String spacing question

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:14 pm

Are there any standard nut widths, saddle widths, fretboard widths or string spacing at either end?

Not googling too well today.

Cheers Hip.

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:43 pm

G'day Hip and welcome.

Depends what sort of guitar.

Here's a link to a spreadsheet that'll give you a lot of information on the standard widths and string spacings for acoustice steel strings.

If you're after Electric or Classical specs I'll see if I can point you in the right direction but the Martin one is all I have.

Most of the electric guitar manufacturers - Fender Gibson etc will have specs on their site.

Martin Specifications

Bob

sebastiaan56 · Post by **sebastiaan56** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:43 pm

Hip,

Welcome to our community.

The short answer is not really what is the most comfortable to play. The long answer requires the question "which instrument?" then someone who knows what they are talking about will chime in,

Sebastiaan

ozziebluesman · Post by **ozziebluesman** » Mon May 19, 2008 4:47 pm

G'day Hip,

Buy one of these and save some hassle!

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Measu ... _Rule.html

You can have any width you like for a guitar neck. Finger style guitars are usually around the 1 3/4" mark where a dready is a little narrower while the classical is wider at around 2". These are only approximate widths.

Cheers

Alan

sebastiaan56 · Post by **sebastiaan56** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:01 pm

Hi Hip,

You can also make a jig for about 1c. On a fresh piece of paper measure out six dots at 3mm apart and then 75mm away measure out six dots at 10mm apart. Join the dots so you six lines fanning apart. Find the place where the lines are equidistant on your nut, saddle, bridge, whatever and mark off from that. Same for three, seven strings. For double courses, measure out double lines. Easy as and keeps the balance of trade a bit more equal.

Love the game of snap guys, Bob wins!

Sebastiaan

graham mcdonald · Post by **graham mcdonald** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:56 pm

It is worthwhile considering differing spaces between the strings to allow for the thickness of the string itself. Like a .056 bottom E is five times the thickness of the top e and if you adjust the spacing at the nut so the difference between the edges of the string stays the same it looks a little more elegant I think. Not crucial, but it does make a difference with double strung instruments

cheers

graham

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:33 pm

Yep, I use the SM spacer rule which compensates for string width like Graham suggests. I just use what I think is right. For me I play a lot of finger style so give myself a bit wider nut and i don't mind a bit more space for my picking fingers. So the fingerboard is around 44mm at the nut and 55mm at 12th fret. I also find the low E string is more likely to slip off the fret board, at least with my playing style, so I give a bit more space in from the edge for the low E string than the high E. Then just use the rule to divide up whats left.

All my guitars are slightly different but I am still looking for the perfect neck, string spacing, scale etc etc combination for me. Means I gotta keep making guitars for myself. What a bummer

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:18 pm

Welcome Hip,

You can take your measurements from a neck that you enjoy playing, or, as others recommend, go the stewmac ruler they are cool tools.

Cheers

Kim

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:45 pm

Hi Hip and welcome to the ANZLF!

The answer to your question is a resounding yes however people often do what every they wish in terms of string spacing.

This is one of the beauties of the hand-built guitar world - you can make it anyway you wish.

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Tue May 20, 2008 7:52 pm

Thanks for the help fellers. Love the Martin specs. And I also like the idea of taking string thicknesses into account.

I haven't built anything yet. I've got the wood for a uke, but I'm still in the process of scoring/scrounging tools. I assembled a pre-bent-pre-carved kit uke, and brush finished it with shellac. Feels like silk. Sounds nice too. Looks ordinary - pretty ratshit if you look close - even at a glance.

Hey, a mate has given me his bandsaw. I pick it up from Koroit on the weekend after Queen's birthday.

I have a $220 sheet of 19mm marine ply waiting. Well I didn't like the look of the knotty crap they had at Mitre 10 & Bunnings.

Make my own brew. Keg. Grouse.

Cheers Hip.

MetcalfGuitars · Post by **MetcalfGuitars** » Thu May 29, 2008 11:29 am

Hey guys, I have a nut slot spacing spreadsheet (works in MS Excell and OpenOfffice) I developed for my own use. It's simple to use and adaptable for any width nut.

it's free to all if I can just figure out how to post it on the forum. Is there someone that can walk me through posting files to share?

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Thu May 29, 2008 12:05 pm

Hi Tim

Email it to me and I'll put it on the webserver and we can link to it.

bob at connor dot net dot au

Bob

Dennis Leahy · Post by **Dennis Leahy** » Thu May 29, 2008 1:06 pm

Hey Tim, and thanks for the offer to share your spreadsheet!

Is your method to space strings so they have equal centers, or equal spacing between strings (taking string gauge into account), or some other method?

Looking forward to checking it out!

Dennis

MetcalfGuitars · Post by **MetcalfGuitars** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:15 pm

Hey Dennis,

My calc is equal spacing between strings. Basically you enter the inside dim between the two outer strings, input the string diameters of the 4 inner strings.....the calc will give you spacing 1 to 2, 1 to 3, 1 to 4 etc. I use it on every guitar.

I've emailed it to Bob so he will post it for all. Enjoy!

John Maddison · Post by **John Maddison** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 12:13 am

hi Bob

where would this forum newbie navigator find that link to the spreadsheet?
or am i missing the bleeding obvious this early on.
??

john fm

MetcalfGuitars · Post by **MetcalfGuitars** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 3:36 am

http://metcalfguitars.com/Tims_Nut_Spacer.xls

Hope this link works! Enjoy.
Tim

John Maddison · Post by **John Maddison** » Mon Jun 09, 2008 9:44 am

Thanks Tim, good work.
I only posted that request just before goin' to bed, and voila there's a reply when I wake up.

I LOVE technology - my kinda Forum!!!

John FM

Graham W · Post by **Graham W** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 8:46 pm

G'day Hip, from wintery New Zealand.

I make the width of the fingerboard at the nut to suit the player of the instrument - in my own case I like around 45mm for a steel string. I think you can personalize this measurement without too much worry.

If you're building steel string guitars and plan installing a pick-up under the saddle, keep in mind that many piezo type pick ups are designed to go under a 55mm string spacing at the saddle/bridge. If you go too far outside or inside of 55mm you will find an imbalance in output between the strings when amplified. Some under saddle pick-ups are active along their entire length. It would definitely pay to check the specs of the pick-up before deciding on the saddle string spacing as this will vary from make to make - also it will be wider for nylon/classical guitars.

I hope this is of some help. Good luck with your project.

Cheers

Graham W

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