Making a Guitar Nut - 3 Tips for Proper Slotting

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  • Опубликовано: 27 дек 2024

Комментарии • 224

  • @goodear1540
    @goodear1540 4 года назад +21

    Hearing Dan say "Killer" has made my day.

  • @catcancrunch7260
    @catcancrunch7260 13 часов назад

    I have to say the diagram you showed on left corner screen really helped me understand, it's so evident you are a craftsman

  • @KPSoutside
    @KPSoutside 3 года назад +35

    I love the fact that a master like Dan is willing to share his knowledge. Dan is the man.

  • @chipsterb4946
    @chipsterb4946 3 года назад +10

    That drawing at 1:50 is worth more than the price of admission! Seriously - great presentation.

  • @demian113
    @demian113 3 года назад +16

    Dan is the Bob Ross of guitar lutherie. Could listen to him drop knowledge all day!

  • @guitartec
    @guitartec 4 года назад +11

    I am a pro repair tech of 45 years. I do not call myself a luthier, even though I do plenty of lutherie. I save the term for Master Luthiers such as Dan, as so many garage guitar builders call themselves a luthier, it diminishes the title imho. I am one of the only shops that asks the customer if they'd like to to stay and learn as I set-up or repair their guitar. I enjoy teaching the basics, but cutting nuts I don't teach b/c people are not usually set up with the correct files or understanding to fit and cut them properly. It took me years of trial and error and understanding to really get nutwork down pat, and I'm still learning. A video like this will get you more than you bargained for unless you are a highly gifted or methodical craftsman whose worked with different materials and understands the task at hand. Again, jmo so take it for what it's worth.

    • @PrinceWesterburg
      @PrinceWesterburg 4 года назад +2

      Luthier - If someone says they are a luthier, ask them "Are you a builder or and assembler?"
      If you work on stringed instruments you are a luthier according the dictionary but I know what you mean! Most of the job is understanding mechanical physics and going back to base principles, not assuming - electronics is totally that and when playing with valves that approach will keep you alive too.

    • @stewmac
      @stewmac  4 года назад

      It's funny... the word luthier is much discussed and debated here as well. Some think of it as a lofty word to be held in reserve for the highest masters, others think it's a descriptive word like carpenter which doesn't necessarily imply a level of experience or quality... just says I work on fretting instruments.
      I'm sure the discussion/debate will rage on forever. :)

    • @guitartec
      @guitartec 4 года назад

      @@stewmac We need a new title for those that fix and build guitars, but can't play them at all. That's always blown me away
      : D

    • @nicholasbstone
      @nicholasbstone 4 года назад

      @@guitartec It comes from a desire to be able to do more with the instrument than a person is able to do when limited by their own lack of skill, talent, or natural ability. Not so hard to understand at all.

    • @guitartec
      @guitartec 4 года назад

      @@nicholasbstone Not sure why you take "blows me away" to mean I don't understand it. I am in awe of it.

  • @jonesybones13
    @jonesybones13 7 месяцев назад +3

    The best details (and in 5 minutes) about how the nut slot should be shaped and reducing friction (especially on the 3rd and 4th string) for intonation. Thanks, Dan Erlewine!

  • @bluesguy62
    @bluesguy62 4 года назад +48

    "It's all the little things that add up" --- how true!

    • @johnverhines9511
      @johnverhines9511 3 года назад +1

      Zig Ziglar “It's the little things that make a big difference.”

  • @onlyusernameleft2
    @onlyusernameleft2 8 месяцев назад +3

    Dan is a national treasure and the Bob Ross of lutherie.

  • @Downtown_Andy
    @Downtown_Andy 4 года назад +13

    I could listen to Dan talk about guitars all day. So relaxing

  • @NicholasGnames
    @NicholasGnames 12 дней назад

    when i first got into work like this, out of necessity on my own guitars, id encounter convos where dans name would come up and everyone would be like oh yeah well what his says is the way to do it and id be like lol who the heck is this guy. so i looked him up and watched a bunch of these videos. i love and appreciate the way he shares this knowledge with others. hes such a patient dude and great teacher

  • @drewgormley6933
    @drewgormley6933 2 года назад +1

    Dan, as an illustrator and educator, your new graphics are the perfect way to help the viewer visualize the correct way to make a nut.

