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nut installation - - - angled base, flat base

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 3:07 pm
by peter havriluk
The headstock on my kit guitar extends to the head of the fretboard, so that the nut will be installed after trimming an angle into its bottom to complement the headstock angle and wind up standing at a right angle to the fretboard. I will be cutting back the headplate to allow the nut to sit on the neck. The Dreadnaught plans I bought from Stew-Mac indicate the same sort of construction. Anything to concern me, or might I notch the neck so that the nut sits with its bottom parallel to the neck, with its bottom surface roughly 1/8" below the neck/fretboard intersection? The 'notch' I have not seen on any drawings. I don't want to violate any rules of good practice.

Thanks very much.

Re: nut installation - - - angled base, flat base

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:13 pm
by TonyinNYC
You can do it any way you like. I would angle the nut blank.

Re: nut installation - - - angled base, flat base

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:45 pm
by ken cierp
+1 angle the nut, trim the veneer, make sure that is perpendicular to the FB surface.

Re: nut installation - - - angled base, flat base

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 7:05 pm
by peter havriluk
Thanks very much for the replies. I appreciate the nudge toward executing the installation in a way that least impacts the neck material.

Re: nut installation - - - angled base, flat base

Posted: Fri Sep 06, 2013 8:26 pm
by Tim Benware
Not as hard to angle it as it first appears. I'm guessing it is a 15* angle?