I recently acquired a measurement tool that allows you to scope the nut depth. An interesting observation is how differently the nut is cut for each of my guitars.
Although the nut is usually cut to more or less the same radius as the fretboard, it was still interesting to see how inconsistently they were cut with each other.
I know a lot of luthiers usually don’t make adjustments on the nut when working on a particular guitar.
If the nut, however, is to be adjusted, these general rules usually apply:
- The string should be just clear off the first fret;
- The nut should provide the lowest action and best intonation.
The inconsistent nut specifications could be a contributing factor to the different feel of guitars. For example, I have two guitars of the exact same model with differently cut nuts.
Personally the nut is something I prefer to not to adjust myself, and I think most guitar players feel that way. It’s the reason I believe you should always test out a few guitars before purchasing and find one that’s comfortable for you.
Do you think the nut contributes to how much you like a particular feel of a guitar? Let us know below in the comments.
