Increasing string spacing

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Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

Increasing string spacing

I have a luthier made guitar and Ricardo Sanchis 2AF - I find the latter more comfortable to play and realised it was largely down to string spacing.

Luthier made guitar has 12 hole tieblock
string spacing at bridge=56mm
spacing at nut=41mm
Fretboard width at nut=51mm
Fretboard width at 12th fret=60mm

Sanchis measurenents are:
string spacing at bridge=59.5mm
spacing at nut=42mm
Fretboard width at nut=51mm
Fretboard width at 12th fret=62mm

I'd like your thoughts on how feasible it is to have the string spacing on my luthier made guitar increased.

Cutting a nut with a 1mm wider spacing is I'm sure a no brainer ...but the bridge issue concerns me. I am assuming that adding say 3mm to the spacing (making a new tie block, I presume?) would be a problem without the fretboard width higher up the neck to accommodate it.

Thoughts?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 3 2013 6:36:17

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: Increasing string spacing (in reply to Blondie#2)

Have you seen these threads?

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=236023&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=235955&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

56mm is small and 59.5 is big. I would say 58mm is a good compromise.

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Kevin Richards

http://www.facebook.com/#!/kevin.richards.1048554

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 3 2013 8:28:00

Blondie#2

Posts: 530
Joined: Sep. 14 2010

RE: Increasing string spacing (in reply to krichards)

Ah the first one yes, the second one no, thanks for that. Interesting that Tele had exact same issue and measurements as me.

Seems general consensus is to replace bridge, which is going to be very expensive. I guess Orson's replaced tie block is an option too, though my question was really about the feasibility anyway considering my neck width - 60mm at 12th fret. From what you're suggesting (increase spacing to 58mm_ it looks like i'd have to pay a lot to get not quite what I want, so maybe best option is to sell.

Damn, I hate selling nice guitars

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 3 2013 9:58:02

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: Increasing string spacing (in reply to Blondie#2)

quote:

Damn, I hate selling nice guitars

Think of it as an opportunity to buy another guitar

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Kevin Richards

http://www.facebook.com/#!/kevin.richards.1048554

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 3 2013 11:30:45

tele

Posts: 1464
Joined: Aug. 17 2012

RE: Increasing string spacing (in reply to krichards)

59 might be big but it hits the spot to some players. My favourite is 60mm.

I have for sale a 59mm hole drilling block. I filled the old 56spacing holes with black epoxy and round rosewood 1.5mm sticks and redrilled with 1.5mm drill bit with extension with electric drill. Worked perfectly.

Selling a guitar that you like or making a new tie block(which I considered) seems too difficult when you can just redrill with proper jig.

I have 60.5mm fb width at 12th fret and 59mm has enough clearance on both sides. You can also drill so that treble has bit more than bass

here is my ad: http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=239372&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 3 2013 15:29:41

constructordeguitarras

Posts: 1677
Joined: Jan. 29 2012
From: Seattle, Washington, USA

RE: Increasing string spacing (in reply to Blondie#2)

I find that 5 mm between the center of the first string and the edge of the fb is necessary for many players to avoid pulling the string off the fb when doing ligados.

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Ethan Deutsch
www.edluthier.com
www.facebook.com/ethandeutschguitars
www.youtube.com/marioamayaflamenco
I always have flamenco guitars available for sale.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Sep. 4 2013 0:50:18