1 11/16 Nut...Why?

[Macpage]

Agree with everyone stating it's more than just nut width.

Of the four guitars with 1-11/16" in the house, there are some I like better than others. The neck profile, neck taper, string spacing on either end, string spacing method, and fretboard edges all contribute.

The guitar I enjoy playing the most has my favorite or close to favorite specification in all of the above. Of course, I can play other specifications. Yet, I play longer and more comfortably on my favorite. This is the most important factor for me presently because the extra time facilitates improvement. That's a good thing.

Best,

Mac

[KevinH]

Originally Posted by Terry_D

… They obviously believe 1 3/4 to be preferable because it's what they put on all their US made models. So what, if you're not willing to pay 2000.00 and up you don't deserve what they obviously consider better? …

Breedlove does the same thing. All of their lower cost models, made outside the US, have 1-11/16” nuts. Only their Made in Bend models have 1-3/4”. Probably had something to do with production costs. But still kind of odd.

[Joe Beamish]

I grudgingly got used to 1 3/4” once it became basically standard for quality acoustic guitars.

The switch away from 1 11/16” never made sense to me. Too many fantastic “finger style” guitarists had already excelled at the narrower width. Everybody from Big Bill Broonzy to Doc Watson to Bert Jansch. Not exactly “rhythm players” (that condescending epithet.) Nor did most electric lead guitar players ply their intricate trade on wider necks.

Neither do I buy the “smaller hands” argument. Lightnin’ Hopkins had monster mitts, as did Jimi Hendrix, as does Tommy Emmanuel. They didn’t need wider necks.

That said, I got used to 1 3/4” after a couple years of playing only that size.

[Russ C]

It’s probably been said but .. nearly all our electric guitars and most of our prized acoustics are 1 11/16”. Why would we want to get used to something different?
Sometimes it’s good to cover 2 strings with one finger - and 1/16” is a tiny bit easier.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by Russ C

It’s probably been said but .. nearly all our electric guitars and most of our prized acoustics are 1 11/16”. Why would we want to get used to something different?
Sometimes it’s good to cover 2 strings with one finger - and 1/16” is a tiny bit easier.

I love using one finger to play two strings in the open E chord, for example. I never do otherwise. It frees up my ring finger to play lines on the treble strings. I can do it on a 1 3/4” neck, but it took awhile to feel natural.

Meanwhile I don’t notice any advantage to the wider neck, and I have fat fingers. If anything, I suspect that my flat picking is slower than it would be on a narrower neck, not that I care much about accessing extra speed.

[Blackmore Fan]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Bob

How do you feel about capos?

IF we're going to go there, its been curious to me why so many well known guitarists use capos on acoustics but shun them with electrics?

[Mirosh]

The undertold part of the story: the string spacing E-to-e, and between each string. You feel that as much or more than you feel the nut and fingerboard width.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by Mirosh

The undertold part of the story: the string spacing E-to-e, and between each string. You feel that as much or more than you feel the nut and fingerboard width.

The width of the neck seems to correspond to the distance between the strings on the fretboard. So yeah it’s both factors.

[Bob56R]

I own a Gallagher Doc Watson. The factory spec on this guitar is a 1.75 nut. This model was created as per Doc's request. Prior to Doc becoming famous, he played electric guitar in a band, and played fiddle tunes on it. After playing one of Don Gallagher's first guitars for several years, at some point he requested a neck which matched that of his old electric. He liked the wider neck. It's been mentioned here that the closer string spacing is better for flat picking fiddle tunes. Nobody played fiddle tunes faster than Doc. The wider neck didn't bother him. I want to add that my Doc Watson guitar's finger spacing is actually wider than 1.75. The string spacing at the nut is 40mm. I have a couple other guitars with 1.75 nuts and they are noticeably not as wide as my Gallagher. At the saddle my Gallagher is 56mm. It's really no wider at that end of the guitar. My hands are big and I like the spacing. I've actually widened the spacing at the saddle to 58mm by notching my saddle, but that's a whole another story.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by Bob56R

I own a Gallagher Doc Watson. The factory spec on this guitar is a 1.75 nut. This model was created as per Doc's request. Prior to Doc becoming famous, he played electric guitar in a band, and played fiddle tunes on it. After playing one of Don Gallagher's first guitars for several years, at some point he requested a neck which matched that of his old electric. He liked the wider neck. It's been mentioned here that the closer string spacing is better for flat picking fiddle tunes. Nobody played fiddle tunes faster than Doc. The wider neck didn't bother him. I want to add that my Doc Watson guitar's finger spacing is actually wider than 1.75. The string spacing at the nut is 40mm. I have a couple other guitars with 1.75 nuts and they are noticeably not as wide as my Gallagher. At the saddle my Gallagher is 56mm. It's really no wider at that end of the guitar. My hands are big and I like the spacing. I've actually widened the spacing at the saddle to 58mm by notching my saddle, but that's a whole another story.

I’ve never seen Doc Watson play any other guitar than a 1 11/16” neck.

[kizz]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Maybe it's just me but why on earth would an acoustic come with a 1 11/16 nut, I feel the same way about an acoustic with a cutaway....as I would want neither at all.

Anyway just got an email from Eastman saying... The new E20OOSS/v -SB models are are shipping out to dealers across the US now... and I've been looking for an E20 OO SB 1 13/16 nut please

Some are very sensitive about the 2mm difference from a 1 3/4 nut, most are not. I could understand if your astonishment was about neckshapes that has a much bigger impact on how a neck feels.
By the way, i have a custom made 1 11/16 nut on my MLO with PT ( original 1 3/4 ) which works fine...

[Silurian]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

Maybe it's just me but why on earth would an acoustic come with a 1 11/16 nut, I feel the same way about an acoustic with a cutaway....as I would want neither at all.

I know what you mean. I've got a 55" TV, I can't understand why anyone would want a different size.

[Kyle215]

Originally Posted by Bob56R

I own a Gallagher Doc Watson. The factory spec on this guitar is a 1.75 nut. This model was created as per Doc's request. Prior to Doc becoming famous, he played electric guitar in a band, and played fiddle tunes on it. After playing one of Don Gallagher's first guitars for several years, at some point he requested a neck which matched that of his old electric. He liked the wider neck. It's been mentioned here that the closer string spacing is better for flat picking fiddle tunes. Nobody played fiddle tunes faster than Doc. The wider neck didn't bother him. I want to add that my Doc Watson guitar's finger spacing is actually wider than 1.75. The string spacing at the nut is 40mm. I have a couple other guitars with 1.75 nuts and they are noticeably not as wide as my Gallagher. At the saddle my Gallagher is 56mm. It's really no wider at that end of the guitar. My hands are big and I like the spacing. I've actually widened the spacing at the saddle to 58mm by notching my saddle, but that's a whole another story.

I mentioned that I preferred the narrower width for fiddle tunes. Others may prefer a wider one… both are valid. Billy Strings has smallish hands like me and his signature models have the 1 11/16. Bryan Sutton plays vintage Martins, too.

[Honkycat]

I only wear medium sized shirts and I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would want or need any other size.

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by Honkycat

I only wear medium sized shirts and I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would want or need any other size.

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