  • @paulbates4100
    @paulbates4100 Год назад +1

    This vid should be mandatory watching for all those folks fitting string redirection Tom Foolery to their headstocks. Thank you Dan for a fine explanation of nut finishing.

  • @XavierTheNeonTiger
    @XavierTheNeonTiger 4 года назад +43

    Hand filing my own nut and saddle made my $50 instrument feel like a $200 instrument and I firmly consider it worth learning how to do.

    • @antares4975
      @antares4975 Год назад +23

      because you spent 150$ for the nut files

    • @paxchristi2014
      @paxchristi2014 Год назад +6

      ​@@antares4975 😂😂😂

  • @nathanrichard4357
    @nathanrichard4357 7 месяцев назад

    I never really thought of it as supporting the stray and trying to let it speak. Very inspiring to see people who think like this

  • @dekrev
    @dekrev 2 года назад +6

    Thanks Dan! I try to buy all my parts and pieces from y’all for this simple reason - all the time and effort you put in to make sure I have the info to do it right - appreciate that!

  • @ArturBrzozowski444
    @ArturBrzozowski444 3 года назад +1

    I got myself set of nut files.
    Dan is my first source of know how
    Thanks for being here

    • @stewmac
      @stewmac  3 года назад +1

      Thanks for watching! Dan's an inspiration to us all!

  • @CassLoweMusic
    @CassLoweMusic 5 месяцев назад

    So nice to watch a real expert

  • @dba4292
    @dba4292 4 года назад +4

    Love Dan Erlewine! So much knowledge. I do every single guitar repair possible, on acoustics and electrics. There is one job I don’t do, and that is guitar nuts. Doing nuts is a lost art that is so important and it must be perfect! Pause at 3:47 *that* is perfection. Look at how sexy those strings lay, it all just oozes top quality both from Gibson & Dan.

    • @prssix
      @prssix 4 года назад +1

      For that simple fix you want, get a pocket set of files used for torch tip cleaning. About 6 or 7 dollars..

    • @scottmulrooney3130
      @scottmulrooney3130 4 года назад

      30+ years ago I spent a couple weeks with Dan and Bryan Galloup. They covered cutting and fitting nuts, fretwork and Martin neck resets. 2 amazing teachers and craftsman. Thanks for this great explanation Dan!

  • @polygonalmasonary
    @polygonalmasonary 5 месяцев назад +1

    I really learned a lot from your excellent video. It’s great to have someone with such knowledge and experience sharing it freely. Thank you so much 🙏. 🇬🇧♥️🌈

    • @stewmac
      @stewmac  5 месяцев назад

      Thank you for watching!

  • @trzesnk
    @trzesnk 4 года назад +12

    Dan rocks! Happy to see you healthy!

  • @shannonthomas8894
    @shannonthomas8894 3 года назад +1

    Dan is the greatest! Plus his videos are always short and direct to the point!

  • @LennieDean
    @LennieDean 2 года назад +1

    It is the little things like this that I've learned from these vids that add up! You're a national treasure Dan!🤓

  • @allfields
    @allfields 2 года назад +1

    Dan has much knowledge, every 2 or 3 sentences he alludes to a good tip or trick to keep in mind.

  • @Stewmade64
    @Stewmade64 4 года назад +79

    I love the vibe of all these StewMac vids. And I love Uncle Dan’s demeanor. Much better than the 27 minute “off the top of your head” ramblings from some of those other luthier tip videos.

    • @TempleGuitars
      @TempleGuitars 3 года назад +1

      Sorry about that.

    • @mccloysong
      @mccloysong 2 года назад +1

      I almost said the exact same thing. His presentation is tight and you get the info right out of the gate. And his humble delivery belies his vast knowledge

  • @JodyHeltonBand
    @JodyHeltonBand Год назад

    Hi, I always enjoy your how to's. They have been helpful for me over the years. I've always had tuning issues with my Gibsons. I tried a bunch of different approaches; changed tuners, bridges, nuts. Nothing seemed to work. Well one day I got the bright idea to file the nut so that the pass through of each nut slot resembled a Gibson bridge saddle. This was in an effort to keep the string from touching as little nut material/surface as possible. Wow, did that make a difference. I do a lot bends through my several hours of practice, and now have to re-tune very little. Just saying, thought I'd put that out there. Best Wishes to All.

