Narrow nut string spread solution
Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black
- GrantB
- ADMIN
- Posts: 15924
- meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:04 am
- Location: Where I need to be
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 2100 times
Narrow nut string spread solution
I've mentioned it before so I thought I'd take a quick shot and show what I mean. This is a 66/67 ES-335. Narrow nut. The guitar sounds great but I wanted a bit more room to move at the head stock end.
Using my technique below I have the nut string spread at 36mm centre to centre E strings. My R9 is 36.5mm. I have no falling off the ends of the frets or the like. It feels great to play and I have used a tall-ish wire (StewMac 100/50).
1. Prep the fret board properly. Because we want to use as much width as we can you'll want to level out the nibs of any are left.
2. Do your standard fret slot clean and prep work.
3. Do a standard fret over binding (undercut) refret.
4. Cut the ends off the frets but do not angle inwards....just go flush.
5. Carefully with your single cut file level the edges almost vertically at the bottom end and eventually angle the file up as you head towards the pickup end of things.
6. You should end up with only a slightly angled end for the first 5-7 frets. Because some binding is very worn, this can be challenging. I would do each fret end piece by peice if that was the case. This guitar didn't have too much wear so it was relatively easy.
Hopefully this all makes sense...to me it's a great way to enjoy these later 60's ES's and SG's. I do recommend using string size 10 and up for this sort of set up...keeps things a bit tighter.
Using my technique below I have the nut string spread at 36mm centre to centre E strings. My R9 is 36.5mm. I have no falling off the ends of the frets or the like. It feels great to play and I have used a tall-ish wire (StewMac 100/50).
1. Prep the fret board properly. Because we want to use as much width as we can you'll want to level out the nibs of any are left.
2. Do your standard fret slot clean and prep work.
3. Do a standard fret over binding (undercut) refret.
4. Cut the ends off the frets but do not angle inwards....just go flush.
5. Carefully with your single cut file level the edges almost vertically at the bottom end and eventually angle the file up as you head towards the pickup end of things.
6. You should end up with only a slightly angled end for the first 5-7 frets. Because some binding is very worn, this can be challenging. I would do each fret end piece by peice if that was the case. This guitar didn't have too much wear so it was relatively easy.
Hopefully this all makes sense...to me it's a great way to enjoy these later 60's ES's and SG's. I do recommend using string size 10 and up for this sort of set up...keeps things a bit tighter.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- codedog
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 6768
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:44 pm
- Location: Christchurch
- Has liked: 3495 times
- Been liked: 1088 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Wow... those E strings sure live right on the edge! With my sloppy playing I imagine they'll be going over the edge all the time, mostly just me pushing the low E over. Did you have to change your playing style, or improve discipline, for this?
- GrantB
- ADMIN
- Posts: 15924
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:04 am
- Location: Where I need to be
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 2100 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
It's pretty close to normal in terms of fret left under the string...maybe I'll take a photo over each E string to show you. That last shot gives you an idea of how much is there.
I am a measured player, that's true. I don't bend any of the strings out of their path and over fret ends on any of my guitars. Even when going hard. And that's why I suggest 10 guage or higher on this sort of setup. It does minimise the chance of pushing the strings around too much...unless you want to bend.
I am a measured player, that's true. I don't bend any of the strings out of their path and over fret ends on any of my guitars. Even when going hard. And that's why I suggest 10 guage or higher on this sort of setup. It does minimise the chance of pushing the strings around too much...unless you want to bend.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- Single coil
- BANNED
- Posts: 10050
- Joined: Wed Mar 28, 2012 5:35 pm
- Location: Public toilet
- Has liked: 1110 times
- Been liked: 485 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
I love this sort of care and attention.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.
- jeremyb
- Chorus of Organs
- Posts: 41229
- Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
- Has liked: 7755 times
- Been liked: 4192 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Would enjoy your hands working on my nuts.
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
- GrantB
- ADMIN
- Posts: 15924
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:04 am
- Location: Where I need to be
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 2100 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
I'll send you my price list. "No gloves" is extra.jeremyb wrote:Would enjoy your hands working on my nuts.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- Bg
- Site Admin
- Posts: 43330
- Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
- Location: Auckland
- Has liked: 2268 times
- Been liked: 3910 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
I don't think thats legal, let alone the health implications.GrantB wrote:I'll send you my price list. "No gloves" is extra.jeremyb wrote:Would enjoy your hands working on my nuts.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.
- Conway
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 9846
- Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 1:33 pm
- Location: Auckland
- Has liked: 244 times
- Been liked: 966 times
- Danger Mouse
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 11545
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
- Location: Jafa Land
- Has liked: 354 times
- Been liked: 663 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Only to the latex outfits jb wears.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.
- Danger Mouse
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 11545
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
- Location: Jafa Land
- Has liked: 354 times
- Been liked: 663 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
I'd be interested in how I'd get on with the solution. I have an old Charvel made before they figured out they needed to make the fretboard wider for Floyd Rose guitars and I have to be very careful to not push the E strings off the fretboard. I'm hardly a heavy player either.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.
- GrantB
- ADMIN
- Posts: 15924
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:04 am
- Location: Where I need to be
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 2100 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
What's the fret gring angle like on the side? Often older Gibson are at 45°, mine are more like 10-15° from centre. That's the key.Danger Mouse wrote:I'd be interested in how I'd get on with the solution. I have an old Charvel made before they figured out they needed to make the fretboard wider for Floyd Rose guitars and I have to be very careful to not push the E strings off the fretboard. I'm hardly a heavy player either.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- Danger Mouse
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 11545
- Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
- Location: Jafa Land
- Has liked: 354 times
- Been liked: 663 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Ah I hadn't thought about that, I'll go have a look later tonight (it's down in my garage).GrantB wrote:What's the fret gring angle like on the side? Often older Gibson are at 45°, mine are more like 10-15° from centre. That's the key.Danger Mouse wrote:I'd be interested in how I'd get on with the solution. I have an old Charvel made before they figured out they needed to make the fretboard wider for Floyd Rose guitars and I have to be very careful to not push the E strings off the fretboard. I'm hardly a heavy player either.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.
- Bg
- Site Admin
- Posts: 43330
- Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
- Location: Auckland
- Has liked: 2268 times
- Been liked: 3910 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Thats really quite an elegant solution
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.
- GrantB
- ADMIN
- Posts: 15924
- Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:04 am
- Location: Where I need to be
- Has liked: 1363 times
- Been liked: 2100 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Gring
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- Jay
- Vintage Post Junkie
- Posts: 7825
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 9:35 pm
- Has liked: 1637 times
- Been liked: 1302 times
Re: Narrow nut string spread solution
Cool so this guitar did have nibs once?
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.