How much board do u like outside the strings?

[JohnnyD123]

The nut is measured from outside edge to edge, and the most exacting way to measure that is to measure the width of the fretboard just at the top of the first fret (sometimes nuts are cut a little bit wider, when the headstock is wider).

However string spacing is generally measured center to center. So the outside 1/8" is actually less half the diameter of the string itself (Sorry, I'm an engineer)!

[JohnnyD123]

Originally Posted by pf400

It's not too expensive to have a Guitar Tech experiment by cutting a nut or two for you, made of plastic. When you've found the perfect spacing have a bone or other nut made to those specs. I have about 1 mm between my high e string and the edge. It's very rare that I pull it off the neck, and I play fingerstyle, strumming, jazz and blues on it, aggressively.

Wow - this is VERY close! An 1/8" is just over 3 mm. I would suggest 2 mm to be close enough. JD

[MrDB]

It's not usually a problem for me as I generally "push" the string towards me when bending a note. That's probably not the correct technique it's just the way I've evolved over the years. Can't remember the last time I pulled the E off the edge.

[Judson]

This is my issue exactly. On my Taylor GA3, I had this problem when forming an open "G" chord and I ended up getting my tech to make a new nut with slightly narrower string spacing to cure the problem. I have 7 acoustics and the Taylor was the only one where I had the issue.

Originally Posted by jaybones

Enough that the high E won't slip off. Never had trouble with the low E being thicker and higher tension, but I've picked up guitars that the low E could easily slip off the edge. No thanks.

[pf400]

Sorry JD you're right, I measured it...exactly 2mm.

I am not near my guitars, but rather than talk about measurements, I'd like to talk about it in terms of ergonomics and playing.

I don't need a lot of space on the fingerboard at the top E string because I'm never doing anything that would push it off the board. In fact I want it as close to the edge as makes sense so I can wrap my thumb around and press it without having to do gumby moves.

I like the bottom E string to have enough room on the board so that I can do pull offs without pulling the string actually off. I find that this may not be a reasonable desire though because I tend to always pull them off the board regardless. So instead of pulling off on that string I push off if I want a dramatic sound, or I will lightly pull off if I can get away with a soft sound. I tend to pull too hard though so I usually don't have enough room for a proper pull off and have to adjust my play on that string. But if I had more fingerboard on the edge that would feel weird and make playing feel wrong.

I suppose you must be doing a new, custom build and are worrying over how much space you need? If so, only your fingers know what you really need. I'd think about it in terms of what amount of space allows you to play with all the techniques you use without being too wide or too narrow that it makes you have to think differently about how you play in general. I realize how vague that sounds. Good luck.