|
Author
|
Topic: String height at the nut. Same plane?
|
Gerald Ross
Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
|
posted 24 January 2004 05:07 AM
profile send email edit
Question for all you builders.On a steel guitar how should the strings "sit" in the nut in relation to each other. In other words, should the tops of thicker wound strings ride lower in the nut so that they are on the same plane as the tops of unwound strings? ------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 24 January 2004 at 06:19 AM.]
|
Mike D
Member From: Phx, Az
|
posted 24 January 2004 07:07 AM
profile send email edit
That's how I do them. You need less pressure to insure full contact will all the strings.------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slider. Builder of resonator instruments.
www.MaricopaGuitarCo.com |
Roy Thomson
Member From: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
|
posted 24 January 2004 07:40 AM
profile edit
If your strings are uneven in height on the bass end you will notice it most when the bar is flat at fret 1. Your have to press harder than the norm to sound your chords cleanly.
Many brands of pedal steel guitars have this problem. Roller nuts are not the answer unless they are guaged accuratly.
For my acoustic steel guitars I use a very small files which I picked up cheap at Home Depot. |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
posted 24 January 2004 07:43 AM
profile send email edit
The string slot at the nut should be approx. 1/2 the diameter of the string. You should use a file that is close to the diameter of the string to file the slot for the string. StewMac sells different size nut files for that purpose. Also, the distance BETWEEN the strings should be the same. Soooo, the lower strings are spaced farther apart to compensate for the difference in diameter. A string spacing rule is also available from StewMac to do this.
Erv[This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 24 January 2004 at 07:45 AM.] [This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 24 January 2004 at 07:49 AM.] |
Bryan Bradfield
Member From: Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
|
posted 24 January 2004 11:49 AM
profile edit
Erv has the string spacing issue correct - equal distances between strings. As a player, I prefer that over placing the notches equal distances apart.
Concerning string depth, I like the string tops to be even, and level. Again, Erv is correct in having half of the string buried in the notch. To keep the string tops level, my nuts are noticeably taller on the treble side. |
Bill Creller
Member From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA
|
posted 24 January 2004 06:02 PM
profile send email edit
Stewart MacDonald guitar shop has a variety of files for doing the notches in the nut. They aren't cheap, but it depends on how much you will use them. A cheap set of needle or jeweler's files work Ok if you are careful. If the strings aren't flat across the nut AND the bridge you can get that cool Sitar sound!
Bill |
Gerald Ross
Member From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
|
posted 24 January 2004 08:44 PM
profile send email edit
So concensus says that for steel guitars the strings must be on the same plane, the tops of all the strings must be level.Is the same true for regular guitar? (i.e., acoustic & electric standard guitars) Maybe not because your fretting hand is soft and conform to irregularities. ------------------
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website
[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 24 January 2004 at 08:45 PM.]
|
James Quackenbush
Member From: Pomona, New York, USA
|
posted 25 January 2004 05:45 AM
profile send email edit
Gerald,
Your acoustic and electric guitars have a built in radius ...Unless you are setting up either acoustic or electric for slide work, you really wouldn't want the strings flat..Jim |
Donald Ruetenik
Member From: Pleasant Hill, California, USA
|
posted 25 January 2004 09:31 AM
profile send email edit
I'm of a slightly different school of thought as far as 'burying the string half-way' in the string slot. (IMHO) Since the nut and bridge on a steel guitar don't receive the 'abuse' of string bending and aggressive strumming on a regular guitar, the string slots (or grooves) need not be as deep to assure that the strings stay in their place. And since the nut and bridge are raised higher above the fret-board on a steel guitar, the 'pull-over' angle aids in string retention.As far as the string top plane being flat: this obviously is essential for reducing bar pressure. The groove (or slot) depths on the nut and bridge should conform to string set gauges. After the grooving is done for a particular set, changing to different gauges and occasionally different brands will affect this string plane. (IMHO-FWIW) Love that Weissonator, Mike D. |
Mike D
Member From: Phx, Az
|
posted 25 January 2004 01:06 PM
profile send email edit
Thanks Donald, do you have any pics of your knives? I've wanted to make one from scratch.------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.
|
Wayne Carver
Member From: Martinez, Georgia, USA
|
posted 25 January 2004 01:12 PM
profile send email edit
Don't some makers make "V" shaped grooves instead? That way if you use different string gages in the future they'll fit. |
Donald Ruetenik
Member From: Pleasant Hill, California, USA
|
posted 25 January 2004 05:03 PM
profile send email edit
Mike, Pics on way to your inbox. |
Ron Whitfield
Member From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
|
posted 25 January 2004 05:47 PM
profile send email edit
As mentioned in previous threads about string seating, the groove should be a very V shape, and the string should sit with the wall of each side holding the string slightly above the bottom of the groove, which should be low enuf to allow all strings an even surface at the tops. However, changing gauges can obviously cause a set back concerning the once even tops. |
Dave Boothroyd
Member From: The Malvern Hills
|
posted 26 January 2004 01:06 AM
profile send email edit
Logically, the strings of a fretted guitar should be set so that the bottom of the strings are level, or parallel with the fingerboard radius.
That will equalise the action height for all strings.
Cheers
Dave |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
posted 26 January 2004 07:10 AM
profile send email edit
The worst thing you can do is cut the string slot tooo wide. Then it will "buzz" in the slot.
Erv |
Jack Byrd
Member From: Kalamazoo, Michigan
|
posted 26 January 2004 08:38 AM
profile send email edit
Gerald,Here is some information I posted before from Jerry that addresses the problem you brought up. It is down a little in the response so don't give up. Hope this o\is of some help. http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum2/HTML/003330.html |
The Steel Guitar Forum
