Looking for advice on a fingerstyle guitar

[pandathumb]

I'm looking for advice on brands/models I should consider, and would appreciate any input. I currently have a Goodall, with standard string spacing of 1.75/2.25 at the nut and bridge and a C profile. Unfortunately when I wrap my thumb over to play bass notes (important when playing fingerstyle) my thumb hurts. I can keep this guitar for open tunings but need something else as a primary guitar.

I bought a used Collings OM1 and the soft V profile of the neck helps relieve the pain in my thumb but the spacing at the bridge is 1/16" narrower and the strings are just a bit too close to be comfortable for me. This lets me play without pain, but I do expect to buy a new guitar in the near term (and luckily I shouldn't lose much on the Collings). I also prefer the radius of the Goodall to the Collings, which has a compound radius and gets flatter as you move up the frets.

So my question is, which brands and models should I consider that have the spacing and neck profile I need and are suitable for a fingerstyle player with medium sized hands? I'm hoping to stay around the $5k range, I live in Jacksonville FL and I won't buy anything without being able to play it in person first but it's a long drive to go to a decent store with any kind of selection. So I'd like to have some specific models in mind before deciding where I'll drive to in order to start looking.

[Shadowfox]

I'd look at a Furch OM with a 48mm nut. They are very nice. However, you might have to custom order that, so don't know if that makes it an out for you.

[musicwu]

Try some Lakewood guitars. They usually have guitars with 44-46mm nut as standard but you can order custom ones with different nut width without extra charge. My limited personal experience is that their string spacing at nut is not always accurate and may need some work but that's simple. Their neck is comfortable. My playing style also requires lots of bass notes fretted by thumb, so I understand your pain. My current main guitar is a Maton EBG 808te and the neck is super comfortable for this playing style but from the horde of guitars you list here I don't think Maton's tone is your cup of tea.

Have you tried Lowdens/Avalons?

[dspoel]

If your thunb only frets the low E many guitars should work. I have medium size hands and play like that on my Martin CEO-7 as well as Gibson J15, more on the Martin though.

[gitarro]

Have you considered the buy and sell subforum? A 5k budget would be able to get you quite a few used solo luthier made guitars that would usually be selling at higher prices new. The following are only a selection of some relatively newer solo luthier made guitars within your budget on the first 3 pages of the subforum alone (I have no relation to these guitars and I havent played any of them before so I am just citing them as examples of what I mean):-

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=559200

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=558473

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=556956

You could arrange with the seller of a guitsr that is being offered for sale and that catches your fancy to try the guitar neck profile first to see if it suits your playing style.

[ChalkLitIScream]

I can suggest Furch, given they they are great fingerstyle instruments and have 43, 45 (standard) or 48mm nuts. They are also the only company I know of which have a wider string spacing option. 55 (2.16'') is standard, with 57mm(2.24'') as an option.

You are not going to find a standard model with custom nut widths or bridge spacing, though.
Within the 5k range, you should be able to do a custom build, but if you want to play it first, I guess that's not an option.

You can easily find some on the boutique market with your budget, so good luck

[tonyo]

I have an Epiphone EF-500 and it's easily my fav for fingerstyle. Why? The nut is 1 3/4z" and the string width at the saddle is 5mm wider than my Taylor GS-8.

That little bit of width makes a huge difference when playing fingerstyle.

Had a luthier make me a custom guitar earlier this year and he copied the widths at nut and saddle as well as the V profile. It's a dream to play.

[pandathumb]

Many thanks to everyone who posted suggestions... lots of good advice. I think I'm going to make the 7hr drive up to Dream Guitars so that I can play as many as possible and hopefully find the right guitar for me.