Are you comfortable with 1&3/4 to 2&5/16 string space?

Eso612 · #1 03-17-2019, 11:40 AM

I mean, for those of you who play fingerstyle and move a lot along the fretboard from 1st to very high positions, are you feeling right with this string space that increases a lot starting from the nut and going toward the 14th fret?
The distance between strings changes a lot moving on the neck.
I like to have a lot of space for my right hand but I discover that I feel much better if the string space is more similar through the whole neck for my left hand.
My Santa Cruz FS for example has 1&13/16 at nut and something like 1&1/4 at saddle and I like it so much for my left hand.
I am planning to buy a guitar that has 1&3/4 at nut and 2&5/16 at saddle and I'm quite afraid for the increasing space along the neck.
Any opinion?

RustyAxe · #2 03-17-2019, 12:39 PM

Very comfortable ... my preferred specs in fact.

Rosewood99 · #3 03-17-2019, 12:58 PM

It's my preferred for fingerstyle without a doubt. However I'm finding that for strumming I prefer 2 3/8.

wonderfulremark · #4 03-17-2019, 01:17 PM

I like narrow nut width and wide string spacing at the bridge.

Condition1 · #5 03-17-2019, 01:26 PM

Go for it...

bizango1 · #6 03-17-2019, 01:28 PM

I prefer 1-3/4 & 2-5/16 on my guitars. Wanted that spacing on a SCGC VS so I had to order it custom. Love it.

stringjunky · #7 03-17-2019, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizango1

I prefer 1-3/4 & 2-5/16 on my guitars. Wanted that spacing on a SCGC VS so I had to order it custom. Love it.

Can you still strum and pick with 2 5/16 or is it getting a bit wide?

joelhunn · #8 03-17-2019, 02:02 PM

Yep, have that string spacing on my bourgeois. It is the most comfortable guitar that I own, by a lot!

brencat · #9 03-17-2019, 02:18 PM

It works provided the neck is sufficiently deep and rounded. Necks with that taper and a shallow depth, particularly Martin’s modern mod-v create the feeling of the neck being wider than it really is because your thumb and forefinger are forced apart at a steeper angle than they need to be resulting in a sharp fingerboard edge.

My preferred spec neck is 1 3/4 nut, 2 1/4” string spacing, and a deep rounded C profile.

DukeX · #10 03-17-2019, 03:08 PM

I'm fine with those specs. Classical guitarists play up the neck with no problems.

lar · #11 03-17-2019, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulzoom

It's my preferred for fingerstyle without a doubt. However I'm finding that for strumming I prefer 2 3/8.

Paul, why is strumming easier/harder based on saddle string spacing? I would think that finger & flat pickers would have strong preferences, but strummers wouldn't care either way. What are you feeling with your strumming hand that likes a certain string spacing?

ChrisN · #12 03-17-2019, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lar

Paul, why is strumming easier/harder based on saddle string spacing? I would think that finger & flat pickers would have strong preferences, but strummers wouldn't care either way. What are you feeling with your strumming hand that likes a certain string spacing?

Jumping in to say that I've heard some complain of excess "note decay" when strumming the wider spacing. The extra space between strings, though small in absolute terms, allows some of the previous note to start to die a bit before the next is struck, leading to a less-smooth strum. I've no experience with this, one way or the other, at my early learning stage.

Eso612 · #13 03-17-2019, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelhunn

Yep, have that string spacing on my bourgeois. It is the most comfortable guitar that I own, by a lot!

Well, that's the guitar I'm going to buy. I'm happy that you consider it that way.
Thanks to everyone for your input.

blindboyjimi · #14 03-17-2019, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eso612

...My Santa Cruz FS for example has 1&13/16 at nut and something like 1&1/4 at saddle and I like it so much for my left hand.
I am planning to buy a guitar that has 1&3/4 at nut and 2&5/16 at saddle and I'm quite afraid for the increasing space along the neck.
Any opinion?

I’m sure you mean 1 13/16 x 2 1/4”. The saddle therefore is 1/16” wider over 6 strings so each string moves about 1/96” or about 0.01”. Yes I think I could feel it but all my guitars but one are 2 1/4” - 2 3/8”. I have no trouble instantly switching. I’m a bit sloppier on my D-28 which is 1 11/16 x 2 1/8”. I don’t finger pick on that one.

stringjunky · #15 03-17-2019, 11:15 PM

Does anyone find equal string spacing at the saddle, for any given width, makes a tangible difference compared to equal centres?