Nut is a piece found on the guitar that makes guitarist go nuts. No matter how good fretwork is done, bad nut-work is first thing you felt when you pick somebody's guitar.
Why?
Answer is simple - 90% of all modern guitar music is performed from nut position to third fret. Chat Atkins once said to Tommy Emmanuel - "Son, there is no money there!", looking at the upper frets of guitar neck. "Here", showing at first few frets, "here is the money!".
Nut height
If something is bad at nut position than it makes complete guitar to feel bad in hands. The most common problem is the strings height at the nut. String must be high enough not to buzz while open strummed but low enough to feel comfortable to fret at first few frets. Also, if the strings are to high at the nut, you will certainly experience tuning issues (going sharp) with first few frets.
The easiest way to figure out if the nut is to high is next: put a capo at first fret. If guitar feels much better with capo on, you have problem with string height at the nut.
Here is advance method of measuring is the nut height proper. With the right hand fret the 6th string at 3rd fret. Try to remember (or measure even better) the gap A between string and 1st fret crow . Then put a capo at first fret. With the right hand now fret the 6th string at 4th fret. Remember/measure the gap B between string and 2nd fret crow. Gaps A and B must be very similar. If gap A is much larger that gap B that you have a high 6th string height at nut. Do this for all 6 strings.
Tremolo tuning issues:
For a non locking tremolo systems excellent nut-work is a must for guitar to play in tune. Here is what I found messing around with my Ibanez Gio guitars (the worst combination - floating two point tremolo and common not locking nut):
1. Nut slots must be wide enough for string to freely move back and forward. Bottom of the slots must follow the profile of the string (cross section of bottom is circular)
2. Slots are much wider at the tuner side of the nut. At the fingerboard side, slots must be slightly wider than a string
3. Some kind of lubricant usually helps. I got good results putting very small amount of graphite grease into the nut slots
4. Experiment with different materials. These days GraphTech has some excellent nut materials which are self greased
Why?
Answer is simple - 90% of all modern guitar music is performed from nut position to third fret. Chat Atkins once said to Tommy Emmanuel - "Son, there is no money there!", looking at the upper frets of guitar neck. "Here", showing at first few frets, "here is the money!".
Nut height
If something is bad at nut position than it makes complete guitar to feel bad in hands. The most common problem is the strings height at the nut. String must be high enough not to buzz while open strummed but low enough to feel comfortable to fret at first few frets. Also, if the strings are to high at the nut, you will certainly experience tuning issues (going sharp) with first few frets.
The easiest way to figure out if the nut is to high is next: put a capo at first fret. If guitar feels much better with capo on, you have problem with string height at the nut.
Here is advance method of measuring is the nut height proper. With the right hand fret the 6th string at 3rd fret. Try to remember (or measure even better) the gap A between string and 1st fret crow . Then put a capo at first fret. With the right hand now fret the 6th string at 4th fret. Remember/measure the gap B between string and 2nd fret crow. Gaps A and B must be very similar. If gap A is much larger that gap B that you have a high 6th string height at nut. Do this for all 6 strings.
Tremolo tuning issues:
For a non locking tremolo systems excellent nut-work is a must for guitar to play in tune. Here is what I found messing around with my Ibanez Gio guitars (the worst combination - floating two point tremolo and common not locking nut):
1. Nut slots must be wide enough for string to freely move back and forward. Bottom of the slots must follow the profile of the string (cross section of bottom is circular)
2. Slots are much wider at the tuner side of the nut. At the fingerboard side, slots must be slightly wider than a string
3. Some kind of lubricant usually helps. I got good results putting very small amount of graphite grease into the nut slots
4. Experiment with different materials. These days GraphTech has some excellent nut materials which are self greased
