Big Martin fan but what’s up with this 1 3/4” trend

[Jeff Scott]

I'm good with either nut width. Now, a Jazz Bass' 1 1/2" nut with is too narrow for playing a night's worth of music, although I started out on one and have had many others over the decades. Guitars, no such issues.

[chippygreen]

Originally Posted by Woolbury

Im another one, I wouldn't consider a guitar with less than 1 3/4 neck, I won't even bothe picking one up in a shop. My Collings is 1 13/16 and it so much easier to play open strings cleanly when fretting chords in open position. Trade off is its harder to bar chord up the neck, so if I was a strummer, jazz player perhaps Id enjoy a narrower neck. But even at that, 1 3/4 would be my preference.

I'm in the same camp as Woolbury. 1 3/4 is my minimum and the Bashkin GC at 1 13/16 is easier to play, but harder e.g. to thumb over. I agree with Wade - I do like the nut width/neck profile on the reimagined Martins.

I'm also just going to call the 2018 Spec M-36 the M-36R from now on because I cannot type "reimagined" one more time.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by Long tooth

I love the 1 3/4” width. So much better than 1 11/16” for me personally.

I can’t speak for anyone else.

You can speak for me! I agree.

Within the range of reasonable shapes and sizes there there is no right or wrong, only personal preference. My preference is for a full profile C-shape, perhaps a subtle V-shape, but no more than subtle, 1 11/16" nut and about 2 1/8" bridge spacing. A lot of flat pickers agree, which means absolutely nothing to any particular individual. In general, current buyers tend to disagree with me. That preference prompted the changes Martin made starting with the D-18 in 2012. Every time Martin has reworked a guitar to the current setup, sales have increased significantly. It seems most buyers like what they're doing.

[Steve DeRosa]

Played some of the "reimagined" Martins over the last couple months...

Won't be buying any more Martins, thank you...

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by lt20dbl

More people can comfortably play them? I wear a size 16 ring. 1 3/4" is as narrow as I can go and it's still a bit less than ideal. The argument that it is too wide to be playable for very many is weak soup as people with small hands can master the classical guitar. Hats off to Martin for makng more universally player friendly guitars.

fully agree. the narrow nut typically on martins keeps me away from them.

[Lee Callicutt]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Just to put this into perspective, my friend took up guitar this year and treated himself to an older D-28. His first comment after playing a few months is that the guitar kills his hand and makes his fingers hurt.

I could help him out with that.

Originally Posted by Frusciante

Before long pleats will be back in fashion.

Um .... Hello, 2017?

[Russ C]

For those of us who also play our Fender, Gibson, Gretsch etc. electrics a lot it is nice to have our favourite acoustics feel the same.
I'm quite comfortable with both sizes but to have the same string width on all my guitars makes it more important for me to stick with 1 11/16".
If I was purely an acoustic player it wouldn't matter which size I used but I'd still like them all to be the same. Small stuff really.

[Erithon]

Originally Posted by crikey

I've actually been thinking it would be nice to have one (1-11/16") around because it would equate also to having a narrower string spacing at the bridge which I think would be useful for certain tunes.

If you want narrower string spacing at the bridge, why not buy a guitar with that spec? You don't have to have a narrower nut width to have a narrow saddle spacing.

[Mike McLenison]

Wish my HD-35 was 1.75" or even 1.875" like my old D-35S.

[MartyGraw]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

Visit a high school and you'll probably notice that people are, in general, getting bigger.

So like 1 3/4 necks would be for football players and 1 11/16 would be for Jockeys......Sumo wrestlers would play like a 3" neck I am guessing...

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by AndyC

They will only sell more guitars if the new necks are more popular - and clearly by the success of Taylor and others the (vast?) majority of players prefer a slimmer / wider neck.

My OM has a 1 3/4" nut and the MLO / performing artist taper neck and it is by far and away the most playable Martin I have ever owned. YMMV.

Given my preferences I prefer the nut width of my '72 D35 (1 11/16"). And while I have fairly large hands (wear XL gloves) I find my two Taylors at the ends of my comfort level. Sure, folks play classical guitar which are much wider, but classical players aren't called on to wrap their thumbs over the low E any time that I can think of. So I can see how some folks would like the neck a bit wider and some a bit narrower. The guy who said he wears a size 16 ring has a personal issue that I can certainly understand. But for most that extra 1.5mm or- spread over the space of 5 strings isn't going to make you a better guitar player. What did us Martin people do before????

I have to question Martin's strategy though it is obvious what they are doing- chasing Taylor. Why did it take them until 2018 to "reimagine" iconic models? I think forward shifting bracing will correct their guitars' tonal overtone alignment, and the guitars will sound more resonant, but I think at the expense of the classic Martin sound. I only had the opportunity to play a new D35 and I clearly prefer the old model and in spite of being the owner of two Taylors, I did not like the feel of the wider D35. Sorry.

Guitar sales will be the final arbiter of the success or lack thereof. But to me it's a lot like the "New Coke". Why change a recipe that's worked for generations?

[RILEY31]

1 3/4 is much more comfortable for me as well

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Originally Posted by Jeff Scott

I'm good with either nut width. Now, a Jazz Bass' 1 1/2" nut with is too narrow for playing a night's worth of music, although I started out on one and have had many others over the decades. Guitars, no such issues.

I agree. Only bass for me is a Precision with a 1 3/4" nut width. I've tried many times to bond with a Jazz bass but can't do it.