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  #1  
Old 02-17-2020, 08:01 AM
Hamptonguitar Hamptonguitar is offline
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Default Changing necks on acoustic guitars.

I have a gorgeous sounding old Gurian acoustic guitar, but, at 1 10/16 the nut width is just too narrow to work with any longer from a playing perspective.

How much of a problem would changing out the neck be to give me a 1 13/16 or 1 7/8 nut width?

Is this a non- starter of an idea, one that’s too risky in terms of tonal outcome/playability etc. Or is it relatively straightforward.

Opinions welcome.

Thanks.
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Old 02-17-2020, 08:24 AM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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Big job, last one i did cost them about 1k to do

Steve
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Old 02-17-2020, 09:08 AM
RustyAxe RustyAxe is offline
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What would be the implication to the string spacing at the saddle and peg hole spacing?
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Old 02-17-2020, 09:11 AM
jazzizm jazzizm is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyAxe View Post
What would be the implication to the string spacing at the saddle and peg hole spacing?


Those might have to be re-reamed, too. Unless you want to have parallel strings from nut to saddle

I would consider it a new guitar for only a thousand bucks if you have a new neck made.
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Old 02-17-2020, 09:29 AM
Hamptonguitar Hamptonguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mirwa View Post
Big job, last one i did cost them about 1k to do

Steve
What guitar was that? Good outcome?
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Old 02-17-2020, 05:40 PM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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What guitar was that? Good outcome?
Maton and IMO perfect.

Steve
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Old 02-19-2020, 12:17 AM
tadol tadol is offline
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I’m pretty sure Gurians have a rather unique neck joint, so it isn’t as straightforward a process as you might want. Very few luthiers would either be able to (or probably want to) duplicate it. Someone might be able to cut a dovetail in, or might be able to convert it to a bolt-on, but it would be a bit of a project. I’d be concerned about the end result, and would recommend you seriously consider what your options might be if you were to take what you could get if you sold the Gurian, plus what it might cost to modify, and went shopping for a used guitar that had the specs you wanted. You might be able to buy something pretty darn nice -
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Old 02-19-2020, 01:36 PM
Stomp Stomp is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamptonguitar View Post
I have a gorgeous sounding old Gurian acoustic guitar, but, at 1 10/16 the nut width is just too narrow to work with any longer from a playing perspective.
I have a '77 Gurian J-M which I would never sell, nothing sounds quite like it and they are not easy to find. My suggestion would be to increase the gauge of strings used, tune down and put a good capo on the second fret.
A lot less $$$ and you don't have to get surgical on that beautiful Gurian.
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Old 02-19-2020, 01:48 PM
Shuksan Shuksan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyAxe View Post
What would be the implication to the string spacing at the saddle and peg hole spacing?
String spacing at the nut and string spacing at the saddle are independent of each other.
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Old 02-19-2020, 06:04 PM
Hamptonguitar Hamptonguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stomp View Post
I have a '77 Gurian J-M which I would never sell, nothing sounds quite like it and they are not easy to find. My suggestion would be to increase the gauge of strings used, tune down and put a good capo on the second fret.
A lot less $$$ and you don't have to get surgical on that beautiful Gurian.
That’s good advice. Thanks.
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  #11  
Old 02-19-2020, 06:05 PM
Hamptonguitar Hamptonguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tadol View Post
I’m pretty sure Gurians have a rather unique neck joint, so it isn’t as straightforward a process as you might want. Very few luthiers would either be able to (or probably want to) duplicate it. Someone might be able to cut a dovetail in, or might be able to convert it to a bolt-on, but it would be a bit of a project. I’d be concerned about the end result, and would recommend you seriously consider what your options might be if you were to take what you could get if you sold the Gurian, plus what it might cost to modify, and went shopping for a used guitar that had the specs you wanted. You might be able to buy something pretty darn nice -
That’s thoughtful. Thanks.
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