On a zero fret guitar, the nut is a string spacer and nothing more. If the slots aren't cut deep enough, the strings never touch the zero fret. This Strandberg Boden Prog NX came in for a setup and that's exactly what we found.
What Came In
A Strandberg Boden Prog NX in Charcoal Black came in for a full setup. Headless multiscale, zero fret design.
What We Found
The nut slots hadn't been cut low enough, which meant the strings weren't seating on the zero fret the way they're supposed to. On a zero fret guitar, the nut is purely a string spacer, and the zero fret handles the open string height. If the nut is sitting too high, the strings ride on the nut instead of the fret, and you lose the whole point of the design: consistent open and fretted tone, and clean action at the first position.
What We Did
Filed the nut slots to the correct depth so the strings dropped onto the zero fret properly. From there we completed the full setup. The trem was in good shape and needed minimal adjustment, intonation needed a small tweak, and that was it.
Result
Played the way a Strandberg should when it leaves the bench, with the strings finally seated on the zero fret where they belong.
Worth Knowing
Zero fret guitars are often misunderstood at the bench. The nut on a zero fret instrument does one job: space the strings. Open string height is determined by the zero fret itself, same as any other fret. But if the nut slots are too shallow, the strings never make contact with the zero fret. They sit on the nut instead, which defeats the purpose entirely and introduces inconsistency between open and fretted notes.
This comes up on new Strandbergs more than it should, and we see it in Glens Falls regularly. Factory nut work on spec instruments isn't always dialed in for every player's preference. A guitar that leaves the factory playable isn't the same as one that's been properly set up, and multiscale headless instruments have more variables to manage than a standard guitar.
Bring It In
Got a headless or multiscale instrument that doesn't feel right? Bring it in. Standard setup is $79 and we'll get it back in your hands as soon as possible.
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Paul's Guitar Hideout is located at The Shirt Factory in Glens Falls, NY. Use the Cooper Street entrance and take the stairs up. If you need assistance, give us a call and we'll come down.
The Shirt Factory
71 Lawrence St., Suite 201B, 2nd Floor
Glens Falls, NY 12801
Wednesday to Sunday, 12 to 5pm
(518) 217-8695 · info@paulsguitarhideout.com