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Third Fret Intonation


Old Joad

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24 minutes ago, Starship Krupa said:

Yes, I am a fiend for low nut slots. Not sure why the zero fret never really took off, it pretty much takes care of it. Old Hofners had them.

Exactly, the nut is no different from just another fret and deserves only slightly more clearance (to be on the safe side) than what you would get from putting your finger on the first fret and measuring the clearance between the fret and the string on the second fret. To be on the safe side though, putting your finger on the first fret and then measuring the clearance between the string and the third fret should be about right for the clearance between the nut (open string) and the first fret. Usually, this level of clearance is well below what they come with from the shop or what they have normally unless having been previously adjusted.

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Nut slot files are, for some reason, pretty pricey.

 

I just use the cheap ones that are like bits of wire and fold away into a container, the thin ones can break after some use but they are so cheap it doesn't matter. The more professional Luthier ones can be expensive. I can understand buying those if your using them daily in your work, they last much longer.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Guitar-Nut-Slotting-File-Saw-Rods-Slot-Filing-Set-Luthier-Replacement-Tools/401494397461?hash=item5d7aee5215:g:~gcAAOSwQq1bdOEf

I wouldn't use these to file brand new slots into a new unslotted nut, it would take way too long. I only by preslotted nuts anyway, they are great for fine tuning the depth of the nut.

Edited by Tezza
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Yes, those are actually cleaning rods for gas welding nozzles. I've gone through 2 sets of them. That's why I work from the underside now. 😁

I think I have at least 4 part-o-casters and 3 part-o-basses in various states of completion at the moment. Also a neck that I refretted that I botched and need to re-refret because I used a 9.5" radius fretting caul and didn't realize the fretboard radius was actually 12". I seated them with cyanoacrylate, so I have to heat them up to get them out. The neck is from a Behringer Strat-alike, which are actually one of my favorite cheapocasters. I have 3 of them, one of which has a built-in USB interface. 😂I haven't tried it with CbB yet.

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On 4/24/2019 at 7:15 PM, RBH said:

I want to go on record because I've been noodling with music for 45 years..... and I've never been on vinyl - and chicks think its cool , unfortunately I'm too old to be cool ( according to ACTUAL cool people ).

 

Intonation  ( in my mind - is about setting the 12th fret to center of the open string between nut and bridge, in incorporates scale length,  string tension, string gauge and  can be greatly affected by pick-up magnetic attraction. I 'm unclear how to set intonation from the third fret ? If you can explain - I'd like to learn something new. Tuning from the third fret can offer the typical offset of the change in tension from fretting - that makes sense to me. no harm no foul if the intonation is correct.

 

Example:

Tune the G String with a digital tuner.

Press 3 frets up on the G string, a B flat, and adjust the intonation screw to a perfect B flat.

I've never heard of this either.   But it makes sense, if most your chords are played in that area.

 

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