Nut and string width

[deals2000]

Is it easier to form chords that require three fingers together on adjacent strings on guitars with a 1 3/4 in nut?

I have 1 11/16 on mine.

I just started learning and it's very difficult to form some chords.

I noticed the instructor in a video seemed to have a bit more room between strings.

Thanks all.

Steve

[jklotz]

Hiya Deals. Welcome to the AGF! I think some first position chords are easier with a 1 3/4" nut. All of my guitars have them, or even wider, but I play mostly fingerstyle, and it's even more important for that. The best I can tell you is try to go play some guitars with a wider nut and see how it feels.

As you progress, your preferences will become more refined with just about everything guitar related. If you can, I'd recommend staying with the one you have for a while until you get a better idea of what you want. And that can take a while. Not just nut spacing, but body size/shape, woods, neck shape, string spacing, etc. Most of us upgrade (some more regularly than others), but the chances on landing on a keeper will be much higher once you figure out your preferences.

You may also want to visit a tech and have him/her do a setup on your guitar. If your nut slots are too high, it can make chording 1st position much harder. I'm surprised by how many guitars leave the factory with nut slots that need to be filed down a little. It's quite possible your issue is related to the nut slots being too high and not the nut width.

Hope this helps.

[tonyo]

A wider nut width made a big difference for me when I was first learning some years ago.

An experience guitar player sold me a guitar with a 1 3/4 nut and a wider bridge width. Made playing a LOT easier.

I was worried it might make it harder for me on the guitars with 1 11/16 width but in fact it didn't over time. I still prefer the 1 3/4 nut.

Some of it also depends on the style of music you play. I'm mostly fingerstyle.

Here's a video that gives some history as to why nut widths have narrowed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfpM...ature=youtu.be

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by deals2000

Is it easier to form chords that require three fingers together on adjacent strings on guitars with a 1 3/4 in nut?

That's really going to depend on your hand geometry. For some it will be easier, some won't notice much difference, and some will find it harder.

[Ralph124C41]

Originally Posted by jim1960

That's really going to depend on your hand geometry. For some it will be easier, some won't notice much difference, and some will find it harder.

Exactly, although I do agree that if you plan to do a good deal of finger picking that a wider nut should help. But your hand, I think, will very quickly tell you what it wants. So it would be best for you to try them out ... first hand.

[blindboyjimi]

Welcome to the forum. I think chord formation is easier on narrow width nuts like you have and harder on wider nuts. All my guitars are between 1 3/4” and 2 1/8”. Once you learn to stretch your fingers it may be easier to ring out individual notes on a wider spaced guitar but I think chording requires more finger strength.

The easiest way to decide is simply buy a inexpensive capo like a Kyser and capo the first fret and see if it’s easier. Do so on the 2nd, 3rd 4th, 5th, etc and see if it makes it easier. Obviously, the frets get closer together as you move up the neck, but within the 1st-5th fret you’ll have a “nut” between 1 11/16” and probably close to 1 7/8” by the 5th fret.

Even with my wider nut guitars, I capo on the 2nd-4th fret when learning a new tune so my “nut” is wider, but my reach is less both for my fingers and shoulder. This makes playing the same measure over and over very slowly much easier on the hands than combining that with a shoulder reach and further stretch of my left hand. Then as I learn the song I bring the capo back towards the first fret. This also gets your left hand and fingers used to the different width of the frets and more comfortable moving up the neck.

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by deals2000

I just started learning and it's very difficult to form some chords.

...said every beginning guitar player, at some point on the journey.

If you start getting worried about measurements at this point, it will consume your every thought, and every challenge you face as a beginner will be blamed on some aspect of the guitar itself.

Provided that the instrument you have is of decent quality, and is set up reasonably well, perseverance is the name of the game. Not fractions of an inch.

[Ralph124C41]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

...said every beginning guitar player, at some point on the journey.

If you start getting worried about measurements at this point, it will consume your every thought, and every challenge you face as a beginner will be blamed on some aspect of the guitar itself.

Provided that the instrument you have is of decent quality, and is set up reasonably well, perseverance is the name of the game. Not fractions of an inch.

Again agree. Don't let statistics get in the way of your learning how to play a guitar. Have fun ... not a headache.

[TBman]

It's easier for me on the wider nut. Sometimes you can do a partial barre as well which solves the problem.

