Acousticologist Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Looking around for a new acoustic... Do you think the difference between nut width can change everything. I found the most common to be 1 11/16ths... Or 1 23/32 and 1 3/4... When looking at that on a measuring tape, it's hard for the eye to see. How drastic do you think the change will be to go from a 1 11/16 to a 1 3/4 ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Hell yeah ! I didnt think so either but it really does, going from 43mm to 45mm (1 3/4) really makes a difference at least for me. So much so that im sending my Furch OM back to the factory to replace the neck from 43mm to 45mm after playing my bandmembers new Jumbo Furch with a 45mm nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgwoods Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Little numbers, big differences. For flat picking I like 1 11/16 at the nut and 2 1/8 at the bridge. For everything else I like the Gibson way- generally 1 23/32 or 1 3/4 and the bridge 2 and 5/16+ ( not sure there on Gibsons but it is wider) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 . I don't have a problem with nut or neck sizes. Maybe because I've always played a few different guitars. I've got nut widths that go from 1.625" (1-5/8") all the way to 2". That narrow 1-5/8" is the nut on my Ric 360/12 - yeah, a 12 string. Heck, my narrow Martin D45 VR is 1/16" wider at 1-11/16" and comparatively feels like it has miles of room. But my J-200 nut is wider still at 1.725" (between 1-11/16" and 1-3/4"). I've got a Taylor at 1-7/8" and an old Yamaha classical at 2". My favorite nut width out of the bunch is the J-200 at 1.725". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I "prefer" 1 3/4" but have one at 1 7/8" and one at 1 11/16".....It takes a few minutes for me to get used to a different nut width, the neck profiles too are quite a factor. My '23 L-2 has a VERY large rounded "V" neck that takes a while if I haven't been playing it for a few days.....but I like them all.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maninblack Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Nut width has been the ONLY reason I've parted with a number of incredible sounding guitars. I have learned the hard (expensive) way that I am a 1 11/16 guy. I can play wider nuts, but I never get completely comfortable. We never quite bond. The neck carve can help though. My Elvis Costello COP and 000-18WG are both 1 3/4, but have V shaped necks. I don't notice the nut width on those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I can get along with most nut widths, but I don,t like wide with a thin profile. If it is wide, I want some 'girth' also... You know, like "Girth Brooks".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodehopper Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I "prefer" 1 3/4" but have one at 1 7/8" and one at 1 11/16"..... OWF....I also have that range - 1 7/8" to 1 11/16 - with all my guitars having slightly different nut sizes and to tell the truth....I don't even think about it. So many variables ....body size, neck size and shape, scale, strap or no strap, fret size .... I play the guitar not the nut width. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'll ride that nut width like a 'broke down horse'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yeah, I know it seems like it wouldn't be a big deal, but it is. The nut width on my two Gibsons is different, just slightly. So because that's different, so is the string spacing. So when I have to change guitars, I find myself making all sorts of mistakes until I can readjust to the new neck. It's do-able, but I prefer the smaller nut width on the Southern Jumbo. I wish Gibson would make more guitars with those narrower necks for those of us with smaller fingers and hands. Now I know someone here is going to post a picture of Muriel Anderson and tell me to quitcherbichen! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack6849 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Exactly five months ago, I special-ordered a D-45V from the Martin Custom shop that is completely stock except for two optional variations. First, the top will be Adirondack Spruce instead of Sitka, and second, the nut and string spacing will be wider than a stock D45V. (This special order will be 1-3/4" at the nut and 2-5/16" at the bridge) A wider string spacing configuration can really enhance the playability of an acoustic guitar for me. According to my original Martin Custom Shop estimate, this D-45V should be arriving in about a month . We'll seen then if those options work out as well for me as I'm hoping. I really have a lot of difficulty with "too narrow" string spacing. Everyone has their own preferences, of course. (Hi, Karen...) Jack6849 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hi Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack6849 Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Just for the record... My Special Order Martin Custom Shop D-45V (with the wider 1-3/4" nut specification and 2-5/16" bridge string spacing which I mentioned above I was expecting...) showed up at Dave's Guitar Shop in La Crosse, Wisconsin late on Thursday afternoon. That was three and a half weeks earlier than the 6 months estimated by Martin at the time of my purchase, so I was surprised, impressed, and very pleased. I drove to La Crosse yesterday (Friday) to pick it up and I am really happy to say that the wider neck and string spacing were perfectly done (as was the premium grade Adirondack Spruce top). This will easily be the best Martin I've ever owned. Simply beautiful craftsmanship. As close to a pre-War D-45 as I'll ever get (without paying $30,000 extra to have one built with Brazilian Rosewood). Like Gibson, Martin is currently capable of producing some of their most all-time amazing acoustic guitars (when the specs are right... and the price). Anyway, for me, the wider neck and string spacing are going to make this my favorite Martin, and with that top, its tone is exactly what I was hoping it would be... the best. It's really an impressive guitar. Just got home after 12 hours on the road and couldn't get to sleep, so I thought I'd share. Hope that's okay. While I was there, I also unexpectedly picked up a "Collings CJ Model", a Sunburst Rosewood Jumbo, built in 2003 , "used" but in Mint condition. First one I'd ever played, slope-shouldered and sort of Gibson-esque, but I think it must have a longer scale length than a J-45. Sometime I'll have to measure it. Anybody know anything about this company and that model? Seems like a pretty cool guitar... Thanks, Jack6849 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Thumbs up for your lucky raid Jack. Especially the Mart. sounds like a catch. Many good hours in front of you 2. Regarding nuts, I got an eBay 66 C&W just before X-mas (learning from GG to be my own Santa), but the width simply didn't match the ad-description. It was the 1 9/16 instead of the mentioned 1 3/4. Quite a difference and quite an issue. It meant long-distance trouble for Christmas, which I can't bear to rerun now. Long story short : As the guitar sounded fantastic, a dilemma was born. I chose to let the denying seller sail, keep the guitar and get a new nut with max space between the strings. Nessesary as my left hand does other tricks than just chords and needs room for that. Okay - Found an unknown luthier who recently moved in on mainstreet and ordered one in dark waterbuffalo horn (this material would emphasize the mids, he claimed - well, well, all fine - I just liked the look). He did a splendid job, but now the 2 E-strings threatened to glide off the board under intense playing (I'm half a tone down which doesn't make things easier). Then came a break due to my old mans passing - but, , , last Tuesday I delivered the C&W to my main doctor for him to file down the frets. This might straighten them and prevent the annoying string dropping. Let's see - it'll be here in 10 days and I'll post the result. Maybe I should attach a couple of close-ups and tell the whole story about this old 6-string. Its pretty peculiar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 EM7, Please do send some pics of the 'peculiar gal'. Hope things are settling in back to normal for ya,after the passing of your father. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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