View Single Post
Old 11-15-2010, 05:17 AM   #62
Bezmotivnik
Human being with feelings
 
Bezmotivnik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: California
Posts: 1,436
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by l0calh05t View Post
the whole nut slot depth problem is a big reason to use null frets imo (and the more consistent tone is nice as well)
You mean zero frets? They're a giant step away from the chronic problems with nuts, which require skilled workers and time to do. Manufacturers are loath to allow this expense, just as they won't re-crown frets after leveling.

In principle, I like the idea of zero frets, but they wear rapidly. It would be nice if their tangs were only modestly barbed so they could be easily removed and replaced frequently, conceivably even by users. In that they are under constant pressure (unlike the other frets), they're not going anywhere.

The pro Gretsch guitars from Terada usually have these, but for some reason, possibly for fear of early wear, they are much larger than the other frets which of course defeats the whole purpose of zero frets in the first place.

In a properly cut nut, the distance between the open string and the top of the first fret should be about the same as the distance between the string and the top of the second fret with the string pressed down on the first fret, otherwise you'll have notes sharp (to some degree) at the first fret, but because of fear of cutting too deeply, or of the string settling too deeply from early slot wear, nuts are almost always cut too high from the factory -- if they're cut at all. I'm even seeing pre-molded nuts shimmed up to height on new instruments.

Last edited by Bezmotivnik; 11-15-2010 at 05:23 AM.
Bezmotivnik is offline   Reply With Quote