  • @mccloysong
    @mccloysong 2 года назад +1

    Your lessons are always so detailed yet concise, right to the point. So enjoyable and informative to watch. You answered all of the questions that I had almost immediately. Thank you so much always

  • @scottmulligan3512
    @scottmulligan3512 Год назад

    Stu Mac rocks. Their stuff is superior. I bought a tail piece for my used Gibson hollowbody and it solved the rattle problem that I had.

  • @jayblow77
    @jayblow77 4 года назад +2

    This is the best video I've seen on filing nut slots. A+

  • @stephenbarton2625
    @stephenbarton2625 4 года назад +1

    Each time I watch your videos I always learn at least one more thing I just didn’t quite grasp before. You are really helping us. Thank you so much!!!

  • @ronnieremark3355
    @ronnieremark3355 3 года назад +1

    Thanks Dan for your years of hands on experience. I hope to be there one day!

  • @noisybarinavalon
    @noisybarinavalon 4 года назад +5

    Thanks for sharing Dan, always a pleasure to watch a master at their craft,

  • @TheAngryMushroom
    @TheAngryMushroom 4 года назад +2

    Your repair book and tips helped me become a better luthier. Thank you Dan!

  • @disco4535
    @disco4535 4 года назад +1

    Dan's videos are pure gold

  • @41663
    @41663 9 месяцев назад

    Thank you . Getting the nut right is the most difficult thing I've had to do for my guitar.

  • @stoatystoat174
    @stoatystoat174 2 года назад

    Thanks for something explained well with good camera work to see exactly what he is talking about. Love it when RUclips is the worlds Library

  • @sethmcneill5283
    @sethmcneill5283 2 года назад +1

    Wow one of the best how to videos on RUclips I’ve ever seen 🎉

  • @cratecruncher6687
    @cratecruncher6687 3 года назад +1

    Great lesson with a concise graphic. I'm on the last step of making a nut from scratch. Making the grooves can make or break the whole project.

  • @bretolson8484
    @bretolson8484 3 года назад +1

    This is exactly what I woke up wanting to find this morning. Thank you 🙏

  • @formallynamed85
    @formallynamed85 4 года назад +5

    Thank you Dan I don’t recall seeing a good example or drawing to go with the ramp technique and now to order a couple new nuts 🥜 lol

  • @tony.guitarplayer
    @tony.guitarplayer 4 года назад +5

    He is such a good teacher for me! I learned a lots of things from him.

  • @joem6859
    @joem6859 2 года назад

    Dan is the man!! No one can teach guitar building like Dan!!

  • @fadeskywards1245
    @fadeskywards1245 4 года назад +9

    I don't have the slightest clue on luthiery (or whatever the noun of "luthier" is), but this felt useful.

  • @thecareyaffair
    @thecareyaffair 8 месяцев назад +1

    Dan your a legend............Much love from Aust.!

  • @robertevans2143
    @robertevans2143 10 месяцев назад

    Excellent video. Finally someone knows what he is talking about.

  • @waybackplayback1347
    @waybackplayback1347 4 года назад +4

    Good job and good video. Also, a good example of why a straight pull headstock is superior.

    • @larrydrozd2740
      @larrydrozd2740 4 года назад

      Flying V headstock, goes to a point, you get the angle back so no trees and you go straight to the machine head, no angle. I built my guitar with that in mind, which is why I copied it.

  • @tonyangelis2786
    @tonyangelis2786 2 года назад

    Dan, I love you and I respect and admire your work and I have to admit that I've learnt A LOT from you all these years. But, don't get me wrong, in this video I am obliged to make a correction: when you turn your file a little sideways to widen the back of the nut at the same time the front of the nut is filed UNINTENTIONALLY. This is because you cannot tilt the file MORE downwards so that the back of the file won't work on the nut. You have to REMOVE the nut form the guitar for this job to be accomplished properly. I hope I'm not being impolite. By any means you are the best for many of us!

  • @efa666
    @efa666 4 года назад

    As a lefty, this is valuable information, gotta be able to make your own nuts for conversions.

  • @SomeDudeOnline
    @SomeDudeOnline 3 года назад

    Not what I was looking for but very glad I watched this.

