How to Adjust the Nut Height on a Guitar

Pretty awesome if you're looking to lower the height. Pretty useless when trying to raise the height tho...

What if the nut is too low? How can you raise it?

maybe explain what to do if file too much

Is there a video on how much the top of the nut should be filled to make string grooves more shallow?

Thank you

Specs is way too high. The 0.2-0.3mm is without the capo on 3rd fret.

I am about to attack my first nut, as soon as my files arrive from Amazon. All other videos that I watched used the open string method to measure. From what I have seen, with open strings, E/A = 0.020", D/G = 0.018" and B/E = 0.016". I assume the difference in height is due to the vibration depth of each gauge of string. Your method does not account for this. What I like about your method is that action height and neck bow variances are removed by having the capo on the 3rd fret, but I do question the logic of setting them all at the same clearance. Surely a low E requires more clearance than a high E. Would love to hear your thoughts or others.

Good instructions. One thing I noticed with the thicker strings is when you slacken them they push upwards due to stiffness with the angle towards the tuners .so taking a second measurement after filing the nut will need the string pulled tight again. It`s not really too fussy to take that extra effort . I used a magnifier and would not usually notice that . If you have gut strings the newly filed bone nut "edge " can scrape the gut and begin some wear on the string . So I make sure to blunt that sharp edge . Then put some pencil graphite in the groove for lubrication . On one violin forum a violin teacher asked what the graphite was for .

Would you ever remove the nut and file it on the lower side? In the case where the action at the nut is high all the way across the fretboard, for instance?

Great thanks 👍

great video thanks

Great video. When you show the picture of the back ramp in the slot cut, is that achieved just by filing towards the tuning peg? Do you have to rock the file down somehow to do it or just the cutting angle is enough? Thank you

I know this is an old video and i haven't been playing long.
All my open chords sound like garbage.
Thought it was me for awhile.
Then i leaned a trick to see if it was the nut.
You just helped me confimed it and saved me some money.
I can't thank you enough.

So many scary things being said here. DO NOT give the guitar an "upbow" that's just a big no-no. Secondly. .020 millimeter AFTER capoing the 3rd fret is still way too high. .020 with NO capo is fine, (still higher than it needs to be lol) but with a @the 3rd it'll be too high.

It's really simple. You get them as low as you can without buzzing. The only thing right about this video is that he's using the right width files from stew mac and the angle he's filing at, everything else is just no loll. There's a relationship between relief, action and nut height, you want to avoid the "triangle shape" and there's a way to set it up with about 1.25mm action consistent across the entire fretboard with zero buzzing and excellent intonation.

I can tell by looking at it, all of this strings are too high. Maybe he can't tell his chords are all out of tune, or is just used to the massive action but there's no benefit to having them that high, it's crazy. CAPO the first fret, and notice how high the strings are before the second fret. That + a little bit extra is all you need for nut height. When you capo the 3rd fret, the strings should juust be touching the 1st fret.

Take your instrument to a professional and have somebody experience do it. If you are curious, google a zero fret guitar and you'll understand what i'm talking about.

Thank you, I was worried about cutting the nut without setting up the neck......put the capo on the first fret and set up the neck before cutting the nut.

So this would help lower the action on my Les Paul? I've set up the neck to specs, but its still too high. Thanks

Mine at 0.20 is very hard to put inside the filer is very low the nut

I like how guitar feels when capo is on. How do I get that feeling without the capo?

Wish all tutorials in yt were as direct and noise free as this one

This maybe the best instructional on nuts I’ve ever seen! Great Job!

i have a new fender ultra, and using this way to measure the action, there is almost no action at all. What to do?

okey so after watching this video I ruined my strat

Would there be any downside to just using a triangular file for all the slots? I figure if anything you probably wouldn't have to sand down the the entire nut afterwards

Does 0.2-0.3mm apply universally to any electric guitar?

Somebody has read Dan Erlewine's books...me too

Thank you for using metric and not those fractions that requires a college degree to understand.

Thanks for the video. My guitar build is about finished. Should I do the bridge adjustment with radius gauge first, before doing the nut height adjustment?

very helpful..thanks for posting this video

Worthless video. You do the job halfway and then "AH SORRY I ONLY HAD 3 MINUTES TO SPARE, I'LL POST THE VIDEO ANYWAY".

you dont need to file the top of the nut it does nothing for the guitar, you can use the feeler gauges to the appropriate height next to the nut to stop your file from going down past the gauges for a uniform height straight across.

Very instructive video. My nut was way to high and I finaly find out how to solve this problem ! Thanks !

Thanks. Very informative, and now I have a new use with my daughter's and wife's nail files. :-)

How does one know the nut slot is too deep visually? Should each string's top side be fluch with the top of the nut. Or should each string just barely rise about its nut slot?

Great video. It seems that many people measure the nut height by measuring the open strings at the first fret. I like your method better because it takes action and truss rod adjustment out of the equation. However you seem to adjust them all 0.008-0.0012" inch range, but the people that do it with open strings always have more of a gap on the low E (like 0.025") and less as you progress to the high E (like 0.012"). Do you think it is better to have them all set the same instead? Like you said, everyone has a different opinion. Thanks again for the video.

I don't want to be the turd in the punchbowl, but if you cut your nut heights to what he specified, you will have a very high action over the first fret. When fretted at the third, the height above the first fret should be like a slice or two of paper.

Still way too high on my taste. I never even measure that space, i just leave enough space to tell there is any at all. Talking about the thickness of a hair. But it's a matter of taste.

A clear and concise tutorial, - Excellent.

I usually sand the bottom of the nut, if it's flat, works for me like a charm.

❤👍

Used old nut with 20 thou shim as truss rod turning wouldn't take away the fret buzzing....sounds better with hardly any fret buzz but High E when OPEN sounds very loud? Shim is like a plastic material.....any idea why?.

Invaluable information, Thank you!! You answered every question I had. Making my first ever guitar nut, and was completely clueless. You made my build successful

Finally a good nut height video! How high are the stings from the fretboard and how high are the deets crown?

I think I disagree. Any infinite small clearing with the 3rd fret test is what's needed.

My American Standard Strat nut is not cut very deep, and a .010 feeler guage will not fit under some strings, too tight. There is no open string buzzing anywhere.

This helped me a lot. Thank you!.

really great! thank you very much! very instructive and detailed!

Dude, you're putting the capo on 2nd fret no? You should put it right after the 3rd fret (the steel) no?