[Kerbie]

Originally Posted by jim1960

That's really going to depend on your hand geometry. For some it will be easier, some won't notice much difference, and some will find it harder.

Yep, agreed. For me, everything is easier with 1 11/16" nut widths. For others, that size makes everything more difficult. Entirely personal preference.

Welcome to the AGF!

[JERZEY]

Originally Posted by deals2000

Is it easier to form chords that require three fingers together on adjacent strings on guitars with a 1 3/4 in nut?

I have 1 11/16 on mine.

I just started learning and it's very difficult to form some chords.

I noticed the instructor in a video seemed to have a bit more room between strings.

Thanks all.

Steve

I have only been playing for a few years myself. I was so very happy with my first 1 3/4 inch nut guitar. I play primarily fingerstyle instrumentals so I frequently fret with all 5 fingers. Its that much easier. I still play my 1.72 inch nut Seagull Entourage every day. It is doable but requires far greater accuracy.

[Jim in TC]

As you no doubt now realize - this is another very individual thing, though I am getting a sense that the trend here is for the slightly wider nut. After some decades of casual playing, I really had no idea there was any difference (except, of course, in classical guitars) until I sold off my long-term D-18 and went shopping. I soon found that I really liked the 1 3/4" nut then found one a little wider yet and liked it well enough to special order a 46.6 mm nut Emerald (2 mm more than 1 3/4") and love it. A friend who has been playing for decades finds 1 11/16 too wide. As always, you will have to find your own way here: try some different guitars and keep practicing. Just to complicate things further, string spacing is also varied a bit by saddle design...

[jschmitz54]

I’ve been learning for two years and have owned 7 guitars. I’ve tried two guitars with the narrower 1 11/16” nut and I found it very difficult to play either.
It may be that I started with a 1 3/4 “ nut but it seems that this small difference in nut width is difficult for many to navigate. It is for me.
Welcome to the forum!

[Martin_F]

For beginners, usually the 1 11/16's is a little easier I have found. But, that depends on how big your hands are and these things. It takes more finger strength to play a wider neck because you are spacing out the pressure needed on the strings. So, the fact that you are having trouble with 1 11/16th would need to be diagnosed itself. Are you having trouble because you are hitting the strings next to the string you want and muting the notes because you have large fingers? Can you not hit the string correctly? Is it a precision thing? Some of these things will not be helped just by going with a wider neck. No matter what, the guitar is going to feel awkward at first. Most of the hand positions do not feel at all normal when you are learning. The key is to try and build up some precision in your hand. It wasn't until recently that many guitar manufacturer's changed (or changed back because some older guitars had it too) to a 1 3/4 neck width. For years, necks were fairly narrow and people got along just fine. I have played a few guitars from the 1800's that had incredibly narrow necks, yet they were still able to play.

Another thing to consider is that not all necks are made the same. Some guitars with a 1 3/4 neck feel like they have quite wide string spacing, others not so much. My Yamaha FS5 is a 1 3/4 nut, but the string spacing is more narrow than an equivalent Martin 1 3/4 nut string spacing. So, you really have to play these guitars and bring someone with you who knows guitars to guide you a little. For me, I really like the Gibson happy medium at 1.72" width. The string spacing on my Yamaha actually feels quite close to the Gibson string spacing vs. the Martin. For beginners, having more space on the edge of the frets is sometimes good because you don't want to be pushing the strings off the edge all the time. The point is, some 1 11/16's necks might feel more narrow too. You have to try each guitar.

In the end, nothing substitutes for good practice and experimenting a little. You have to make sure you have a good left hand position to ensure that you aren't doing anything that is making your issues worse.

Also, keep in mind that 1 3/4 and 1 11/16 isn't THAT much different when you spread things out. So, a wider neck is not a cure-all. You can get wider necks too, but they start to get more rare.

If you REALLY have huge hands, try a nylon string classical guitar. Those necks are generally over 2". Most of my classical guitars are around 52mm (metric).

There are so many options out there. You just have to practice and then you can decide what works best for you.

My opinion...
Martin

[deals2000]

Wow, thank you all this is such great information. For now I'm going to work with the guitar I have and just continue pushing forward and see how that works.

i agree that I blaming the guitar is not the best way to start.

Again thank you all for your great replys,

Steve