Quickstep192 - Posted - 11/19/2009:  08:15:59

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I'm working on my first banjo and have a question about where the headstock, nut and fingerboard all meet.

In my Whyte Laydie plan drawing, it shows the headstock veneer cut so that it is in the same plane as the plane of the underside of the fingerboard with the nut sitting on top of the veneer and butting into the fingerboard. (top example in the attached sketch).

In Roger Siminoff's book, he shows an angle cut in the headstock veneer whch makes the edge that joins the nut perpendicular to the plane of the underside of the fingerboard so the nut is sandwiched between the headstock veneer and the fingerboard. (bottom example in the attached sketch)

Is there a "right" way?

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Edited by - Quickstep192 on 11/19/2009 08:16:58

beegee - Posted - 11/19/2009:  08:39:49

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The bottom drawing is of the type more often found on quality banjos and guitars.

Tele65 - Posted - 11/19/2009:  08:44:18

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As far as I know, the method showed by Siminoff's book is the usual in Bluegrass Style instruments and many guitars such Martins, Gibsons etc.
The other looks an easiest way to make the same thing with maybe a bit of glue.
My 1982 Ovation Artist's nut is as showed in the first drawing

Cheers

SoggyBottom - Posted - 11/19/2009:  09:04:45

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yep, bottom drawing is the way I have always seen it and the way I have done it on the few I have built

banjotef - Posted - 11/19/2009:  09:43:48

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I have always done it as per the lower diagram. I bevel the end of the peghead veneer at 15 degrees, or whatever matches the angle of your peghead.

scooter46 - Posted - 11/19/2009:  10:13:29

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Mine are all like the lower drawing. Larry

Ol Lefty - Posted - 11/19/2009:  16:13:43

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Just a note here-Martin uses a nut not drawn. It has a bottom slanted to the same angle as the headstock-Gibson, Guild and Taylor use a flat bottomed nut like the bottom. On guitars, I have done both-the flat bottom properly located seems best kind of the "kiss"- why introduce another angle to get right. No tone difference. Ol'Lefty

tennbidder - Posted - 11/19/2009:  19:37:00

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If done properly, the bottom sketch represents a higher degree of craftsmanship.

rudy - Posted - 11/19/2009:  19:43:40

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I make all of my instruments as per the bottom drawing. (I think I'm seeing some sort of pattern here...) It locks the nut in place and works well.
My construction sequence is to attach the fret board first, bevel the end of the peg head overlay and add it with the nut serving as a spacer. Once the glue sets up the nut can be pulled and glue cleaned from the slot. Peg head profile is cut out and edges sanded after the oversized overlay is added to the oversized peghead area.

beegee - Posted - 11/19/2009:  22:27:23

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ol Lefty

Just a note here-Martin uses a nut not drawn. It has a bottom slanted to the same angle as the headstock-Gibson, Guild and Taylor use a flat bottomed nut like the bottom. On guitars, I have done both-the flat bottom properly located seems best kind of the "kiss"- why introduce another angle to get right. No tone difference. Ol'Lefty

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Not all Martins use the bevel-bottom nut. Some of the myriad new models have a flat-bottom nut.

Arthur Hatfield - Posted - 11/20/2009:  07:03:33

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Bottom drawing much more professional looking but either would work.

DHoffmeyer - Posted - 11/20/2009:  07:18:25

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The following is absolutely common sense, but the only word of caution I could add is that when assembling as the bottom drawing shows, do not file away at the fingerboard to make the nut fit into the slot. That will mess up your intonation.

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Edited by - DHoffmeyer on 11/20/2009 07:31:49