Tech: Proportional string spacing for guitar

Subject: Tech: Proportional string spacing for guitar
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Nov 22 - 05:05 AM

It is commonplace when making a guitar nut to space the strings equally - that is to say to give the same distance from string centre to string centre. This means that the distances clear between the strings varies - widest between B string and top E and narrowest between bottom E and A. It seems that it is nowadays regarded as better practice to provide constant clearances between strings, which in turn means that the distance between each string centre and the next varies: greatest between bottom E and A and least between B and top E.

The clever people at Stew-Mac, who make tools to solve problems you didn't even know existed, do a clever ruler to ease making a proportionally-spaced nut. But it is not cheap and hard to justify for one guitar I bought off ebay mainly to see if the seller could (as he propounded) do a good neck set. The answer to that was "meh" and although he had made new bone saddle and nut not only were there a bunch of buzzes and rattles but also the nut was not proportionally spaced. And I like brass nuts and saddles anyway.

Brass saddle is easy off ebay. It IS possible to get copy OM1 nuts which would fit perfectly but (a) they are plastic and (b) they are also dearer than other ready-made nuts. So here I am trying to make a proportionally-spaced brass nut.

With the aid of a spreadsheet it is fairly simple to calculate the locations of the string centres, but cutting the slots to calculated measurements would demand great accuracy. And then I had an idea. I might even get around to trying to implement it this weekend.

First - decide how close to the edges of the frets you want the top and bottom E. I tend to play 12-56 strings and do not do string bending, but I do like to be able easily to fret the bottom E with my thumb. So I want the E's closer to the edges of the fingerboard than maybe is normal. So here's the plan. First measure the distance between the two Es. Cut the top E slot. Now add up the total of all string gauges. deduct that from the distance between the two Es. Divide by 5. The B and top E being thin you can use that to locate the B. Cut the B slot. Now using a bit of scrap wood or plastic, make a spacer that exactly fits between the B and top E. Then use the spacer to locate the G. Cut the G slot. Then use the spacer to locate the D. Cut the D slot. Repeat for A and E slots. You should now have proportional string spacing with the bottom E just a fraction closer to that edge of the neck than the top E.

Before I do it has anyone a good reason why not?

Subject: RE: Tech: Proportional string spacing for guitar
From: GUEST,Nick Dow
Date: 12 Nov 22 - 05:29 AM

No, not at all. That said be aware that if you capo up to 3 or above, you may possibly find that your bass E will slip against the fret endings. Maybe even slip over, but only when you use a capo, and only possibly. Well done for mentioning Stew-Mac's ruler. I find it invaluable. Your descriptions are excellent, and I am a bit rushed. I'm sure Mudcatters might like further details.

Subject: RE: Tech: Proportional string spacing for guitar
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 12 Nov 22 - 06:17 AM

I have never seen that mentioned at Crimson Guitars, and Ben Crowe is a master luthier!!!!!!!