Setting String Height At The Nut?

[Mr. Neutron]

I'm cutting slots for a Black Tusq Nut blank for my neck. How much clearance between the first fret and the bottom of the strings do most folks set the string height at?

My procedure has been to put a capo between the 2nd & 3rd fret. Then I measure the clearance with a feeler gauge between the bottom of the string and the top of the 1st fret. Sometimes, I skip the capo, and just push down as if fretting a 3rd fret note, but you get the idea.....

I seem to recall something I saw or read once about setting these gaps at, say, .015" or so for the 6th string, and then going down .001 for each successive string; .014" for the A string, .013" for D, .012 for G, and so on......

And I think some folks just set them all at something close to the same gap, thinking to maintain a consistent radius with the fretboard?

What do most of you all do?

 

[stratamania]

Converting from metric I would go for about 5 - 6 thou for the 1st & 2nd string and increase it about two thou for each pair. So that would work out the same to what you are doing.

I find a Safe slot nut guard useful...

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErdbsrLM3dc
[/youtube]

I noticed a couple of extra useful additions to the tool are now available.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fipr5XMlRw
[/youtube]

 

[Cagey]

I start a little more shallow, say at .010" for the 1st string, then increase by .001 for each string going up. Could go closer, but that leaves some room for wear. Get too close, and you'll be cutting new nuts all the time. Plus, I like to be able to hammer/pull strings from time to time and if they're too close you end up needing a lotta compression to even things out.