  • @gregmartin1757
    @gregmartin1757 4 года назад +1

    I been watching and Learning from this humble and extremely talented man for many years ! Dan is the man !

    • @Shaun.Stephens
      @Shaun.Stephens 4 года назад

      Me too - ever since I got a book of his. I was so happy to find that he was also doing youtube videos.

  • @whiskybravo4648
    @whiskybravo4648 4 года назад +2

    Thanks Dan, appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us.

  • @dannywoody5497
    @dannywoody5497 13 дней назад

    Greatly appreciate this video a giant help very direct into the point

  • @400_billion_suns
    @400_billion_suns 4 года назад +3

    These videos are so enjoyable and helpful. Thanks StewMac and Dan! :)

  • @pgilly7783
    @pgilly7783 4 года назад

    Thank you sir building an SG kit and needed to know this because the nut is cut but not finished to the way you described 🖒

  • @tonysansom
    @tonysansom 4 года назад +1

    Excellent advice, Sir! Thank you for sharing.

  • @DjiDo
    @DjiDo 4 года назад

    Exactly what I needed right now. Those tools look super handy, all of them!👌🏻

  • @waynzwhirled6181
    @waynzwhirled6181 3 года назад +2

    This is nuts!

  • @XSFlanger
    @XSFlanger Год назад

    Very informative and do the point as always. Thank you for sharing the knowledge!

  • @dimitrisloufakis916
    @dimitrisloufakis916 4 года назад +114

    Just as I thought that nut files can't possibly get any more expensive...

    • @davidainilian1106
      @davidainilian1106 3 года назад +25

      Just buy the whole set it's only about $1000

    • @oosurf08oo
      @oosurf08oo 2 года назад +13

      @@davidainilian1106 no thanks I’ll just buy an entire diamond mine, hire a few hundred slaves and harvest my own diamonds to grind up and make my own nut files with.

    • @oosurf08oo
      @oosurf08oo 2 года назад +8

      @DC_Kamehameha you’re going to miss out on 490$ worth of tone, man! Cmon buy the set.

    • @BonafideToolJunkie
      @BonafideToolJunkie Год назад

      @Nick Smith ...I bought the same set from Amazon. Reasonably good quality.

    • @Cognitoman
      @Cognitoman 11 месяцев назад

      @@BonafideToolJunkiecheap material ?

  • @andrekley
    @andrekley 4 года назад +1

    I love the way you teach us! Thank you so much!

  • @brianharbut4054
    @brianharbut4054 4 года назад

    Such good videos on here. A wealth of experience & perfectly explained. Thankyou

  • @chrismichael8501
    @chrismichael8501 2 года назад +1

    Great demo, Dan, thanks!

  • @swamification
    @swamification 4 года назад

    Thanks Dan! Just did this same repair to my new Flying V, which wouldn’t stay in tune at all...D and G strings exit the nut at an even steeper angle than most other guitars. Performed the repair using my old Stew Mac nut files. But I think I need to upgrade to the diamond files :)

  • @mmediaaudio
    @mmediaaudio 4 года назад +2

    Thank you Dan!

  • @jonnybeck6723
    @jonnybeck6723 4 года назад

    Thank you so much Dan... I'd actually been wonderin' 'bout that sideways angle
    when you have a 3 + 3 setup (a bit of common sense too I'm afraid)
    Thanx again and Cheers

  • @Cl3moh
    @Cl3moh 4 года назад +1

    It's like turning Smirnoff into Grey Goose.👌

  • @sciencesaves
    @sciencesaves 8 месяцев назад

    How do I replace the compensated nut on my music man guitar? I have never filed a prefabbed compensated nut or any compensated nut. How do I do this? Any videos on that? Thanks for your help

  • @c.turner4588
    @c.turner4588 4 года назад +1

    Why not direction the D and G (for example) slots toward the tuning post intsead of straight slots please?

    • @walterw2
      @walterw2 4 года назад +5

      that's kinda what he's doing! the slots are *started* straight to make sure the spacing is right, then with the extra filing of the back edges it lets the string smoothly "swoop" into the direction of the tuner post by the time it leaves the back edge of the nut
      if it was a straight line from front edge of the nut angled straight towards the tuner post then you'd have a sharp bend at the *front* edge of the nut, you don't want that any more than you want it at the back edge

  • @jamesemerson4102
    @jamesemerson4102 2 года назад

    Please show us how you shape the nut and how you remove the excess. I cannot find one demo that actually shows removing the excess material.

