i need some help gang - Colby Bass

[drbassman]

That sounds like a plan, you can use the paddle headstock neck and do them however you want.  I have a Brice Thunderbird with a set neck, if you look very closely you can see where they added a 3/4" "heel" to the bottom of a bolt on neck and set it into the body.  I'll post a picture if you'd like to see what it looks like.

It takes me about 10 minutes to rough cut a nut, I leave the slots shallow and do the final depth cuts and top contour as part of final setup with it on the bass.  It does get easier with practice.  I got a feeling that's not the case with filing fret ends!

Sounds good Carlo.   Post a pic of the set neck when you have a minute.

[drbassman]

I've been on the lookout for a (budget) set of files for some time but have not had a lot of luck (over here) ...

Not enough to warrant a dedicated set...

I got mine from Warmoth, they were the cheapest around at the time I was looking.

[dadagoboi]

There was a guy selling some inexpensive ones on Ebay a while back, I bought some and like them but they seem to have disappeared from there.  Birdie bought a set also and Steve (ThunderBucker) very aggressive cut. Complete set of 10  for bass and guitar was around $50 IIRC.   Google Norman nut files, the guy makes them himself.

[Dave W]

I have the Warmoth set.

Just avoid the cheap ones made from welding tip cleaners. IMHO not suitable for the purpose, waste of money if you intend to use them more than once.

Now here's an idea that interests me: Technofret Slotsmoother. The seller is a member over at TDPRI, he makes other more conventional tools. You could always just buy one if it's for occasional work. I would check and see if the clamp is big enough to hold the larger bass strings.

Ken, he's in Edinburgh, so you would have to make sure he's from a compatible clan.  

[dadagoboi]

The Normans are machined from flat stock stainless steel from 45-105 for bass and whatever sizes those other things use.  You can put 2 different sizes together to make different width slots  They're durable and cut bone, tusq (corian?) and plastic pretty well.  They leave an oval shaped bottom which takes a few swipes of a needle file to finish off.

Attention KMart Shoppers:  Allparts is selling packs of 20 Fender curved bottom bone nut blanks for $20.  They're closing them out.

That slotsmoother is pretty cool.  I've used round wounds to deepen slots and they do work great.   I bet you could modify a hacksaw or similar frame to make your own...

[Highlander]

... I would check and see if the clamp is big enough to hold the larger bass strings.

Ken, he's in Edinburgh, so you would have to make sure he's from a compatible clan.  

He's a MacLeod (and so was my grandmother) so that's fine, obviously family that moved down from the Isles... 

I'll get one to try - the blurb details that it will hold any guitar/bass string - obviously it will need to be a "wound" string to work but the "guitar" sets appear to be commonly available...

Cheers Dave, I'll let the brethern know once I've tried it...

[Dave W]

He's a MacLeod (and so was my grandmother) so that's fine, obviously family that moved down from the Isles...  

I'll get one to try - the blurb details that it will hold any guitar/bass string - obviously it will need to be a "wound" string to work but the "guitar" sets appear to be commonly available...

Cheers Dave, I'll let the brethern know once I've tried it...

Good deal. I've used a string to slightly modify a nut slot before while holding the string in my hands. Holding it tight in a rigid frame ought to work much better, after all, there's no doubt steel will cut cow bone and most other nut materials.

[drbassman]

Bridge is mounted, frets all finished (need some polish) and the nut slot is finished.

[sniper]

that Schaller looks so kick ass on there with its black chrome goodiness thanks for saving it for me Dr. i hope those Gotohs look as well on it. i ordered another brass hand rest from Lori tonight. it will get black chromed in Nashville and put on there.

do you have any way of recording a few samples with it when you are done?

[drbassman]

that Schaller looks so kick ass on there with its black chrome goodiness thanks for saving it for me Dr. i hope those Gotohs look as well on it. i ordered another brass hand rest from Lori tonight. it will get black chromed in Nashville and put on there.

do you have any way of recording a few samples with it when you are done?

Yep, it's my favorite Fender-style bridge, too.  The black really does work with this wood.  A hand rest should look cool on this as well.  I might be able to do a recording of it after assembly.  I don't do the wiring until the finish is on and curing.  I'll give it a try.

Now, on to the nut.................

[sniper]

i had the sequence out of order

[drbassman]

i had the sequence out of order

Happens to me all the time!  One of these days I should write it down for reference rather than relying on my memory.   

[drbassman]

The tuners are on (and looking quite nice), initial grooves are in the nut and we're all strung up!  Plenty of travel in the saddle height adjustment in the Schaller bridge for the set up we have here.  Will do the final nut filing tonight or tomorrow, time permitting.

[dadagoboi]

That is going to be SWEET.  I'm really digging the headstock/body combo!

[sniper]

before Fred disappeared into the mystic realms, he recommended 1/4" pole to string distance.

as long as it don't weigh a ton and dive like a Stuka 87.