Setup Deepen nut slots or sand off nut base?

[Oldscruggsfan]

View attachment 165312
Above is a still shot from Matt Stead’s really great video on uke setup (recently shared in a different thread by @badhabits). Matt goes on to explain how to use a needle file to deepen nut slots for lowering action at the nut. In lieu of deepening the nut slots, is it feasible/ workable to sand off a bit of the base of the nut to achieve the same end result?

 

[merlin666]

Yes. But how do you know how much to remove with either method?

 

[Mike $]

either method will work, you should go slowly and check your progress. If you have to take off a lot from the nut slots and deepen them severely, you are going to want to sand some off the top as well. Their should be at least half the thickness of the string sitting above the slot, otherwise you can run into issues.

 

[rainbow21]

Yes. But how do you know how much to remove with either method?

First question is whether the nut is glued in.

Nut slots are easier because you can do one string at a time and just slip that one off the slot while leaving the others in tune. Easier to trial and error it.

 

[KohanMike]

I just had my repair place, Eric's Guitar in Van Nuys, CA, lower the action on a custom tenor uke. Billy lowered the slots in the nut with special files. He did as @rainbow21 suggested and after each run, would replace the string and check the action distance. It came out perfect.

 

[Poul Hansen]

Sanding is easier and you don't need special files and knowledge on how to shape the slots, but make sure you are sanding the bottom totally square. There exists a nut sanding holding tool. Can be bought cheaper on Aliexpress
For finding the height, sand down a pencil to half thickness and place it on the frets and make a line on the nut. This is the maximum you can sand down. maybe leave ½ millimeter.

 

[badhabits]

I've done it both ways...if glue was used to affix the nut, the wildcard is the thickness of said glue blob before and after. If the same, no problem.

 

[Kelali Kev]

Sanding is easier and you don't need special files and knowledge on how to shape the slots, but make sure you are sanding the bottom totally square. There exists a nut sanding holding tool. Can be bought cheaper on Aliexpress
For finding the height, sand down a pencil to half thickness and place it on the frets and make a line on the nut. This is the maximum you can sand down. maybe leave ½ millimeter.

That I what I do, the line you draw is equal to the height of a zero fret, but as additional insurance I have a metal spacer the same height as the fret which I sit against the nut so I can't file past the zero fret line. I also use that line as a guide to lower the nut height when making the nut so I know how far to take it down staying above the line.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Thanks, all, for helping further my ed-uke-ation!

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

Maybe I just have a sympathetic / optimistic ear but I not only feel but hear the difference in enhanced playability now that action at the nut is as low as it ought to be.

By the way, I went the route of deepening the nut slots with a needle (jeweler) file & repeatedly trying Matt’s gift card drop test.

 

[Wiggy]

Maybe I just have a sympathetic / optimistic ear but I not only feel but hear the difference in enhanced playability now that action at the nut is as low as it ought to be.

By the way, I went the route of deepening the nut slots with a needle (jeweler) file & repeatedly trying Matt’s gift card drop test.

I hear it too! Excellent.

 

[Oldscruggsfan]

I hear it too! Excellent.

Thanks, Dennis!