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#1
04-24-2006, 08:23 AM
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12-string nut
Hello everyone, I have been struggling to get my acoustic 12-string to where I would like it. One of the delicate balancing acts is the string spacing at the nut. If the strings, within a pair, are too far apart, it is hard to fret cleanly, if they are too close together, they clang together when you strum or pick vigorously. One thing I noticed is that all Taylor 12-strings put the two big E strings too close together. Anytime you come down with any force on an open E chord, for instance, those two strings rattle and produce some unpleasant clanging - no good, Taylor. I compared a 655ce against my China-made Guild 12-string yesterday, for all the beauty of the Taylor, to my ears, it does not have a sound advantage over the Guild, in fact, I would say the Guild has more body and warmth, but that is off the subject. What I have noticed, by looking at pictures of many guitars, is that MARTIN makes the best 12-string nut. They cut them very consistently, and, from my experience, perfectly for my playing style. Does anyone now how I can get a Martin 12-string nut with pre-cut slots ? Elderly Instruments has 6-string nuts, but not 12-string.
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Steve-O 
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#2
04-24-2006, 08:43 AM
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Call Bob!
Bob Colosi Guitar Saddles He can make you anything in bone, elephant, FWI, etc. His phone number is in the web site. He gets nothing but rave reviews on this fourm. All 6 of my guitars have his saddles. Nuf Said! 
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1957 Gibson RB-150 5 string banjo. Bought it new & I still have it. 1983 Yairi - Alvarez DY 73 1992 Taylor K-20 1993 Yair - Alvarez DY99A 2001 Yairi-Alvarez DY-91 SOLD! 2002 Taylor Stock 810 Ltd. 2003 Taylor 855e 2003 Taylor 814ce Fall Ltd 2003 Tradition Jerry Reid Sig. Telecaster 200? Esteban American Legacy (New Owner Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center)  
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#4
04-24-2006, 10:14 AM
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When Bryan Kimsey cut the nut for my old 12'er I supplied him a set of the strings I would use and told him how I tune it (low and growly). He cut each slot for the string gauge that would go in it (as you know, different manufacture's "lights" may have different gauges), I asked him to level the tops because I play a lot of slide (don't know how much difference it makes, but what the hey), and he also compensated each string of each course individually (it is the best intonated 12 I've ever played). The saddle sort of looks like a rip saw blade and it wasn't cheap, but the results are incredible.
You probably know that Chris Proctor opens the spacing on each course so he can pick strings individually or in pairs. Edit to add that I have Colosi saddles in a couple of my guitar, I still think the nut needs to be cut for the individual git. On everything but my two Martins I have made the nuts from blanks, generally using Bryan's string spacings and depths. On the Martins the nuts were included with neck resets and I like the results so much I duplicated them on the others. I also use the StewMac string spacing gauge rather than calculating the width of the strings to add to the even spacing - slick little tool Last edited by Freeman; 04-24-2006 at 10:18 AM.
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#5
04-24-2006, 12:01 PM
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It doesn't sound like he will make me a nut without the guitar. Incidentally, I installed an LR Baggs Active Element on this guitar, and I don't like it. It is way too bright and in-your-face, I hear every pinched string while fretting. I would not recommend a UST for a 12-string, I am going to try a K&K mini instead, which means I need a new nut AND saddle. Shouldn't be too bad, just need the right guy to take it on. At this rate, I could have had a Martin D12-28 for almost the same investment !
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Steve-O
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