Fingerstylists only What's your prefered string spacing?

[Rirrid]

1: What is your preferred spacing at the bridge and nut?

2: What different tunings do you regularly use?

3: How would you describe the size and shape of your hands?

4: Your experiences and thoughts...

[kakashi]

1. 1.75 / 2.25

2. CGDGAD, DADGAD, DGCFGD, DADEAE currently

3. I got small hands don't know what else to say here

4. practice, practice, practice

[steelvibe]

1. I prefer a 1.75" nut (1 3/4) and 2.25" spacing at the saddle (2 1/4). Nut width is more important than saddle spacing though, and neck profile is also important to my style of play.

2. I use at least six alternate tunings on a rotating basis and have music for the exploration on many others.

3. I wear a L or X/L glove depending on brand. I have a 9 1/2" span from the tip of my pinky to my thumb when stretched out on a table. I have no comparison to others hand sizes and cannot speak to their preferences.

4. I was fingerpicking an electric guitar almost right after I got got started on guitar in general. Many years later I began playing acoustic exclusively in my church band but that was mostly strumming and playing rhythm. In 2007 I saw Andy Mckee and Antoine Dufour live and it was all over. I've pursued the style since.

While I love the progressive nature of the players mentioned above, and their music opened my ears to many more great players who came before them. I found that while I like much of their fingerstyle antics and tunings, I don't like most of the slapping and tapping that has become so trendy. But props to them for showing me how far you can push an acoustic guitar! If not for them I may not have heard of Michael Hedges, Don Ross, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Peppino D'Agostino or Stephen Bennett. I'm currently really enjoying country blues and music with a "boom- chick" rhythm; so Doyle Dykes, Tommy Emmanuel and Chet Atkins come to mind. This list is far from exhaustive and I have many, many other players on my playlists, some who are members on this forum.

Everyone is different though so you have to just try guitars out and learn your own preferences over time. I'm still not sure I've found all of mine

[fitness1]

1 13/16 - 1 7/8 nut on steel string with 40-42mm spacing

2 5/16 or 2 3/8 at the saddle

DADGAD, DADDAD, Double drop D and Open C predominantly (also use cut capos)

Medium sized palms with short stubby fingers with fat tips

As my playing has evolved over the years, I've realized that wider spacings are MUCH more comfortable for me, and I spend a lot of time on classicals with full 52mm nuts and wider saddle spacing (prefer 58-60mm)

I also prefer more shallow C profile necks.

[min7b5]

1 13/16 to 2 5/16

[tommieboy]

Originally Posted by Rirrid

1: What is your preferred spacing at the bridge and nut?

2: What different tunings do you regularly use?

3: How would you describe the size and shape of your hands?

4: Your experiences and thoughts...

1: 1 3/4" and 2 5/16"

2: Drop D, DGDGBD (I grew up on it but rarely use it anymore)

3: 8" across (tip of the thumb to the tip of my pinky)

4: I wish I had pursued custom-carved necks/fretboards much sooner than I did. For me, it has made a world of difference.

Tommy

[massimo]

1 7/8 or 1 13/16 nut and 2 3/8 or 2 5/16 saddle (outer edge E-E string distance 59.5 to 61.5 mm).
Having slim fingers, I can adjust to narrower nuts but a wide saddle is crucial.
With that said, the classical remains the perfect fingerstyle guitar ;-)

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Rirrid

1: What is your preferred spacing at the bridge and nut?

2: What different tunings do you regularly use?

3: How would you describe the size and shape of your hands?

4: Your experiences and thoughts...

Hi Rirrid

- Spacing - 1¾" - shallow C neck profile
- Standard, Dropped D (more than ½ the time), and cut capo at 2nd fret (emulates DADGAD tuning)
- Medium sized, and shaped average.
- Started playing all flesh fingerstyle at age 15. Still playing that way at age 74.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

String spacing at the nut 40mm with a nut width of 48mm
Saddle string spacing 60mm
Mostly standard and dropped D
Average size hands

[TBman]

1. Nut size 1.75" - I know nothing about string spacing.

2. Standard, dropped D, DADGAD, DADF#AD, CGDGCD, CGDGAD.

3. Small and thick.

4. Experiences? Started playing guitar when I was 9 (1964). I was a strummer until my late teens. I then played hybrid for years and finally went to just flesh in the early 00's. 3 weeks ago I started to learn to use thumb and finger picks. Slow going, but the clarity in tone is worth it.

[ewalling]

1. 1 11/16 on steel strings; 1 7/8 on nylon strings ('string spacing' is way too technical for me!)

2. Dropped D ( a lot); DADGAD; DGDGBbD; CGDGCD; DGDGBD; DADF#AD (occasionally)

3. Average, I guess.

4. The more focused I am on buying/trading guitars, the less I actually play.

[s2y]

Small hands, regular, dropped d, baritone, DADGAD, and hopefully adding CGCGCD soon. I basically play the standard Martin/Taylor nut and bridge spacing. I'm hoping to try wide spaced.

[Fran Guidry]

1 13/16 preferred, 1 3/4 accepted. Much prefer 2 3/8 bridge but I have discovered that I can live with 2 1/4 if I practice a bit on that spacing. My old hands really prefer a substantial neck. I'd say my hand size is medium and fingers are a bit stubby.

Slack key, so taropatch open G (D G D G B D), G wahine (D G D F# B D), drop C (C G D G B D) and D wahine (D A D F# A C#). Wahine tunings are defined by a major 7. Drop C is actually one of many C wahine tunings.

Fran

[mclarry53]

1. 1 3/4" ; not fussy at the bridge, but pretty comfortable with 2 1/4 or 2 5/16
2. standard, dropped D, double dropped D very occasionally
3. I have large hands but not particularly long fingers (large paws!)
4. I felt I was a technically poor picker who had plateaued (sp?) until I finally stopped trying to play narrow neck guitars. I am still technically lazy, but getting a guitar with 1 3/4 neck made me sound so much better that I had a new enthusiasm for playing and improving. Used to be a pleasant distraction; now a passion.

Larry

[Frankie2blue]

1 13/16 at the nut and 2 5 /16 or 2 3/8 at the saddle for me