How do you easily switch between nut widths, neck sizes, string spacing, etc?

[cc132]

Hi all,

This is a problem I've always had, so I'm hoping there's a way around it that I'm not seeing. I really struggle to switch between instruments that have different specs - trying to play a guitar that has a different nut width or saddle spacing than whatever my main guitar is at the time is always clumsy and difficult.

I've been mostly playing Waterloos the last year, which have a big chunky neck, a 1 3/4" nut, and a nice, wide 2 3/8" saddle spacing. It feels completely normal to me at this point, but when I try and switch to another guitar, it feels like I'm playing a toy and my fingers just don't want to do it. I could adjust with time, but then my Waterloo would feel like a baseball bat.

Additionally, I've finally forced myself to learn how to play with fingerpicks this year. It's been revelatory - but unfortunately, now that it's what I'm doing the most, I find that playing with bare fingers is difficult and awkward despite the fact that I've been doing it for the better part of 15 years.

Is it possible to be fluid between these types of things?

[bufflehead]

For some people it comes naturally. For me it doesn't. I think it's just too much muscle memory with a 1 11/16" nut. Plus the fact that this old dog doesn't want to learn new tricks.

[Earl49]

It is possible, you just have to invest the time to get each one nailed down. It also takes a couple of minutes of play at first to reprogram your fingers to the new neck / string spacing / fret spacing. I play everything between soprano uke (13" scale) to electric bass (34" scale). Having logged a fair amount of time on each, there is still a brief adjustment period whenever swapping instruments.

For example, when learning the chords on a baritone ukulele [tuned DGBE like the high four on guitar] I deliberately only played that for a few weeks to really set the shapes and positions into my brain. Mixing and matching were too confusing. Now I can convert almost instantly.

[Goat Mick]

I have several guitars with different string spacing / nut width, etc. For me it's about spending enough time with each guitar individually so that I'm perfectly comfortable with each one. Then I just make sure I play each one regularly so that it only takes me a minute or two to adapt when I pick up a different one.

[CASD57]

Originally Posted by cc132

Hi all,



This is a problem I've always had, so I'm hoping there's a way around it that I'm not seeing. I really struggle to switch between instruments that have different specs - trying to play a guitar that has a different nut width or saddle spacing than whatever my main guitar is at the time is always clumsy and difficult.



Additionally, I've finally forced myself to learn how to play with fingerpicks this year. It's been revelatory - but unfortunately, now that it's what I'm doing the most, I find that playing with bare fingers is difficult and awkward despite the fact that I've been doing it for the better part of 15 years.



Is it possible to be fluid between these types of things?

I started out playing electrics, so I learn on narrow nuts
I now have a 1.8 nut size on my Seagull that find very comfortable
But I also have a epiphy ES339/P90 with a 1.68 nut ,
So I jump back and forth alot and I find that after a minute or two, I'm adjusted
Muscle memory.... Just got to practice on it

[roylor4]

I can't and no longer try.

oddly, on electric, I strongly prefer thin, narrow necks and on acoustics I prefer wide, chunky ones. I play them totally different though, opting for mostly 1st position chords, dyads and triads on acoustic and full barre & power chords on electric.

I only play 1.75" nuts (or larger) on acoustics.

Lots of people are super adaptable - I'm not one of them.......

[reeve21]

No problems switching nut widths between 1-11/16 and 1-3/4 with the fretting hand. I guess it helps to have long, narrow fingers. I don't have any baseball bats but from trying them in the store I'm not a fan. A C or V neck is fine.

Finger-picking is a little tougher on the smaller nut if I don't do it very often. After a little while it comes back.

Finger picks feel like shovels to me, and a thumb pick feels like a plank. The only way I can finger pick is with a combination of bare flesh and a little nail. Bare flesh alone is how I started but now it feels "sticky" without a short nail (just shy of the fingertip). Nothing at all on the thumb except a callous on the side of the nail. So good job getting used to those picks!

Mandolin looks like it would be tough!

[rstaight]

I have 4 acoustic guitars that I rotate through, sometimes I will throw a fifth into the mix. Most have a nut width of 1 11/16 (1.6875). My 12 string is 1 7/8 (1.875).

There are also some neck profile differences in the guitars. Since I play a different one every day I can jump from one to the other with out any trouble.

When we could go to jams I regularly took my 12 string along with one of the 6 strings. It was usually both of my Takamine's.

By playing multiple guitars on a regular basis I can jump from one neck to another without problems.

Play another guitar one day a week or play a couple of songs on another guitar when you are playing your Waterloo. It should ease the adjustment period between them.

With my mandolin I don't have very many problems until I start to get tired. When reading music I will start to try and use the guitar positions for my notes. Then it's time to put it away.

[Rosewood99]

I've gotten better from switching between 2 5/32 and 2 1/4 string spacing. Can't do 1 11/16 nut width or wider than 1 3/4.

[Caddy]

I play guitar (both acoustic and electrics) various neck shapes, fretboard radius and scale never have even noticed those things while playing. Each guitar just feels like itself. Add to that that I also play ukes of different sizes and tunings, mandolin and fiddle (both tune different than guitar), 5 string banjo and yet another different tuning and an acoustic tenor guitar (yet one more different tuning an bass guitar. Different scale lengths? I guess. Never have had any problem switching between them. Each just feels normal for what it is and unique to itself.

[warfrat73]

It's the same as everything else I guess:
Practice.

Though, like so many other things, it seems to come more easily to some than to others.

Honestly I don't even notice. I do play daily (both barefinger and fingerpicks) on a different guitar every day so that may be a factor.

Now that you mention this I did create a thread about the insanity of different specs between my guitars: https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=607688

[Silly Moustache]

Nut widths - very important for me (mt thinnest fretboard (also a Waterloo) has a 1 & 3/4" nut width, and I;ve adjusted to it).

1 & 13/16" nut width to 2 & 3/8" is my ideal, hence my 12 fret preferences.

1 & 7/8" the minimum for 12 strings - 2" fine.
1 & 3/4" nuts are OK on archtops

1 &11/16" ... Nope!

[KevinH]

I know that it can be done, and many people can jump between 1-11/16" to 1-7/8" without skipping a beat. I can play a 1-11/16", but I find it annoying. Maybe with more practice? But there are so many nice guitars available now with just about any specs I could want I've decided to stick to one nut size.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

It's the same as everything else I guess:
Practice.

Though, like so many other things, it seems to come more easily to some than to others.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^

Varied practice is the the way to do it. Regularly switching guitars and playing styles during your daily practice, rather than playing one guitar for a week then picking up another and expecting to be at the same level of proficiency with it. Gradually, you will build up a broad skill base that will enable comfortable switching.

Just a thought about your approach: Switching guitar geometry and playing styles really should not be easy. Playing guitar is very fine motor skill involving precision and timing with primarily kinaesthetic and audio feedback. Learning to perform the same skill when those parameters change will involve an element of new learning. Expect it to feel awkward to switch guitars or from picks to fingers until you become skilled at speedily adapting to new feelings and sound.