replaced nut on soprano uke
- Thread starter merrittr
- Start date
Sorry you are having trouble.
More info is needed from you, i.e., can you define 'sounds like crap now'? This does not really give any information and is wholly subjective.
I'm not a mind-reader but are you trying to describe that the intonation is off because the nut slots are too high, thus making all notes SHARP when in fact tuning the strings open, to a tuner, it shows in tune?
If so, this is a VERY common issue when replacing a nut on ANY fretted instrument, and the solution is not an exact science but rather a VERY tedious and painstaking process, for if you rush cutting the depth of the slots in the NEW nut, you will have to start all over again once you've cut too deep.
Also, several pictures of both the OLD and NEW nut would help for us to understand the problem better.
70sSanO
Well-known member
There are about 3 (well, more but 3 to start) basic nut issues.
The first one is not having the slots cut an an angle so they are a little deeper on the headstock side than the fretboard side. If they are not angled you will get a sitar sound.
Another issue is the fret slots are too narrow for the strings. When you try to tune you are basically trying to force fit the string into a groove that is too small.
The last one is height, but if it is too high it doesn't sound bad, just out of tune. If too low it will buzz.
If you haven't glued in the nut you can work it, and as stated above it is time consuming, but not that difficult. You will need to get really narrow files, or welding torch tip cleaners (Harbor Freight). I actually found some mini dremel rasps that I first used (by hand without the dremel) until I bought real nut files.
John
The first one is not having the slots cut an an angle so they are a little deeper on the headstock side than the fretboard side. If they are not angled you will get a sitar sound.
Another issue is the fret slots are too narrow for the strings. When you try to tune you are basically trying to force fit the string into a groove that is too small.
The last one is height, but if it is too high it doesn't sound bad, just out of tune. If too low it will buzz.
If you haven't glued in the nut you can work it, and as stated above it is time consuming, but not that difficult. You will need to get really narrow files, or welding torch tip cleaners (Harbor Freight). I actually found some mini dremel rasps that I first used (by hand without the dremel) until I bought real nut files.
John
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