Increasing the width between strings

All things guitar, Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, Tokai, Ibanez etc. etc. etc.

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

Post Reply
User avatar
berg
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 130
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 19 times
Been liked: 40 times

Increasing the width between strings

Post by berg »

I've had this Hondo strat for a couple of years now and it plays really nicely. However, the space between the strings is a little on the narrow side for me. I've measured this against other guitars I have and they all have a little more width between the strings. The width between the strings is at it's smallest right by the nut, at the bridge it's slightly wider.

I only want to expand the width between the strings slightly so... would replacing the nut to a wider spaced one help to space the strings out more? Or to achieve spacing the strings wider involve replacing the nut, bridge, and possibly the whole neck? The neck and fingerboard don't look too thin to me, i think they have space to accommodate for a little more space between the strings.

Any advice appreciated.

Image
Image
Image
Last edited by berg on Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
berg
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 130
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 19 times
Been liked: 40 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by berg »

On reflection I probably should have put this in the guitar mods section, apologies admin

User avatar
Jay
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 7760
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 9:35 pm
Has liked: 1630 times
Been liked: 1297 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by Jay »

If you don't bend and don't play such that you would 'slide' off the frets, you can increase the gaps at the nut end easily. Moving both E strings 1mm closer to the edge will give you 0.4mm increase in the space between strings

For the bridge you could cut new grooves but I it appears the fatter strings are already on a funny angle disappearing into the body.

Edit - corrected a major spelling error
Last edited by Jay on Tue Jul 12, 2022 10:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40878
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7685 times
Been liked: 4157 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by jeremyb »

Do a Billy Gibbons and run a set of 7s on there, should gain a few microns between strings! :mrgreen:
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
calling card
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4279
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:56 am
Location: Hoodoo dump, BOP
Has liked: 855 times
Been liked: 274 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by calling card »

Been a while since I've explored this same thing. I think the American imperial gauging is wider than the Asian metric form.
2024; I have explored the extent of the perimeter dome, there is no escape. I am become Morpheus

User avatar
olegmcnoleg
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5542
Joined: Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:26 am
Location: Awkland
Has liked: 860 times
Been liked: 741 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by olegmcnoleg »

calling card wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 10:35 am Been a while since I've explored this same thing. I think the American imperial gauging is wider than the Asian metric form.
Yes, it is. It looks like you have a little room at the nut to widen the spacing...but as has been pointed out, be careful to not run them too close because the strings will be liable to shoot off the edge when you press down.

The proper way to fix the guitar at the bridge end is to get a US-sized bridge, take the old one off, dowel the holes, redrill the body for the new bridge (which will have different screw spacing)...done. This has the advantage that the string spacing will be correct before they get to the saddles, so tuning stability will be better.

The easy way to fix it is to just buy a set of US-sized vintage* saddles and fit those to your existing bridge. It will be a bit of a squash to get them in there, but they will fit. The strings will need to spread out a bit from the trem block to the saddles, which is not ideal, but it will give you the spacing you want.

*it won't work with modern saddles, they are too bulky.

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by Danger Mouse »

As others have mentioned, but from my own experience I have an 80's Charvel Model 4 that was built in the days before Charvel and Co. realised FR guitars should have slightly wider necks, so both high and low E are just a fraction too close to the edge of the fretboard. It means I need to play more gently when fretting on either E strings, otherwise I can easily pull them off the side of the fretboard, which is a pain and I don't play it much as a result. Looking at my guitar you can't tell, so it really is a small distance that makes a reasonable problem.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

User avatar
Bg
Site Admin
Posts: 43187
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 2254 times
Been liked: 3873 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by Bg »

Start with a new nut before you go down any other rabbit hole, get a luthier to cut you one with wider spacing.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

User avatar
Kris
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4087
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 1:52 pm
Location: Under a bridge,somewhere in chch.
Has liked: 124 times
Been liked: 386 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by Kris »

Danger Mouse wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 12:02 pm As others have mentioned, but from my own experience I have an 80's Charvel Model 4 that was built in the days before Charvel and Co. realised FR guitars should have slightly wider necks, so both high and low E are just a fraction too close to the edge of the fretboard. It means I need to play more gently when fretting on either E strings, otherwise I can easily pull them off the side of the fretboard, which is a pain and I don't play it much as a result. Looking at my guitar you can't tell, so it really is a small distance that makes a reasonable problem.
i have a guitar with a similar problem, but i think its just the wrong size Floyd nut. Low string goes north often if the music gets angry (which is 24/7 of course)

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by Danger Mouse »

Kris wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 12:43 pm
Danger Mouse wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 12:02 pm As others have mentioned, but from my own experience I have an 80's Charvel Model 4 that was built in the days before Charvel and Co. realised FR guitars should have slightly wider necks, so both high and low E are just a fraction too close to the edge of the fretboard. It means I need to play more gently when fretting on either E strings, otherwise I can easily pull them off the side of the fretboard, which is a pain and I don't play it much as a result. Looking at my guitar you can't tell, so it really is a small distance that makes a reasonable problem.
i have a guitar with a similar problem, but i think its just the wrong size Floyd nut. Low string goes north often if the music gets angry (which is 24/7 of course)
Apparently there is a Floyd (Pro I think) that is designed for narrower spacing, I've thought about getting one of those but I'd lose the originality of the Charvel.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

User avatar
berg
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 130
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 19 times
Been liked: 40 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by berg »

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I reckon I'll try a wider spaced nut to start with and see how that goes.

BG suggested getting a luthier to cut a new nut, any ballpark idea how much a basic nut would cost?

User avatar
Bg
Site Admin
Posts: 43187
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 2254 times
Been liked: 3873 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by Bg »

not sure what the charge is these days, I do all my own nut work. I can do you one if you want, I'll charge in beers lol You'll need a blank though, I'm all out of stock!

I should visit my butcher, but I only ever see him when I want sausage casings or bone for nuts, I feel guilty ;) I'll have a hunt in the basement just in case I have one squirreled away somewhere.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

User avatar
berg
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 130
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 19 times
Been liked: 40 times

Re: Increasing the width between strings

Post by berg »

Bg wrote: Sun Jul 17, 2022 4:29 pm not sure what the charge is these days, I do all my own nut work. I can do you one if you want, I'll charge in beers lol You'll need a blank though, I'm all out of stock!

I should visit my butcher, but I only ever see him when I want sausage casings or bone for nuts, I feel guilty ;) I'll have a hunt in the basement just in case I have one squirreled away somewhere.
That'd be brilliant BG! I'm currently out of commission with the corona (not the beer or chorus pedal unforch) but will pm you when I'm fighting fit

Post Reply