Can I widen my saddle spacing?

[Gallopinghost]

For you luthiers out there.

I love my guitar. The top has been opening up really nicely lately and I would prefer not to sell it. But my meaty fingers won't fit in between the 2 1/4 string saddle spacing when I dampen the bass strings with the heel of my right hand for a lot of my blues and rag numbers. I know, blame it on the guitar, but I've tried 2 5/16 and 2 3/8 at the local guitar shop and it felt a whole lot more comfortable.

I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to decrease saddle spacing, but is it possible to increase the spacing by 1/8 or even 1/16 if the neck was built for smaller? Are most guitars designed for that much play and is it just a matter of getting a new saddle and nut put on or should I just sell the thing? Again, the top has been opening up nicely lately.

Thanks much!

[Kitchen Guitars]

Make plugs out of Rosewood or ebony. I can mail you scraps if you need. Then rebore the holes. You will need a reamer to put the holes in correctly. I have done Ebony plugs on an Ebony bridge I defy you to find were they were.
Keep in mind if you go wide at the end you stand a chance of your E strings falling off the neck when you push down.
You need a Collings 12 fret They hit about 2 1/2" at the 12th fret!

[Gallopinghost]

So plugging and reboring is pretty conventional? I think I'd have to find a few useless garage sale guitars to experiment on first. As far as I know there's not a woodworking bone in my body, but maybe this would bring it out.

However, I know what you mean about the Collings 12 frets. I've been drooling over a OOO-1G for a while now, but I'd have to sell my current rig to finance. I think it was 2 5/16 at the saddle and I saw a DS1-A with a 2 3/8 saddle. They both felt like there was enough room to get in there when I needed to without affecting my ability to dampen the bass side with my palm.

I should probably just save up my milk money for the Collings before I do something crazy.

[SteveS]

Originally Posted by Gallopinghost

.......I should probably just save up my milk money for the Collings before I do something crazy.

That's what I was thinking!

Great minds......

[Tone Gopher]

Originally Posted by Yamaha Junkie

Make plugs out of Rosewood or ebony. I can mail you scraps if you need. Then rebore the holes. You will need a reamer to put the holes in correctly. I have done Ebony plugs on an Ebony bridge I defy you to find were they were.

What happens to the holes in the top and bridge plate?

There's a lot more going on than just the bridge.

[Kitchen Guitars]

Originally Posted by Tone Gopher

What happens to the holes in the top and bridge plate?

There's a lot more going on than just the bridge.

The 1 time I did it I made the plugs to a length that included the plate. But, it looks like the OP is talking a nice guitar. I wouldn't do it to anything but a player.

[Gallopinghost]

Well that tied up nicely. Thanks for all the input, guys.

To the classified!