Official Luthiers Forum!

I use mine on every setup, sometimes just to confirm that the nut's ok. I'm with Hesh (and most others): Set relief, then set the nut slots as low as I can, then adjust action at the bridge/saddles. I want fretting the first fret to feel the same as if I'm holding down at the first fret and fretting the second. I can't think of a type of action (low/med/high, etc.) that won't benefit from having the nut set up this way, and the gauge lets me see it in numbers and not going by feel (I'll use feeler gauges for heavy strings like on a bass, but not guitars).

I, too, am surprised at how many really nice guitars come with poorly cut nuts. I'd want my guitars playing as nice as possible at the store.

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"Real guitars are for old people, Mr. Marsh."

Eric Cartman

Of course it's important to avoid being misguided by the false notion work performed by tools with numbers is inherently more accurate than by using methods without. The methods for setting nut slots as used by myself and many others is anything but "well.....looks good to me". It is a refined method with reliable controls and references, which if followed by a skilled and experienced technician can yield results with greater efficiency and even greater accuracy than can generally be achieved with tools such as this.

I know many use this type of tool with excellent results with a bit of experience, but just wanted to clarify that numbers can bring a false comfort of accuracy which often does not truly reflect what they reliably deliver.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I'm struggling to see how that tool is useful.

I've found it easier and quicker to measure the string height at the first fret than using feeler gauges. With a little practice it can be used to measure height at the 12th also.

Me too!

The measurement of the clearance is not what's important and no specific number or number will always a great set-up contribute to. Instead nut slots can be reliably cut very well simply by eye and feel.

I only use of nut slot depth gauge to triage an instrument to see if the nut is going to have to be raised, shimmed, replaced, or the slots filled with composite dental fillings. It's a "pass/fail" test if you will.

The very well established method of fretting and holding between the 2nd and 3rd and tapping over the first works great and is done likely thousands of times a day by Luthiers the world over.

Fancy smancy measuring gauges are not necessary for cutting nut slots well.