  • @MostlyTorso
    @MostlyTorso 4 года назад

    Thank you, Dr. Erlewine! (Seriously though, you'd make one heck of a surgeon!)

  • @pavure
    @pavure 4 года назад +1

    Thank you, sir!
    That's really good to know.

  • @julianroot6031
    @julianroot6031 2 года назад

    Thanks so much for these videos. One question-- you say (as many others do) that the strings should be resting at a depth of about half their diameter in the slot. Is this only the case for wound strings? The high E and B strings appear to not rise above the nut surface at all.

  • @amosjr4
    @amosjr4 Год назад

    Thank you,Dan

  • @MouldyGuitars
    @MouldyGuitars 4 года назад +1

    Great useful video.. I didnt know about the rounded back end ( I was sloping them) and also the widening slot. Will try it with my next build :) Is the widinedning at the back so important if the guitar has straight string pulls ? I assume not so much

  • @alancarter4044
    @alancarter4044 Год назад

    Thanks. You’re a good teacher!

  • @user-cq3oh8eq3n
    @user-cq3oh8eq3n Год назад

    The 'safety factor' (.007" etc) that is added to the measured string height is valid for mandolin. Are there recommended values for electric guitar?

  • @gabibonza
    @gabibonza 3 года назад

    Awesome! This old man have great skills!

  • @mississippimusic
    @mississippimusic 4 года назад +1

    Thanks, Dan!

  • @belo1971
    @belo1971 2 года назад

    Is it possible to put a new nut on a 42mm width guitar nut...from 35 mm to 36 mm from E string to E string ? Thanks a lot for your answer and help. Regards from France

  • @patrickpalmer3374
    @patrickpalmer3374 3 года назад

    I'm doing that now lucky for me because I was going to make it a point and not rounded thank you.

  • @marcinwieczorek485
    @marcinwieczorek485 Год назад

    Thanks for the great vid as usual! Question - just had a nut replaced on my Strat with a seemingly nice bone nut & plek treatment (along with a refret). Intonation is quite good but with the new set up it seems that the strings sit too low which causes catching adjacent strings under my fingers when bending causing lots of noise (otherwise action feels quite nice). Tried hard to adjust my technique but it seems totally on the edge at best and makes me afraid to bend not to cause that horrible noise - it certainly wasn't the case before. Tried playing a bit with string height at the 2 tremolo screws on top of the guitar and a bit with truss rod but that didn't help much which leads me to suspect the new nut height as the main culprit - is there any way to measure this? Is replacing the nut again the only viable solution? Should i maybe try to raise the bass strings a bit at the saddle? Would appreciate any advice to end a saga of bad set ups.. thanks!

  • @MLFranklin
    @MLFranklin 4 года назад

    Very nice. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom.

  • @zbaby82
    @zbaby82 2 года назад

    My biggest problem with making a nut is the treble E and B strings tend to buzz in their slots and I'm not sure why?

  • @Skoora
    @Skoora 7 месяцев назад

    I have a V where the open A has a vibrational sound, possibly fret buzz on the first fret. Trying to figure out if it’s the nut slot got too low or worn out of shape or the first fret is high for the A string. I don’t have a fret rocker but can it even get a read on the first fret there, with no fret behind it to place the rocker? And yes, a fretted A# sounds fine.

  • @whowho8470
    @whowho8470 Год назад

    Great video. I'm struggling with my Les Paul. G-string frequently goes out of tune and I'm reading that it has a lot to do with the nut slot not being angeled.
    I noticed you angle the slot a bit toward the G and the D but it was not a complete angled cut like I've seen done on other LP style guitars. Wouldn't it be better to angle each slot so it's directed straight to the tuner?

  • @egodzilla777
    @egodzilla777 Год назад

    This Dude is a Master!!!

  • @Thurston86
    @Thurston86 4 года назад +1

    If the Nut starts to wear down will it begin to sound dull? If so, would that apply to a electric guitar Nut too?

