is selling. and if he is selling just the nut.
BTW: for those who don't know: Sonny just made me a fantastic 12 string.
_________________
Check out the Steel Guitar Union Hall Facebook group for you daily dose of Steel https://www.facebook.com/groups/steelguitarunionhall |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 12:14 pm
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Charlie,
That tool is used to clean the tip on an acetylene torch.
Any welding supply would have them. 
Erv |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 1:07 pm
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| OK, thanks Erv. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 3:51 pm
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While this design is more elegant, all you'd really need is an existing (pretty high) nut that you can shift back and a few bucks for a Floyd Rose style bar string retainer to mount in front of it as the actual nut. -except- for the fact that the FR string retainers are apparently radiused, and not wide enough for an 8 string. But clever folks could probably rig something up easily with hardware store parts I bet (still, giving major kudos to the more elegant Fouke design).
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 4:34 pm
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| It looks elegant, but would there be a problem with bar pressure? |
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Larry Carlson
From:
My Computer
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Posted 20 Sep 2018 6:26 pm
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Charlie,
On the torch file, almost any hardware store has them.
I get mine at Home Depot.
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 21 Sep 2018 4:32 am
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| Cool, thanks. |
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