吉他上弦枕的DIY调节

2015年10月26日

博客作者已获得原文作者Akira Satoyoshi授权翻译发表

惯例开场故事

今年4月底，我买了一把Maton ebg808TE。对新琴爱不释手，却苦于弦距太高，手感不适。经过测量，12品弦距达到了3mm。其实12品弦距在2.5mm~3.5mm之间属于正常范围，但我之前的Martin 000x1ae在1品和12品的弦距都非常低，我习惯了这样的手感。

5月初，在Youtube上我观看了一些Maton ebg808TE的视频，其中一个就是Akira弹奏的。我被他的演奏打动了，也就想试着请教一下他关于这把琴应该怎样调整手感。当时仅仅是在Youtube上简单的留言，Akira很快地回复了我，并给我留了邮箱以便我咨询更多的问题。

我试着发了封信过去，请教他对于Maton ebg808TE这把琴，在琴颈调直的情况下，应该怎样做才能将手感调得更好。

Akira回复的经验大概如下：

  1. 打磨下弦枕可以调节12品弦距，若想12品弦距减少n毫米，则需要将下弦枕磨短2n毫米
  2. 但1品弦距无法通过打磨下弦枕调节
  3. 需要挫上弦枕调节1品弦距

非常感谢一个陌生人愿意花时间去教另一个陌生人，并写得如此详细。还记得当时阅读邮件的感动。这里我把Akira教我的关于处理上弦枕的邮件发表出来，也许可以帮助到更多的吉他爱好者。

相关术语

  • nut 上弦枕
  • saddle 下弦枕
  • action 弦距

Akira给我的回信译文

嗨，那你先看一下这个视频吧。这个视频可以让你更好地明白怎样才能从吉他琴颈上取下上弦枕。把上弦枕拿下来并不是一件非常困难的事，但在你清理上弦枕拿下后的那个琴颈上的槽沟时得格外小心。槽沟里有时会有残留的胶水，你需要把它们弄干净，之后才能把新的上弦枕放进去。否则新上弦枕的底部无法与琴颈槽沟完美接触，而这会影响到琴的声音。

关于制作一个新的上弦枕，我推荐以下的网站和视频。它们真的能帮上大忙。

http://www.strangeguitarworks.com/guitar-nut-from-scratch/

http://diystrat.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/making-bone-nut-from-scratch.html?m=1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kn1z2R-w3i4

下图是许多人讨论得出的理想的上弦枕上六个琴弦槽的深度，我也觉得这样的琴弦槽深度是最好的。对于第六、五、四弦，琴弦槽的深度应该保证让琴弦的上半部分露在槽的外面，这能让琴弦有更好的震动。对于第三、二、一弦，槽的深度应该让琴弦正好完全陷入槽内。在自己的琴上，我甚至让第三弦也露出弦槽一丁点儿，我觉得这样声音更好。所以当你调整上弦枕的弦槽深度时，你也许需要锉得比较深才能获得完美的弦距。然而如此一来，琴弦就会太过陷入上弦枕，所以你还需要把上弦枕上部多余的部分挫掉，好让琴弦安放得像图中那样。

01

下图显示的是琴弦与上弦枕的整体接触程度。当你在挫琴弦槽的时候，你要确保槽沟是有角度的，这个角度朝向琴弦钮，不能太高，也不能低于琴弦穿过的琴弦钮上的洞。

（未完待续...如果需要可先阅读原文）

回信原文

Hi, ok then first you can watch this vedio. This is a very good video to understand how to remove the nut. Removing a nut isn't very difficult. But be very careful when you clean the slot on the neck. There's sometimes old glue left in the slot and you have to get rid of it before putting a new nut in. Otherwise the bottom of the new nut won't touch the slot perfectly and it affects the sound.

For making a new nut I liked those websites and videos. They are really helpful.

http://www.strangeguitarworks.com/guitar-nut-from-scratch/

http://diystrat.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/making-bone-nut-from-scratch.html?m=1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kn1z2R-w3i4

The photo below is the ideal nut slot depth that many people talk about and I think it's true. I like it too. For the 6th ~ 4th strings, the depth should be that the top half of the strings sticks out of the nut slots. This allows the strings vibrates more. For the 3rd ~ 1st strings, the depth should be that the strings are just completely in the slots. I even made the 3rd strings stick out a little and it sounds better. So when you are adjusting the nut slot depth, you might have to file it quite deep to get the perfect action for you. In that case the strings are too deep in the nut, then you'll have to file down the top of the nut so that the strings sit just like the photos below.

1

The photos below is about how much of the strings are touching(sitting) on the nut. When you file a nut slots you have to make sure that you file it at an angle TOWARDS the string post hole, not too high or low than the hole.

After filing the slots, you can file down the yellow part by filing at a sharper angle(lower than the string post hole) so strings DON'T touch the filed part.

2

This is a photo looking at a nut from above after you've filed the yellow part. The black part is where strings are touching. Like 50% of the strings are sitting on the nut. By doing this the tension on the strings become lighter, making it easy to play. And the sound becomes brighter compared to when you don't do this trick.

3

This photo is about intonation.

When you file nut slots, make sure the highest contact point is at the blue circled spot( exactly where the nut and fretboard touch each other).

If you file the slot like the yellow line, the highest point is on the yellow circled spot. It means it's like the scale of your guitar neck is longer which makes your guitar go out of tune all the time.

4

Nut has to fit without any gap on all the sides and bottom like this photo.

5

You can check it with a light like this. I just used my iPhone torch and it works fine. If there's gap you can see the light coming through and it's not a good news!

6

For nut action, this website below is so great. A perfect explanation. I think this part is the main reason you want to replace the nut right?

Oh and Is your 808TE a newer model? If yours has a kangaroo inlay and reddish colour back and sides, the nut and saddles are bone. My older model had black nut and saddle made of some mixture of glass and plastic.

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html

I learnt everything on the internet. So you can do research by your self too. Just search by "how to shape a guitar nut" "how to file nut slots". And it will show you lots of links. Lots of videos available on youtube too. One of the important thing I can say is that to do it slowly, don't rush and be patient because once you file a nut too much, you'll have to start a new one again!

Let me know if you need anything else.

First work on nut then you can change the saddle.

If you need my help for the saddle, just write me again and I'll give you some advise. Just be gentle on your guitar because you don't wanna wreck your guitar! No one wants to:) Good luck!

Akira