    • @mortensen1961
      @mortensen1961 4 года назад +1

      I'm not sure about sounding "dull", but if the nut gets too worn, it could start buzzing. And yes, it does apply to electric guitar nuts as well (except for Floyd Rose-style nuts).

  • @noel3422
    @noel3422 8 месяцев назад

    Never understood why a Luther would design a guitar neck without straight string pull or why the foot is angled when the tention of the strings is enough to keep the strings in the nut if it is cut for that string gauge, is it to allow for different string gauges on the same guitar? I mean without an angled foot and the guitar setup for that string guage the angled foot would not be necessary and the nut could be cut in a more precise way. Just a question from a non guitar builder so feel free to educate me, just trying to put it all together, thank you in advance.

  • @chrybrstLesPaul
    @chrybrstLesPaul 4 года назад

    Question about the "Half of your diameter nut height"...The top two strings, lets say for a set of 10's, would you only add .005" for the high E (1st string)? That seems rather shallow to make the slot 0.15" from the top of the nut, wouldn't it be possible for the string to come out?

  • @minnixmusic
    @minnixmusic 3 года назад

    Hey Dan do you have a video (or could you make one) about building a nut for slide guitar?

  • @AndrewX66
    @AndrewX66 4 года назад

    When my mans said, “a tooth file can SKID,” I flinched when he jumped forward.

  • @cdk3law
    @cdk3law Год назад

    I'm going to try this on a Sigma I rescued from a pawn shop. Could someone please advise me on the proper size file thickness to use for each corresponding string slot? I see Stew Mack has multiple size nut files sizes ranging from 0.010" width to 0.095" and greater. Since I usually use light strings (.012/.053 or .013/.054)...should I use the same size file as the string I use, or a file that is just a little bit bigger than my strings? And what if I want to switch to a "medium" size string later...would that require the slot to be filed wider with an even wider file to accommodate the heavier string? Or, should I start out from the beginning to file a wider slot so I have room to grow later with heavier strings.

  • @ericstandefer9138
    @ericstandefer9138 10 месяцев назад

    Wow. I realize I was doing everything wrong. Didn't know there was so much to know.

  • @RideAcrossTheRiver
    @RideAcrossTheRiver 2 года назад

    I think I have a bad nut slot on my new Strat. I took off the 'modern' factory cable-and-garotte string gauge and put on some slinkies ... but now the open high E string sounds duddy. It sounds fine fretted, but open or open 12th fret harmonic is a strange uneven tone that lacks sustain. What's the remedy?

  • @oldguy5381
    @oldguy5381 4 года назад +1

    Thanks for the tip, you rock

  • @mjwontstop
    @mjwontstop 2 года назад

    I wonder what size of file will work both acoustic and electric guitar

  • @RandyFricke
    @RandyFricke 3 года назад

    I just received my StewMac nut files. Many people think the StewMac stuff is over-priced.
    If you want to do a guitar job right don't waste your money on inferior tools that aren't made for guitar.
    Spend the money, save up if you have to, but get proper, good-quality tools and get the job done right the first time.
    * * * * * on the nut files.

  • @roboreilly8151
    @roboreilly8151 4 года назад

    Thanks for another great video Dan 👍🏻

  • @fortierma64
    @fortierma64 4 года назад +6

    I wish Dan wasn’t so far, I'd love to have him setup my guitars.

    • @narupickles7982
      @narupickles7982 4 года назад +1

      unless you are going to file the nut or saddle, all you need are feeler gauges and a tuner. Straightening the neck and adding a bit of relief then measuring the 12th fret and 1st fret isn't that difficult.

    • @fortierma64
      @fortierma64 4 года назад

      Naru Pickles, thanks. Everything you mentioned (including filing nuts and saddles) I already do, and have done for 30+ years. What I meant to say is that Dan is a master and he taught me a lot over the years. I’d love to meet with him and have him setup my instruments just for the sake of it.

    • @fortierma64
      @fortierma64 4 года назад

      TELE6220, thank you. That’s what I’ve been doing for 30+ years. Again, my comment is just to say Dan taught me a lot through his book and this channel and having him setup my guitar would simply be a great opportunity to chat.

  • @FabianRomano1
    @FabianRomano1 4 года назад

    100% Guitar Love. Thanks for sharing !