Deepening of bass nut slots, advice needed

[marty]

Hi,

I have one of the slots cut a little too deep on my 4003, it's the g string slot.
This was my fault as I messed around with different sting gauges and didn't use the correct tool to do the job...I had a feeling it was going to go pear shaped and should know better than try to bodge something

Anyway, I have a couple of new pre-slotted nuts, the official Ric ones but the slots are not deep enough and wish to do this myself using the correct tools this time!

Now lets say for now all I want to do is deepen the slots a little and put standard Ric 45-55-75-105 strings on what are the gauge sizes of nut file I can use...do they have to be exact?

Having a look around for some and can't find all these gauges although I can find a 0.046. 0.056, 0.105 at stewmac here:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Speci ... Files.html

They do have a double edged file which has a 0.075 on one side but it doesn't have a rounded bottom like the others, rather a tapered one.

So is there anywhere that supplies a rounded bottom 0.075 or can I use somethong close..for example is a 0.085 going to be ok or is it a little wide for the job?

many thanks,
Marty

[marty]

I managed to sort this.

I got the 0.46, 0.056, and 1.05 files from Stewmac and got hold of a 0.78 from Allparts in The UK, which as it turned out was perfect for the A string slot..I didn't have to widen the slot to use the file so it must have been factory cut at around 0.78.

I was very impressed with the service from Stewmac...they arrived in The USA before the ones from Allparts in The UK even though I ordered them on the same day!

Anyway, it's very handy to have a set of these files... I managed to do the slots, just filing a little at a time then tuning up to pitch and checking, then filing a little more as neccessary and very pleased with the result

[jps]

I was very impressed with the service from Stewmac...they arrived in The USA before the ones from Allparts in The UK even though I ordered them on the same day!

Us Ohions are a breed apart!

[marty]

What I should of said in my post was...
... they arrived FROM The USA before the ones from Allparts in The UK, and as I am in The UK....but I think you knew that anyway..

[jps]

I knew that, but as I am from Ohio I just have to fly the flag, so to speak!

I have ordered form S-M on occasion, great service from those guys.

[aceonbass]

It's no big deal if you go over sized a few thousandths on your nut files, even .010. It's when you try to put standard strings on your bass after you've BEAD tuned that you run into trouble. Make sure you file at a slight angle downwards towards the headstock or the string wont sit flush with the bottom of the nut on the fret side..