Cutting nut slots on Dobro so that top of strings are level with each other?

[Ryan Matzen]

Hi everyone,

What’s the best way to cut the nut slots on a lap steel guitar so that the tops of the strings are all level with each other? Thus, enabling the slide be in good contact of all strings at the same time?

Is there some kind of tip/trick on how to easily do this?

I started working by laying the bar across all of the strings near the nut. Then, I play all of the strings at once. I figure that the strings that ring clear are obviously higher. And, the lower strings buzz slightly. So, I will slowly file down the slot for each high string. Unfortunately, it seems that no matter how slow I have been going at this, I can’t seem to get all of the strings to ring clear all at the same time when the bar is just sitting on the strings near the nut. They will however ring clear with a little weight from my hand. I admit that I am a bit of a perfectionist. But, is there a time when the string heights are just “close enough”? I am beginning feel like my Dunlop bullet bar isn’t totally flat!

Thanks in advance!

All the best,

Ryan

[Ryan Matzen]

That seems like a good way to do it. Thanks for the input!