Nut File Tough Love
It’s tough love time.
When I was discussing how to make a bone nut, I mentioned the elephant in the room.
And it’s a big elephant: Nut files.
Whenever I talk about instrument setup, I always feel like I’m only able to provide 80% of the full picture. String height at the nut is an incredibly important part of good setup but it's also the part that’s really difficult (practically impossible) for most players to achieve on their own.
Because of nut files.
Properly gauged nut files are needed to be certain of a good job. Yes, there are alternatives (I wrote about one here) but these alternatives aren’t terribly good. They're not certain.
There’s that word again; ‘certain’. We want to be sure that we’re getting a good fit for our string. Not too deep, not too wide, not too tight. Alternatives can work but they bring the risk of poor tolerances. Poor tolerances, for a nut, are a recipe for disaster (which is just one reason why I can’t recommend those terrible cheap nut files you’ll find on eBay).
So, I have to tell you to consider buying some good quality nut files.
Now, of course, not everyone reading will be at the point where they want to invest in nut files and not everyone will be in a position to actually fork over their cash for nut files. But… If you’re into this setup lark, and if you think you’ll work on a couple of your own guitars, nut files are a fantastic investment.
Put it this way: Nut files are definitely not cheap. Definitely. But, if you shell out for a professional setup on a couple of your instruments, you’ll probably be pretty close to (if not past) the cost of a set of nut files. I don’t know how many guitars you own now, or how many you will own in the future, but for the cost of a professional setup on a couple of them, you can have a set of nut files that will allow you to do your own setups forever.
If you’ve got some friends that play, discuss string sizes and maybe you can club together to share some of the expense. Time-share nut files are good. 😉
Any nut file recommendations?
Sure thing.
Gauged ‘flat’ nut files
For the vast majority of readers, the ‘standard’ flat gauged nut slotting files will be perfect. These resemble a saw blade and usually have two (same-sized) cutting edges. They’re a little less expensive and will work great.
They look like the image below.
There are a few places you can source these things. I’ve listed some below and I believe them to be reliable. Feel free to shop around, though (just don’t buy any magic-bean-cheap files). You want to pick a file the same size as each string, or one just a couple of thousandths of an inch wider.
- Stew Mac, acoustic guitar nut file sets
- Stew Mac, bass nut file sets
Stew Mac also sells nut files individually so you can mix and match if needed. - Luthiers’ Mercantile has a set of five guitar files but there’s some gaps here. They used to do a set of eight but I can’t find them at the time of writing.
- You’ll find a nice set of ten Hosco gauged nut files on eBay (affiliate link) and this is a pretty comprehensive set of gauges.
If it were me, I’d probably get the Hosco set or mix and match the Stew Mac files.
Double-edge nut files
A more expensive alternative is the double-edge nut files.
The double-edge nut files usually have a different gauge on each of their two cutting edges. These are a little more hard-wearing and I like the fact they cut a slightly tapered, V-shaped slot. They’re probably overkill for most readers, though.
Stew Mac sells double-edged nut files individually or in a set. You’ll get gauges suitable for most guitars and basses.
- Luthiers’ Mercantile has a set of six double-edge files suitable for guitars (probably more for heavier strings or acoustics, though).
- A set of Hosco double-edged files is readily available on eBay (affiliate link). These are generally gauged .010–.046” so they’ll suit the majority of electric players.
Just to reiterate, these files are probably more than most of you will ever need. They're better considered for someone doing a lot of nut-work.
I used to recommend the Hosco double-edged files (like shown above) as I've had good experiences with them. Recently, I've heard from two people that they've have some 'inconsistent gauges' on these files. Of course, two swallows does not a summer make but you may want to keep a 'buyer be-slightly-ware' in mind when making a decision here.
Of course, just to reiterate, you’ll likely find plenty of other suppliers if you’re happy to shop around. Just try to be careful to avoid the crappy stuff.
End of Nut File Tough Talk
Anyway, that's the tough-love tough-talk. You should get yourself some nut files. And, if you're 'most people', you should probably get the set of Hosco gauged files.
You know, if you can.
P.S. I should say it again (because I’m not good at tough talk): I completely understand that not everyone can head off and buy a set of nut files. When I did this stuff as a hobby, I put it off for ages because I had many, many more pressing things to spend my money on. But, if you’re able to stretch to it, I suspect you won’t regret it. And it really is an investment. Money spent today that can save paying for setups tomorrow. And if not, don’t sweat it. It’s not the end of the world. I won’t be checking your school-bag next week to make sure you’ve bought files. 😉
This article written by Gerry Hayes and first published at hazeguitars.com
