How Low Should Nut Slots Be?

The answer to how low nut slots should be is a bit more complicated than a simple measurement. While the string height at the first fret provides a good starting point, there are other factors that can affect how low the nut slots should be.

The type of guitar, the type of strings, and the playing style can all play a role in determining the ideal nut slot height.

For example, acoustic guitars typically have higher action than electric guitars. This is because the thicker strings used on acoustic guitars require more space to vibrate.

As a result, the nut slots on an acoustic guitar need to be slightly higher than on an electric guitar.

The type of strings can also affect the ideal nut slot height. Thicker strings (such as those used on an acoustic guitar) require more space to vibrate and will thus require higher nut slots.

Lighter gauge strings (such as those used on an electric guitar) will have less space to vibrate and can be set lower in the nut slots.

Finally, the playing style can affect how low nut slots should be. Players who use a lot of string bending or vibrato will need higher action to avoid buzzes and dead notes.

Players who rarely use these techniques can get away with lower action and lower nut slots.

In general, though, most players will be best served by keeping their nut slots relatively low. A good rule of thumb is to keep the string height at the first fret between 1/16″ and 3/32″.

This gives you enough space to avoid buzzes and dead notes while still keeping the action low enough for comfortable playability.