Help with my String/Bridge Height

[Calvin Marks]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

This means that the Strings at the Nut should just be above the fingerboard a slight amount so pressing down in the lower positions is not excessive work. Playing a Forte open string should be the test. The Bass should not buzz much if at all at the Nut/Fingerboard joint if played fairly hard. Actually, my basses do usually on some strings because I do not set-up the bass for open string playing. Leaving the string high at the nut makes the string height higher up and down the fingerboard when pressing down from the open string. It also adds tension to the string as well.

If the bass has more scoop starting at the Nut then you can almost file the Nut down to the fingerboard itself like I do. On my basses, you can barely slide a piece of paper under the string by the nut. The general ruls is 1 or 2 business cards. Anything more is just extra work playing the bass. I prefer lower but that;'s just me!

Ken, do you need to file the entire nut down in height or can you make a "slope" (ie. angled lower at the edge)?

Thanks.