Removing nut

[LFL Steve]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

I will find my feelers gauges and see what I have.
This is really good stuff…

And I should add: Sight along the fingerboard and make sure that it is straight, or very very slightly concave, along its length. If it is bowed back (high in the middle) you'll have action problems for which lowering neither the nut nor the saddle is the solution.

[Rudy4]

Charles Tauber's Basic Guitar Setup Guide

[jjbigfly]

I believe the neck is straight. I can see that the neck bolts have been marked by a poorly fitting screwdriver. Looks to be Phillips head bolts. I also think the nut has been replaced or at least removed at some time. I bought this from a forum member a short time ago. No defects were noted by the seller, but that is a different matter.
I measured from the bottom of the 6th (e) string to the top of the first fret and got .020. I removed a bit more from the nut and it does play better, but is seems obvious that between the saddle, nut and neck that something is wrong. I must say it could be possible that someone else that knows even less than I do did quite the setup on it.
I will call Rainsong Monday and see what their thoughts are. I really just want the instrument to get setup correctly.

Appreciate all the assistance. I know much more about setting the action that I did prior to this. Starting to make sense….

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

I believe the neck is straight. I can see that the neck bolts have been marked by a poorly fitting screwdriver. Looks to be Phillips head bolts. I also think the nut has been replaced or at least removed at some time. I bought this from a forum member a short time ago. No defects were noted by the seller, but that is a different matter.
I measured from the bottom of the 6th (e) string to the top of the first fret and got .020. I removed a bit more from the nut and it does play better, but is seems obvious that between the saddle, nut and neck that something is wrong. I must say it could be possible that someone else that knows even less than I do did quite the setup on it.
I will call Rainsong Monday and see what their thoughts are. I really just want the instrument to get setup correctly.

Appreciate all the assistance. I know much more about setting the action that I did prior to this. Starting to make sense….

Here's a recent topic in the CF forum about high action on a Rainsong.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=664913

[jjbigfly]

Spoke with Dave at Rainsong…very helpful person. I am going to take it to a professional at this point as it could entail a bit more than I am knowledgeable about. Dave offered to speak with whomever does the work. Nice guy and willing to help.
This is the first time buying something from a forum member that was substandard…but it’s not the end of the earth. I will do what ever needs to be done and play the heck out of it…..

[Russ C]

Lowering action at the nut and at the saddle have the same effect except at opposite ends as has been said.
A difference that’s relevant is that there is a “correct” nut slot adjustment - fret height or just above for a safety margin as has also been said (some do like their open strings to have less buzz than fretted notes but that and slide are the only reasons I can think of for having nut slots any higher).
After relief is set appropriately, saddle height is then the one adjustment you have left .. if you’re not also doing a neck reset which is not such a big deal if you have a bolt on - but assuming no for now.
Since your saddle is lowered to the max you only have neck relief and a “correct” nut adjustment to play with before a neck reset is demanded.
I have seen a few horror guitars that did not justify the trouble of resetting a dovetail joint made “usable” with a back bow in the neck because the action was so high before that they still didn’t fret out in the open position, but that’s not a conversation to have here.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

I have a Rainsong guitar that I would like to lower the action on, and it does not have a truss rod….
Is there anything I should know about REMOVING the nut?

Thanks

Why the nut? The saddle should be your first go-to.

I got my OM1000 in 2001, no trussrod.

[Russ C]

Originally Posted by JLS

Why the nut? The saddle should be your first go-to

I see getting the relief and the nut right as the first because they’re less subject to individual preference - there’s less of a range open for discussion and with a nut it’s all win - unless, as I said above, you’re one of those who wants extra height for hitting open strings hard.
With those details right the saddle can have all your attention uncomplicated by other factors. That’s how I do it anyway 🙂