How do I raise a nut for playing slide?

Curly Koa

Curly Koa

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Hey all . . . I just ordered a new baritone and want to set my old one up for use solely as a slide uke, but I am new to doing my own setup work. Can anyone point me to a resource so I can learn how to raise a nut? Or to make one from scratch that will be high enough for playing slide?

Any other tips for making this work well for slide uke? :drool:

Thanks for your time!
 
No idea at all on how you will go on making it work well for slide. But making a new nut is about as simple as it gets.

Pull off strings of course. Remove old nut. Get suitable size piece of bone or hardwood that will be used to make new nut. Shape said piece to same dimensions as old nut, only taller by the amount you want to raise the strings at the nut end. Then cut new nut slots with similar spacing to original. Install new nut with very small drop of glue to bottom of nut, just so it doesn't drop out the next time you change strings. String it up and see how you go.
 
Thanks. Would you recommend a wood for the nut (didn't know wood would work for a nut--cool)? Would it sound/sustain better if bone? My Dremel tool is calling my name.
 
I use a bolt of the desired size for the nut on my cigar box guitars. Cut it down to the correct width, tune to an open chord, and you're ready to go.
 
I have seen U shaped metal objects that fit over the nut to raise the action...like this guitar one.
Nutraiser.jpg
 
Perhaps Aaron Keim could help? I know he has built at least one uke specifically for slide.

Then again the metal arch pictured on the post above this one looks like a workable solution if you are not interested in making a new nut.

But I would not use a bolt to replace a nut for a couple of reasons - mainly its round shape... The strings will not contact it at the same point as a regular nut and your intonation is likely to suffer. My guess is that it would make the strings a little longer since they will contact the bolt at its highest point, which would be set back from the contact point of the original nut. With a longer scale length and the positions of he frets not changing, I believe you would run flat. Also consider the danger of marring the wood.
 
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tobinsuke said:
Perhaps Aaron Keim could help? I know he has built at least one uke specifically for slide.

Then again the metal arch pictured on the post above this one looks like a workable solution if you are not interested in making a new nut.

But I would not use a bolt to replace a nut for a couple of reasons - mainly its round shape... The strings will not contact it at the same point as a regular nut and your intonation is likely to suffer. My guess is that it would make the strings a little longer since they will contact the bolt at its highest point, which would be set back from the contact point of the original nut. With a longer scale length and the positions of he frets not changing, I believe you would run flat. Also consider the danger of marring the wood.
Click to expand...

Exact position of the nut isn't critical on a slide instrument since the frets are only used as visual aids; the strings do not come in contact with the frets. Intonation on a slide is only as good as your ear and your bar hand.
 
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Bolts work well. Slide instruments don't even need frets. The slide (I like Mr. B's) is the fret. If the slide touches the fretboard there's a buzz as the slide should only compress the strings. Cigar Box Nation is a great source of information, as is Handmade Instruments, boards much like UU. Many people make CBG ukuleles...I'm making one for my grandson now. The action for a ukulele needs to be quite high because of string tension, which is lower on ukuleles than on steel string guitars.

I love my Kamaka, Koaloha and Kanilea, but there's a special pleasure in playing an instrument that you made yourself for forty bucks. Someone (I think his name was Paul) played a solo on a CBG on SNL a couple of weeks ago. Music is about enjoying the experience and the CBG or CBU is just a different way of enjoyment.
 
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I've recently had a luither raise the nut and saddle on one of my baritone ukulele's to make it a slide instrument. He put a shim under the nut and made a new higher saddle. It works well although as has been stated above it could do with being a fraction higher due to the low tension nature of ukulele strings. The luither has set it to suit steel strings. I may fit steel strings to this instrument yet. In the meantime I've tuned it up a little.

Anthony
 
Curly Koa said:
Thanks. Would you recommend a wood for the nut (didn't know wood would work for a nut--cool)? Would it sound/sustain better if bone? My Dremel tool is calling my name.
Click to expand...

Typical nut materials are bone, ebony, plastic, corian, or rosewood. I don't think there's much effect on tone from the nut (others will argue there is). It would only affect the tone on open strings....which you probably won't get often with a slide.

If you want to make life easy.....just keep the nut you have. Remove it and glue a hardwood shim to the bottom of the nut to raise the action. Cutting a new nut is pretty easy but it takes some special tools to get the slots to fit the strings.
 
I'll try a shim before taking it to a luthier (it's tough to justify the cost of a pro luthier for something I'll use a handful of times). Do you recommend just literally cutting raw wood to fit? Also, I'm guessing it would be wise to raise the saddle too...??? Not sure I need it to be sick high if I put some high-tension strings on the little beast.

This will be fun!
 
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Yep. Just glue a shim to the bottom of the existing nut. Maybe 1/8th" would be enough?? I don't really know how high you need for slide playing. You can get a 1/8th thick board of maple or rosewood from Rockwell or many other hardware/craft stores. Use Titebond glue in case you want to remove the shim someday. Just heat it up to.
For the saddle you can get a saddle blank and leave it high. Or make one out of wood too
 
One more recommendation. Use a light slide that is just a regular cylinder with no flare since your fretboard is flat. The lighter slide will work better with the tension on ukulele strings. Dunlop makes a very light one that's just a few bucks on Amazon. Have fun!
 
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