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I 'm trying to get the nut to sit flush in it's slot on my Weissenborn style guitar, but one side is flush and the other side is not. I have tried to correct this problem with a nut slotting file to no avail. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Ron M.

Are you sure it's the slot and not the nut, or visa versa?

It can be hard to get the slot flat as a file can rock up and down easily when filing. Just go slow and try not to rock the file.

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I agree. You can check if either is square with a rule or small square and square accordingly. The nut is easier because you can square it on a flat file. For the neck slot, slow and steady...

Good luck
.

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I'm going to assume that you mean that either the bass or treble side is not seating, as if there were a hump near the center of the nut slot. If it's the OTHER direction--a pyramid down the center of the nutslot--you have an out-of-square file. My 1/4" file turned out to be like this, (assume NOTHING!) but Stewmac made it right.

This made me crazy for awhile, until it dawned on me...

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I gleaned the following little tip from this forum-- and my apologies to whoever first shared this, but here goes-- put a small strip of self-adhesive sandpaper on the bottom of the nut. (Full width works best, ya know.) Carefully work the nut side to side, and you will level the floor where the nut sits.

You might want to check the truss rod to be certain it's fully seated, and not a wee bit higher than the neck wood.

If all else fails, slightly relieve the underside of the nut so that you get good contact at the edges.

Steve

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Thanks guys for the suggestions. The file appears to be straight, and the nut is flat. I flattened it on a end mill file, and checked it on a straight edge, it's dead flat.

It's the slot for sure. I'll try again " slow and steady"

Ron M.

I've used a piece of wood the same width as the nut or a little narrower with self stick sandpaper to level the high spots but same principle as Steve's. Also, get on your magnifying glasses and look for tiny bits of finish or glue squeeze-out from the fretboard or headstock veneer. Takes very little to keep a nut from seating at one end. And of course the obvious, swap ends on the nut and make sure one end isn't wider than the other.
Good luck
Terry

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Hi Steve,
I think we were posting at the same time. I tried the sandpaper on the bottom of the nut yesterday, but i don't think I sanded enough. I'll try again, thanks

Ron M.

Sandpaper and files will rock which makes it very hard to get a flat bottomed slot. Get a 1/8" chisel and a small straight edge. Take very small paring cuts off the bottom of the slot until your straight edge shows that its flat.

It could be that something is hanging up the nut on the side or you've got a very slight lip on one of the corners of the slot.

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File in one direction only not back and forth.

Colin

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What I meant, was that my file's cutting surfaces weren't square to the safe, non-cutting SIDES of the file. It was only the wide, 1/4" file that had this problem.

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I understand Yundev. Fortunately, I have the 3/16" Stew Mac file, thanks.

I got it to fit a little better. The wall on the peghead was preventing the nut from sitting properly in the slot, and also i think the peghead angle is a little off were the nut sits.

i'll be sure to get this right during the next build.

I learned a few goods tips. Thanks to all who contributed.

Ron M.

Often we think that it's the bottom of the nut or the slot that is the issue, when it's really that the side of the slot or the nut is hanging up in the middle somewhere and causing that see-saw action. Be sure to check the bottom front and back corners to make sure that the sharp edge of the nut bottom corners can seat properly.

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