Hello, all.  Before actually discussing nut materials,   I wanted to share with you another thing I have learned over the years  regarding the effects of a poorly manufactured (or, at least, poorly slotted) nut.   I’ve never heard or seen it discussed, but my experience has taught me an undeniable fact: If  string clearance at the first fret is too high (determined, of course,  SPECIFICALLY  by the nut given that  all other setup geometry is proper) many necks develop a “bow” which concentrates itself within the first 3-5 frets.  Truss rods generally serve only to correct neck relief in a more or less uniform sense between the nut and heel….bows specific to smaller areas of the fingerboard become valleys and plateaus on the playing surface.  Not good.  The scenario described above results in buzzy notes on the first playing position frets (usually between frets 3 and 5….really buzzy ‘G’ or ‘G#’ on either ‘E’-string, etc.).  Given that  the neck is in the proper state of relief, and all other setup aspects are proper,  this is not an inexpensive thing to correct.  One long standing high-end guitar company (whose products I see frequently) is particularly guilty of this final-setup negligence–new is not synonymous with perfect.  Clearances for the strings at the first need to be  filed to slightly varying but very small tolerances.   When you fret a first-position note, there should not be a sensation that you are in any way BENDING the string over the surface of the nut slot to make it contact the first fret.  If there is such a sensation, your guitar is suffering from at least one setup-related shortcoming which will result in instrument-warping physics.

TALK TO YOU ALL NEXT WEEK..In the upcoming blog we discuss the power of sentiment in the guitar world…it knoweth no bounds.

Ah, the Nut.   Most players know it as the following (more or less):  A diminutive component at the top of the neck which  serves as a spacing guide for the strings  as they are tensioned above the fingerboard (also as the point of contact for the instrument’s given open-string tones).

What some (perhaps many) do not know is how absolutely critical the nut’s construction is to the OVERALL FEEL OF THE WHOLE GUITAR.  If every other geometric component of a guitar setup is perfect,  but the nut is like it is on 90% of the world’s mass-produced guitars, then the guitar feels stiff and clumsy.  Spacing and clearances of  the strings  relative to one another and to the first fret make a WORLD of difference not only to playability and sensitivity, but to intonation as well.

This being said, the  imperfections of a nut’s construction are often subtle to the player….often attention is never given at all.   Do you have reasonably low action on your instrument, but have trouble with your open chords being in tune…even after you’ve tuned your guitar with a tuner?  Do you find it difficult to arpeggiate  or fingerpick open chords without accidental muting of strings?  Don’t drive yourself “nuts”….it’s probably not your lack of finesse or those “sausage fingers”.  A reworking (or MUCH better yet, replacing) of the nut could revolutionize your playing overnight…..I’m not exaggerating.  I know it not only from my own experience, but from the experiences of HUNDREDS of customers for whom I have performed this service.

Next week we’ll talk about materials for nut construction.  They make a big difference, and not just for open strings!!

Welcome to the newly updated SweetandSound site. I hope you will find it an informative and helpful source for all your musical instrument inquiries. Each week I will be creating a new blog highlighting a specific topic or point of interest and I would gladly welcome and encourage your feedback. Also, please check out my new online “store” in which I will be featuring used instruments and accessories.

All instruments sold through SweetandSound:

SweetandSound can also customize any available instruments to your specifications (service fees apply).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Christian