I’ve watched this section over the past couple of days mainly to research how to slot a nut. Prior to embarking on this action, the recommended sequence is first to check the relief then set the string height. I’ve always been wary of any truss rod adjustment to adjust relief in the neck but tonight I had a go for the first time on my least valuable Rorystrat guitar and it’s still in one piece. The action is currently a bit lower though I’m not too sure I like it. Tomorrow I might have a go at improving the nut slots following the guidance from the lesson.
What a great resource JustinGuitar is. Never thought I would find such depths of information.
This morning after resting overnight the guitar is still in one piece and in tune having adjusted the truss rod. The action still feels pretty too low to me but there is n buzzing at the frets. So later today I will have a go at improving the nut. I will have with me my trusty manual; essential reading for all Strat lovers:
If you’ve got fret buzz, cutting the nut is not likely to improve that. Raising the nut might, depending on what the problem is.
However if the buzz is restricted to certain frets/strings, rather than across all strings at certain frets, then it’s likely it’s needing a fret level to address high/inconsistent frets.
The process isn’t hard with the correct tools, just quite time consuming.
Notched edge to ensure the truss rod is set so the neck is perfectly flat.
Fret levelling beam/suitably flat bar for doing the actual levelling.
Suitable sandpaper (I think I used some sheets of fine wet and dry, but it’s been a while!)
Fret crowning file.
@mc I did not look at guitar nut issues because of fret buzz, I was looking at getting a replacement neck from Fender that requires the nut to be cut.
I was wondering whether I could do this myself and whilst researching on YouTube I found an amazing serious on JG covering setup that included the nut.
JG and Charlie Chandler did an amazing job on this whole set up of a cheap guitar.
So yesterday I had a go at adjusting the nut on what was the first iteration of my Rorystrat (Stratocater to the specification of Rory Gallagher’s 1961) which I got in September 2003. Having done the checks in the video, on this old and cheap neck the B and G strings were high so I did what Charlie suggested but using razor saws (but first I’d adjusted the truss rod and string height as stated above):
I doubt this is anything a beginner might consider undertaking but is has got the action on this guitar way low and possibly lower that I’m used to. I can always put it back up. I now need to do the intonation but that will require new strings first.
