Shimming a Floyd nut?

AndyG

Hero Member
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562
Hi everyone.

Project Warbanez is almost done.  The Goncalo Alves neck feels AMAZING!!!  However ... as I am doing the setup, I have (what seems to be) the proper neck relief ... the action is sneeze-low, but the top 3 strings (G-B-E) are fretting out on the 1st fret.  Everywhere else on the neck is clean.  Is it possible the 1st fret is too high?  Is it possible the Floyd nut shelf (cut by Warmoth) is ever slightly too low?  I do not own nut files, and have never done that type of work.  Do you all think it is the fret, or the nut?

Any advise would be appreciated.

And BTW ... for those who were following in "The Rig" section, I should be able to record some modeled amp tones this weekend, and post them to see if they satisfy (or perhaps even convert) any "t00b" lovers out there (I am one too, so I am going to try and get the tones as close as I can!)
 
I ran into this issue with a W neck with Floyd nut. Have you adjusted the truss rod? If not, try it, that did alleviate the problem for me.
 
yyz2112 said:
I ran into this issue with a W neck with Floyd nut. Have you adjusted the truss rod? If not, try it, that did alleviate the problem for me.

Yep, that was the first thing.  Like I mentioned, the neck appears to have the proper relief.  It is not dead straight, nor back-bowing.
 
I'd try raising the nut before lowering the fret.
They do make shims for that.
I bought a set in anticipation of using them, but the nut ended up being too high.
I ended up filing down the shelf.
 
I'm going to say try a shim just under the high E side of the nut. This will lift the one side without effecting the low E side.
I did this to both of my strats.
 
Mine needed shimming under high e side, but not the low e side.

I just used some left over copper shielding tape, cut it to size, and added a couple layers to slope the high e side until action was perfect.


 
I've only ever had to shim one of my many builds with Floyds, and it was due to the fact the neck pocket was not cut with an angle for a top mount.... :doh:
 
Because they are extremely thin, I've gotten away with using a layer or 2 of alluminum foil under the nut to shim it up a bit, in tiny increments.

I just lay it under there, bolt the nut back on, exacto trim the excess, done.

I had this happen recently on my Ibanez 7 string & just one piece was enough to stop the buzzing in the 1st fret area, and I can't feel the difference at all when I'm playing.
 
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