Friday night question

[Bruce McC]

I am contemplating installing a zero fret on my current build and was wondering if the distance between the
zero fret and nut was effected by the angle of the peghead?

[Mark McLean]

Bruce
It should not make any difference. The zero fret sets the height of the strings and the nut simply acts to set the spacing between the strings. The distance is not critical. If you imagine a guitar with a capo - the capo can be at any distance from the nut and it still works by setting the 3rd, or 5th, or whatever fret as a type of zero fret. I have built with a zero fret before and I think it is a good idea. Typically, the distance from the nut to the zero fret is about 15% of the first fret interval for the scale length you are using (e.g.about 4 or 5 mm).
Mark

[Bruce McC]

Mark

Thank you for your considered reply to my frivolous post, written with tongue in cheek
after a few wines on Friday night.

Bruce
"Life is too short to be serious"