Wide string spacing, carbon fiber?
 

I am interested in a carbon fiber acoustic specifically for fingerstyle with a neck similar to a Martin 00-28vs. 1 7/8" nut 2 5/16" at saddle. Does this even exist? I understand that Emerald can customize a neck. Are there any others?

Emerald is the only CF manufacturer that I know of that emphasizes their ability and willingness to do custom instruments. If Rainsong did, they'd get a chunk of change out of me for sure!

Best of luck finding as many manufacturers as you can!

I don't know the specific measurements but my off-the-rack Emerald X20 feels like it has wider string spacing than my off-the-rack Rainsongs...

I took interest in a Rainsong APSE. I really like the sound, playability, scale length, and tuning stability. I was thinking "what a great guitar", but I would prefer wider string spacing, especially for tremmelo technique. It is hard to find guitars with nut width greater than 1 3/4" in general. I wish there were more guitar manufacturers interested in offering wider string spacing as a standard option for us fingerstyle guys. It is what it is. I guess it is a supply and demand thing. I know there is not enough demand for wider string spacing to make it financially feasible for guitar factories to make them. And this would be especially true for a carbon fiber instrument. It is just wishful thinking.

Your desire is valid, but Emerald is probably your only option. They seem to be the only CF builder with much custom capability. I believe that molds are the constraining factor, not desire. The other path is to acquire a [rare] Rainsong WS-3000 twelve string (1-7/8" nut width) then do a custom set up to convert it to only six strings. I have no idea how well that would work. The times I've tried conversions with wood guitars yielded mixed results, but made for an easy experiment with wider nuts.

Funny you should mention that. I feel the same about my X20 versus my Rainsaong WS1000. Even though they both have 1 3/4" nuts. The X20 neck is more D shape, thicker near the edges; the Rainsong more C shape. I prefer the Rainsong shape.

I've had five Emerald guitars, each with 1 7/8" nut--very nice.

Emerald has a number of options, as others have pointed out. Here are a couple of examples:

The X20-12 has a 1 15/16" nut, and 2 1/2" spacing at the bridge - that would be a very straightforward starting point for a 6-string variant, I'd think, and probably the most economical.

The X20 Nylon is 1 7/8" at the nut, and 2 1/4" at the bridge, so again, could be a good start, but significantly more expensive.

And if you really want to go nuts, start with an X20-7, 2" at the nut, 2 5/8" at the bridge, have them make it as a 6-string and go dancing on those fan frets :)

Been wondering what the actual string spacing is at the nut on a stock X30.

That's one of the specs they don't publish...

https://emeraldguitars.com/guitars/specifications/#x30

I'd imagine it's very similar to the X20, as they are both 1 3/4" nut width. I'll grab my caliper and check it...

Alistair made the neck of my 2018 X10 nylon string to my exact specs, including nut width, string separation at both the nut and the bridge, and even the thickness of the neck.

I think the perceived difference is probably based on different string spacing at the bridge, especially since both my X20 and the Rainsongs have 1.75" nuts...

My new Emerald X-20 has a factory-spec 2 1/4 inch string-spacing at the bridge.

Hi Ken! This has been my search since I started buying CF guitars!

I started with a Blackbird Nylon Rider. Then a 1 7/8" Blackbird Super OM. Then I moved to a pair of custom Blackbird Lucky 13s with 2" nuts (nylon and steel). I just couldn't bond with Blackbird. I sold them all.

I then tried a few standard Rainsongs. I loved them, but I realized I HAD to have a 1 7/8" nut.

I then bought a 1 7/8" Emerald traditional dread. LOVED it! But after a few years, I realized I wanted something smaller and I REALLY wanted Emerald's beautiful new veneers...so now I have 2 Emerald x10s with Amara Ebony tops (nylon and steel). Both 1 7/8" nuts. They are my keepers. I love everything about them.

Good luck!!

There is known variance between guitar makers when it comes to the actual string spacing at the nut, vs. the nut width. The two measurements are independent of one another, and there is no guaranteed consistency between makers. Two examples come to mind: Bourgeois (they tend (or used to) towards a tighter string spacing for their 1.75" nut widths compared to, say, Collings or Goodall), and Eastman, which has been known (at least in the past) to vary their nut string spacing a fair bit for 1.75" nuts. I've encountered guitars with an actual 1.75" nut that had the nut string spacing that is often seen on 1-11/16" nut widths, which in my mind, kinda of defeats the purpose of a wider nut. Which is why I'm curious about where Emerald falls around this for their stock X30 1.75" nut guitars.