nut hight KV pro

[Brooke]

I think that I need to have the nut made a little higher on my KV pro.

I've set up many guitars,,,it's not like I don't know anything about it, but every time I try to get the action low with the neck close to straight, the nut seems to be too low, and a few strings begin to buss on the frets near the nut.

I can adjust the truss rod to allow for some bow, but then the action is higher in the middle of the neck...

Do you guys have any warnings for me before I take my guitar to a proper luthier to get the nut raised a few millimeters.

Here's a picture of the nut

[Brooke]

or am I a...nut...? :ROTF:

[Axewielder]

To be sure, you want to compare the buzzing with open strings versus being fretted at the 1st fret. If it buzzes open but is clean at the 1st fret, your diagnosis about nut height is probably correct sir.

[Cygnus X1]

This might sound strange, but I have detected string buzz on the 1st and 2nd fret coming from behind them, at the nut. Sort of.
I had one guy's guitar that I kept having trouble getting the buzz out. Finally said fugget, I'll play with the nut. Raised it for grins, and the mystery buzz went away.

Rare, but sometimes true.

[Brooke]

To be sure, you want to compare the buzzing with open strings versus being fretted at the 1st fret. If it buzzes open but is clean at the 1st fret, your diagnosis about nut height is probably correct sir.

Well..it buzzes when I play open, and it totally frets out (I think that's the term), when I use the first fret.

I'm trying to rap my head around that...

So when the neck is totally straight (hence I have adjusted the truss rod so that when I press down on the 24th fret, the strings "just" lay over the frets so that the string will not vibrate when plucked (across the neck).

High frets are ok,,,I get a little buzz on the open string, and when I play the first fret I get way more buzz.

Maybe it's a combination of a few things...

conclusion,,,is that i'd better take it in and get a professional to look at it.,

[Brooke]

This might sound strange, but I have detected string buzz on the 1st and 2nd fret coming from behind them, at the nut. Sort of.
I had one guy's guitar that I kept having trouble getting the buzz out. Finally said fugget, I'll play with the nut. Raised it for grins, and the mystery buzz went away.

Rare, but sometimes true.

I have a feeling that's what needs to be done...

[KBRR]

I had the same problem setting up a guitar , i set it up with great low action across the board , but around the 1st and second fret the notes would fret out, like you i adjusted it for some bow but the strings were high in the center , i had the nut shimmed and it did the trick .. so my opinion would be to take it to be looked at by a pro .. let us know how it turned out

[Brooke]

I had the same problem setting up a guitar , i set it up with great low action across the board , but around the 1st and second fret the notes would fret out, like you i adjusted it for some bow but the strings were high in the center , i had the nut shimmed and it did the trick .. so my opinion would be to take it to be looked at by a pro .. let us know how it turned out

OK...

I think I'm going today.

Cheers

[zeegler]

It sounds like you need a fret level and polish to me. If the open string is buzzing, and it frets out at the first fret, then your 2nd or 3rd fret is probably higher than the first fret. Take it to a reputable luthier who can set it up, and check the level of the frets, and decide if it needs a level. If it does, it's worth it. Remember, you don't want your nut too high, because not only is it harder on your fingers, but it will be much harder to intonate. The less you have to push the strings down to fret them, the less compensation you will need at the bridge.

[toejam]

Does that thing stay in tune with the sloppy way you wound the strings? They're not supposed to overlap each other like that, and you certainly don't need to use the whole string. Wire cutters are your friend.

[zeegler]

Here's a pic of my KV1 at the first fret. I checked it with a feeler gauge, and it's around .012 inches between the fret and string, no buzzing, no fretting out.

[Brooke]

Thanks zeegler..

Your probably right.

I just got back from taking it to the music store. I had to use the buss since my car is still snowed in behind my apartment

The guy at steve's just looked at my neck and told me that it was over bowed. THen he adjusted the truss rod.

Told me it was fixed.

I explained how the action is set really high now, and that it wouldn't start buzzing until I lowered it down again.

The guy basically didn't want to listen to me, and didn't want to look at my guitar any more. He told me that if I wanted a set up it would be 5 days wait.

I tried to explain how I though that there was actually a problem, and he basically didn't want to listen to me, or look at my Jackson anymore..

So maybe off to a different Luthier tomorrow if anyone is open...

[Brooke]

Does that thing stay in tune with the sloppy way you wound the strings? They're not supposed to overlap each other like that, and you certainly don't need to use the whole string. Wire cutters are your friend.

[The Mitch]

I haven't found the perfect setup fpr my KV Pro, too...
Right now, I have buzz when I play at frets 9-11... Action is by far not as low as on my KV2.
Damn it! I'll do a restring and adjust the Kahler + truss rod once again...

[Cygnus X1]

Sheesh.
I need to get in the setup/repair biz again.
I only do it occassionally for friends and myself these days.

BTW, Zeeg is correct about going too high with the nut. It can cause problems
if it's too high. A happy medium is a a psychic wonderment.