#16
|
|||||
|
|||||
Quote:
Quote:
Take the extreme example of a Fender Strat with a Floyd Rose locking nut. We know the tension is the same as with a non-locking nut since the strings are tuned to pitch. Yet the Floyd equipped guitar always plays stiffer because there's less string to stretch. Also, many Strat players will remove the E and B strings from the string tee to make them feel "slacker" when bending. This is done along with winding the strings down the post more to add string break angle at the nut, or using graduated post height tuners. Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
|
#17
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
A. String break angle at the nut appears typical, so no worries there. B. I'll loosen all strings and make sure they move through the nut slots effortlessly. C. The neck is pretty doggone straight with no buzzing, which is surprising because my TechnoFret FretRocker* finds lots of slightly uneven fret pairs... D. Top Compliance turns out to be something over which I have zero control, and is something I probably shouldn't ever think about. Speaking as a player rather than a builder, ignorance is bliss. For anyone interested in Top Compliance, here's a neat introduction I Googled up. E. Thanks for round-core strings tip. I'm already aware of that, but there aren't a lot of choices for round-core. I'll look into the Martin FX. Thanks for the suggestion. *(Murray, your Ebay store has gone CRAZY in terms of its GBP-to-USD conversions. Time for a tune-up...) |
#18
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
|
#19
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Thanks, and I'm very glad to read your instruction about gluing only the front of the nut to the hidden edge of the fretboard. I have a question about loosening/removing the existing nut: I've seen people set a block of wood against the nut (the fretboard side) and give it a sharp whack with a mallet. But the guitar I'm working on has a heavy decorative faceplate (about 1/8" thick) that forms a dado in which the nut is captive. How do you suggest I remove this one? See image below. And when I reglue, just a single small dab of cyanoacrylate glue at the center of the nut, right? All those little flecks must be from the new case (see the pale gray case lining in the background). Looks like I need to vacuum the interior. Guitar Dandruff...how embarrassing. Last edited by BothHands; 11-03-2014 at 10:17 AM. |
#20
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
My problem is I NO GOTS those wood shims, but I DO have the steel shim stock. I'm cogitating on methods of cutting metal shim stock other than using sheet metal shears... |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
it certainly wouldn't be my choice, but if you absolutely need to use steel shim stock instead of using binding/purfling stock, shim stock (up to .015 or so) is best cut with surgical scissors. you'll need to use a stone to remove the burrs on a good flat surface like a piece of glass or your granite counter top and a rubber mallet to work out any wrinkles. anything thicker try aviation tin snips. shears are used on sheet metal.
|
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Nobody I know HAS shims. We MAKE 'em. Maybe you gots a tongue depressor, Popsicle stick, ANY little piece of hardwood. Knife, razor blade, sandpaper - whatever tools work for you.
It's not rocket surgery. |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Then the conventional whack with a hardwood block against the front edge of the nut pops it out safely. Do the cut neatly and nobody will notice the kerf when the nut is put back in place. |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
See. I'm just "too respectful" of these methods and materials. I assumed a mahogany neck would require a mahogany shim under the nut, and an ebony bridge would need an ebony shim under the saddle. WHODATHUNKIT? You guys are really expanding my thinking here, and I appreciate it. The sticky-backed mailing labels for under-nut shims is an amazing realization, and seems to fly in the face of the "harder shim material is better" rule-of-thumb I thought I had come to understand... Of course, I'm sure I wouldn't want a thick shim made of paper, but I guess one or two of those labels is no problem. UDAMAN Frank, so I'm just amazed... You know those Formica counter top sample chips you find in the kitchen-remodel section of any home improvement store? What if I glued the wood side (the back) to the bottom of my saddle, and then adjusted the saddle height by sanding the plastic laminate side? They measure about .032" in thickness, which translates to about .016" at Fret 12. Based on my new "raw acceptance" of Luthiery Realities, I'll bet that'd work pretty well. Those sample chips are a combination of hard materials...a lot harder than Popsicle sticks and tongue depressors... These conversations are very interesting for us Neophytes. Thank you. Last edited by BothHands; 11-02-2014 at 02:31 PM. |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Yep, I'm buying one of those saws from Amazon. Thanks, Frank. |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
The OUTSTANDING advice I'm receiving in this thread is steering me away from the steel shim material and toward 'unconventional wood-like options', but if I go with the steel, I think I can probably flatten any shim with a curled-up edge by placing it on a steel 1-2-3 machinist block and then rub/press/drag the edge of another 1-2-3 block along the length of that shim to flatten any curling of its cut edge. Maybe... |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
If you can not find a piece of hardwood that you can carve a shim from than Franks idea of a popsicle would be the next place to go from there.
I'm not sure I understand where unconventional wood like options came in. There are any number of places on ebay where you can by a bone saddle or a pack of ten bone saddles for very cheap. Like the cost of gas for a trip to hardware store cheap. Even from china it takes only a couple of days to recieve so I would recommend purchasing some saddles leaving the one you have untouched and sand to you hearts content until you achieve one that pleases you. Same for the nut. Sawing the near nut is far more invasive then sanding a little off of a saddle. Here you could actually do some permanent damage so if you are having this much reservation sanding a saddle I suggest leaving the nut until you are more comfortable making adjustments. After you modify the saddle you may be happy with the results not needing to work on the nut at all. I believe shaping a saddle is far easier than you may think, and lowering it is even more so. Last edited by gpj1136; 11-03-2014 at 01:35 AM. |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
|
#29
|
|||
|
|||
I have rolls of various wood vaneers sold as edge band or edge tapes like this: http://www.wisewoodveneer.com/store/...gebanding.html
I use mahogany on mahogany neck guitars and it helps to hide it better. It's real easy to just glue to the nut with CA, trim and then sand it to the desired height. I'm not sure why you would want to use steel because imho it would look funny and be much more difficult to work with. There is absolutely nothing wrong with shimming a nut. In fact it's wasteful to buy a new one when you simply have one string out that needs a boost. It won't affect the tone at all unless perhaps like mentioned you stack it up to some ridiculous height. |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
I paid about $9 for one TUSQ saddle blank and had to wait a week for it. I like how the TUSQ reduced the 'brittle' timbre of this particular guitar (original saddle was bone). Now it sounds richer or smoother, or fuller, or less harsh... So I'm not sure bone is what I need, but at $12 for 10 blanks, experimentation is certainly not a problem, and Frank Ford's excellent advice will not have been in vain. Quote:
And for the record, I don't have reservations about sanding a saddle bottom. I've already sanded my brains out. I have reservations about having to buy another $9 blank, accurately transfer the "mystery radius" onto two saddle blanks (yeah, it's a split saddle and I can't seem to accurately determine the fretboard radius...), then shape those two TINY LITTLE SLIVER saddles that are too small to hold while sanding...and THEN maybe make them too short again. THAT's why I'm cautious and why I want to know the best way to shim up. The string heights for this nut are slightly higher than the string heights for its 'twin dreadnaught' (I have two), and the twin plays less stiffly, so sanding the nut bottom on this one seems like a reasonable 'next step'...no? |