Wider Nut 6 String Guitars?

michaelm101 · #1 07-20-2021, 02:22 PM

I have gotten used to playing my old Lemon Grove Taylor 12 string Jumbo, strung 6 six since the late 1980s. The neck is also very comfy and not too bulky. And, of course, it sounds amazing.

I'm seeking a smaller guitar due to shoulder issues, however, perhaps concert type body, but still want the roominess that the wider nut / neck provides.

I recently bought a Cordoba Acero because it had a slightly wider nut than normal 6 strings. It's nice, but the dread is still causing some shoulder discomfort.

Are there any other makers who will fit the bill or should I find a smaller 12 string guitar and string it 6?

Thanks in advance!

gr81dorn · #2 07-20-2021, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelm101

I have gotten used to playing my old Lemon Grove Taylor 12 string Jumbo, strung 6 six since the late 1980s. The neck is also very comfy and not too bulky. And, of course, it sounds amazing.

I'm seeking a smaller guitar due to shoulder issues, however, perhaps concert type body, but still want the roominess that the wider nut / neck provides.

I recently bought a Cordoba Acero because it had a slightly wider nut than normal 6 strings. It's nice, but the dread is still causing some shoulder discomfort.

Are there any other makers who will fit the bill or should I find a smaller 12 string guitar and string it 6?

Thanks in advance!

Pono is back with some stuff again and they make exceptional stuff for the money- 12 fret parlor and 00 both have 1 13/16 nuts.

Lakewood and Northwood both have stuff I see relatively regularly with 1 13/16 nuts. That's about as wide as you'll see in steel strings.

You have a big wide world of options if you want nylon strings, of course.

KevinH · #3 07-20-2021, 02:49 PM

Eastman also has some 00 models with 1-13/16" nuts.

ssynhorst · #4 07-22-2021, 10:00 PM

There are a number of options. Simplest is to get a good used guitar and change the nut. The nut width is not the limiting factor, the string spacing is, and many guitars have wide enough frets to accommodate the string spacing of a 1&7/8" nut on a narrower neck. I was able to find one to fit one of my guitars at graphtech.com and install it myself by just sanding the bottom down to height.

Or any good guitar tech could make one for you. That is time consuming so a bit pricey but you could get a set-up at the same time. One of these options would be an economical way to see if you like the result.

There are a number of brands that have some sort of 'cross over' model somewhere between the steel string type and the classical type. I have one from Recording King that has steel strings but a string spacing very similar to typical classical. It has a mildly arched fretboard rather the flat one typical of classical. Very comfortable.

A vintage example is the Gibson Songwriter from the 'folk' era of the 1970s.

Also a shorter scale length and maybe a 12 fret to the body design might be easier on your hand.

Finally, good vintage Japanese made classical guitars are cheap on local used markets and you could replace the nylon strings with all wound strings made for the purpose by Thomastik-Infeld of Vienna and sold by the John Pearse company. I got the trebles only and found they sound a bit more like steel trebles and balance nicely with the classical basses. Tension is very light so very easy on the hands, and this might be the cheapest option of all. Those guitars are light as feathers, very fine looking and easy to play. I found two of them for chump change in solid woods; one is East Indian Rosewood and spruce, the other in Brazilian Rosewood and cedar, a great bargain. - Stevo

Daddyo · #5 07-23-2021, 08:38 AM

My Larrivee SD 50 has 1 7/8" nut

Jim in TC · #6 07-23-2021, 08:46 AM

I special ordered a custom nut width on my Emerald X7. There is a price, and it takes some time to get a special order built. Nice little guitar!

Goat Mick · #7 07-23-2021, 08:51 AM

This may be exactly what you're looking for. I really like the one I have and they get great reviews on here as well. Farida OT-22W

https://www.elderly.com/products/far...ustic-electric

J Patrick · #8 07-23-2021, 08:55 AM

The old Martin 0 NY series have an1-7/8ths nut if I recall…great little guitars that occasionally pop up for sale…

mcmars · #9 07-23-2021, 09:07 AM

I really enjoy 12 fret smaller guitars for comfort and the great tone due to the bridge location over lower bout. Many choices out there. The eastman E10p with adi top and hog B&S or the E20P with rosewood B&S both have 13/16 nut size. National resos are mostly 00 sized with 13/16's if you like reso sound.

michaelm101 · #10 07-23-2021, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssynhorst

Finally, good vintage Japanese made classical guitars are cheap on local used markets and you could replace the nylon strings with all wound strings made for the purpose by Thomastik-Infeld of Vienna and sold by the John Pearse company. I got the trebles only and found they sound a bit more like steel trebles and balance nicely with the classical basses. Tension is very light so very easy on the hands, and this might be the cheapest option of all. Those guitars are light as feathers, very fine looking and easy to play. Stevo

Thx for the tip, Stevo.

1) About the vintage Japanese classical guitars, I don't think they were made with (non-traditional) truss rods-- I'm in SoCal and I've seen many traditional classical necks with issues. Your thoughts?

2) Decades ago, I installed silk & steel strings on a Guild Jumbo and wasn't able to get the sound I wanted. I don't think they were able to rattle that big soundboard either.

How would you characterize the sound/tone of the Thomastiks in a classical guitar?

ssynhorst · #11 07-26-2021, 11:27 PM

I have owned about six such classicals over six decades, in NorCal. None had truss rods nor neck issues requiring a set-up. I did do a little set-up work once I learnt how. I like the Tomastik trebles just fine for folk and Celtic music. It sounds a bit different from nylon, which I never cared for anyway, but it is a nice sound and balances very well with the wound basses. Otherwise I use mainly hard tension carbon trebles to get away from the tupperware sound of nylon as do many classical guitarists. But the Tomastik wound trebles are easier on the fingers and sound pleasant for most purposes, a bit closer to the steel string sound. - Stevo

AndrewG · #12 07-27-2021, 04:20 AM

The Faith Mercury has a 1 3/4" nut, spacing at the bridge is 2 3/8" and has a short scale (24") neck with 12 frets to the body which has a maximum depth of 4 1/2". Comfortable to play and very 'grown-up' sounding for such a compact instrument.

https://www.faithguitars.com/guitars/by-shape/mercury

folkmusikfan · #13 07-27-2021, 12:55 PM

You can also find nut widths of 1.8" in some of the Seagull guitars.My Folk model is about 6 years old and I see the models in the last year or two have switched to a narrower nut but there's lots of those with the wider nut is several sizes from Folk, to mini jumbo to dread and at several price points.

Steve DeRosa · #14 07-27-2021, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelm101

...I'm seeking a smaller guitar due to shoulder issues, however, perhaps concert type body, but still want the roominess that the wider nut/neck provides...

An older Gibson F-25 should fill the bill - 2" at nut, 14" body:

DCCougar · #15 07-27-2021, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelm101

I'm seeking a smaller guitar due to shoulder issues, however, perhaps concert type body, but still want the roominess that the wider nut / neck provides.

In the past I found myself collecting non-cutaway Epiphone Masterbilt EF500 guitars from their 2003-2009 production run. Smaller guitar, 1.75" nut. I really enjoyed them, especially when they typically cost in the $500 range. I thought I needed that wider nut for my fat fingers. Well, with practice, my fingers "sharpened up," so a 1.68" nut is not an issue, but I sure love playing 12-strings too, that is, with all 12 strings intact.