Guitar setup: what do you like?

[jellodog]

First time I tried one I did not like it. Felt really small [...]

Hah! I felt the same way about the Cutlass! I prefer it now, of course

 

[Warmart]

First time I tried one I did not like it. Felt really small and I thought it looked kind of odd. But my feelings did change!

TWSS

 

[-BOOGIEMAN-]

and the lowest action possible before buzzing with a set of Hybrid Slinky’s…

 

[Eagle]

StewMac. I have every thickness of nut slotting file they sell and several of them are 0.001" off, and a couple others are 0.002" off.

I still sometimes prefer feeler gauges if I'm making factory-cut slots deeper though, because even with my full set of files they don't always match the existing width of the factory slots perfectly. So you either end up with a ledge near the bottom of the slot, or you widen the whole thing slightly, or you rock the file in the bottom of the slot (which kinda defeats the purpose of a shaped file)... With a well-made feeler gauge file, you can match the factory slot width perfectly.

You should actually use a slightly larger file the the string anyway. I still strongly disagree that feeler gauge DIY is a good solution. I als have been doing this long enough to have had to make many tools over the years.

 

[SwirlyMaple]

You should actually use a slightly larger file the the string anyway.

I’m aware of that. When you’re cutting a slot for a 0.009” string with a 0.011” file and it turns out to be a 0.009” file, it creates a problem.

I still strongly disagree that feeler gauge DIY is a good solution. I als have been doing this long enough to have had to make many tools over the years.

That’s fine. Do what works for you and I’ll do what works for me. A radiused metal edge is a radiused metal edge. If it cuts a round slot of the right size with a smooth polished trough and the proper fallaway, there is no difference between a storebought file and a well-made DIY tool other than the time invested. FWIW, my real world experience ranges from rebuilding entire cars and motorcycles, to machining parts on mills and lathes, to watchmaking under a microscope and working with tolerances less than a thousandth of an inch, so I’m not speaking from a cloud of ignorant bliss.

 

[Eagle]

I’m aware of that. When you’re cutting a slot for a 0.009” string with a 0.011” file and it turns out to be a 0.009” file, it creates a problem.


That’s fine. Do what works for you and I’ll do what works for me. A radiused metal edge is a radiused metal edge. If it cuts a round slot of the right size with a smooth polished trough and the proper fallaway, there is no difference between a storebought file and a well-made DIY tool other than the time invested. FWIW, my real world experience ranges from rebuilding entire cars and motorcycles, to machining parts on mills and lathes, to watchmaking under a microscope and working with tolerances less than a thousandth of an inch, so I’m not speaking from a cloud of ignorant bliss.

And your not representative of guys who just want to tweak their setup. Most people are not going to be able to make a file that is not going to make it worse. I get it you can but we are talking people who probably don’t have either the tools to do it properly or the experience to really know how if they did.

 

[SwirlyMaple]

And your not representative of guys who just want to tweak their setup. Most people are not going to be able to make a file that is not going to make it worse. I get it you can but we are talking people who probably don’t have either the tools to do it properly or the experience to really know how if they did.

Maybe not, but I also don't think it's worthwhile to shut down tips that might be useful to others who are capable of doing things on their own.

It goes without saying that you shouldn't attempt this on an expensive guitar if you've never touched a nut slotting file before, but if someone has the competency and doesn't want to spend $100 on a set of files they might use once, or even a pro luthier who needs an oddball sized file that isn't available locally, this is a useful workaround that can give equal results.

 

[Eagle]

Maybe not, but I also don't think it's worthwhile to shut down tips that might be useful to others who are capable of doing things on their own.

It goes without saying that you shouldn't attempt this on an expensive guitar if you've never touched a nut slotting file before, but if someone has the competency and doesn't want to spend $100 on a set of files they might use once, or even a pro luthier who needs an oddball sized file that isn't available locally, this is a useful workaround that can give equal results.

Do you make your own drill bits too

 

[SwirlyMaple]

Do you make your own drill bits too

I have definitely modified them for specialty purposes, lol. I once made a reverse-endmill out of a modified drill bit that needed to counterbore the back side of a hole where I could only get the power tool on the front-facing side

 

[James Freeman]

And it turns out;

2mm on the low E, 1.75mm high E. Nothing crazy.

11-52 gauge strings

Pretty much the same here but with 10-46.
Truss rod as flat as possible with a tiny bit of air, like paper thin.
It work on all my guitars.