Question about the nut

hammer40 · May 19, 2012

I don't know if this is the right section for this question but a luthier would probably have the answer for me. I was wondering if there is a particular min/max distance that the string and the groove in the nut for it, should be from the edge of the fretboard? I have noticed some go very close to the edge and some leave more room, or is it just a set up preference?

Pondoro · May 19, 2012

If they sound right I wouldn't worry. I had one uke that as it aged the nut and the end of the fretboard moved apart noticeably. Simultaneously any note fretted at the first fret started to sound wrong. I removed the nut, changed the mating face angle to better but up against the fretboard, reinstalled and it sounded a lot better. But I took a lot of careful measurements before I did it.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles · May 19, 2012

It's not about sound but rather about playability. I see a lot of ukes set up where the outer strings are too close to the edge of the fret board. This will often cause a "gutter ball" effect with the A string when playing up the neck. I couldn't give you exact numbers (I set 'em by eye) but the distance to the edge of the fret board might be about 1/8". A little more perhaps for the A string and a skosh less for the G.

Rick Turner · May 19, 2012

Chuck points to a standard thing that I do when setting up guitars or ukes...allow a little bit more space between the first string and the edge of the fingerboard than between the 6th or 4th string and the edge. Players tend to pull the strings a bit when fretting, and so they'll pull the 1st string right off the fingerboard if it's too close. It hardly ever happens that they'll push the 6th or 4th off. This is another one of those things where you build and set up for the hands, not the eyes.

mzuch · May 19, 2012

I set my strings 5/32" from each edge. Works for me, and I've not received any complaints about it yet.

Kekani · May 19, 2012

And I thought I was being slick not only when I started to make my fretboards a little wider, but moreso on the first string. I now have a new term . . . Gutter ball effect.

Aaron

ProfChris · May 19, 2012

Rick Turner said:
Chuck points to a standard thing that I do when setting up guitars or ukes...allow a little bit more space between the first string and the edge of the fingerboard than between the 6th or 4th string and the edge. Players tend to pull the strings a bit when fretting, and so they'll pull the 1st string right off the fingerboard if it's too close. It hardly ever happens that they'll push the 6th or 4th off. This is another one of those things where you build and set up for the hands, not the eyes.

Wish I'd read this a few days ago. Just strung up another (amateur) build and forgot, so made the nut with equal spacing. And found myself clattering the A string on the edge of the neck (no fretboard). Dumbo! An easy fix, but I should know by now.

I made the A and G string spacing 3mm (1/8), and this thread now tells me the dimension of a "skosh", a US luthier measurement which was unknown to me. It's 1/32 inch. Which is about how much I moved my A string, and it plays fine now.

hmgberg · May 20, 2012

I'm encountering the gutterball effect with an old Martin soprano I recently acquired. The A and G strings are equidistant from the fretboard edges, but the real problem is that the fret ends are rounded too far in, so the slightest downward pull on the A string sends the it right into the gutter.

Rick Turner · May 20, 2012

Another "folk" measurement dimension is the "RCH", and if you don't know what that stands for, just know that I'm not publishing it here...

Timbuck · May 20, 2012

Rick Turner said:
Another "folk" measurement dimension is the "RCH", and if you don't know what that stands for, just know that I'm not publishing it here...

I suspect you're talking about "Crimson Cubic Purly's" Rick

ukulian · May 20, 2012

What I want to know is whether a 'skosh' is bigger or smaller than a 'gnat's cock'??

BlackBearUkes · May 21, 2012

The RCH unit of measurement has been around as long as mankind has. It has been used by the luthiery community for a long time and now is also used by the automotive industry. Just the other day I heard it used by some gentleman working on my vehicles muffler and exhaust system. How appropriate! ((cough-cough)

hmgberg · May 21, 2012

BlackBearUkes said:
The RCH unit of measurement has been around as long as mankind has. It has been used by the luthiery community for a long time and now is also used by the automotive industry. Just the other day I heard it used by some gentleman working on my vehicles muffler and exhaust system. How appropriate! ((cough-cough)

It's also used in the construction industry, and has been around for as long as has been womankind.

Question about the nut

hammer40

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Pondoro

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Moore Bettah Ukuleles

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Rick Turner

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mzuch

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Kekani

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ProfChris

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hmgberg

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Rick Turner

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Timbuck

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ukulian

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hmgberg

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