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I've been using 35 degrees for my ukes, but think this is too much for guitars. What is the recommended angles for a steel string and nylon string guitars? Thanks

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

I use a 30 degree

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

For nylon don't be too enthusiastic about filling the end, since the high e slips off very easily.

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Build log

On that subject not to change subject but do you all put your strings at a certain distance from the edge? I've been putting mine where it makes playing the easiest for me. I put my 6th. low E edge not center to where it is pretty much even with the bevel of the fret. I like to use my thumb when bar chording certain chords and my hands aren't but med. sized and the closer I can get the string to the edge the easier it is to catch the string with my thumb. The high E or first is abot an 1/8" to center and sometime a little less . I locate the Es on my unslotted and unglued nut and mark each side of the string with a half pencil and then slot them and use StewMac string spacing rule to locate the others. Pretty much the same for the saddle. Bevel at 35 degrees.

Chris, I go 1/8" on the low E string and 3/32" on the high E string.

Richardo, I don't think there is a 'standard' really, again it's about player comfort and playability.

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15 degrees is something to shoot for.

This is exactly how I screwed up my first fret board. Luckily the board wasn't glued to the neck yet... When Making the jig to file the ends, I went by my table saw's gauge. According to it, the blade at 90 degrees was "0", so when I cut at "30", it was actually somewhere near 60 degrees... Needless to say, those ends were out of control. When I re did them, I emulated one of my guitars and that ended up being 35-40 degrees. The nut width is 1 7/8", so I have plenty of room.

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Boy, opinions range all over the map! Lets hear from some more classical guitar builders.

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA