Acoustic Nut Width

[Communist Monk]

Recently been bought a Martin Custom Shop 000-28 on ebay by parent. Unfortunately he didnt notice to tell me one of the custom shop alterations was that it had a 1 3/4 nut width instead of 1 11/16th. I didnt really think about it too much since i have quite large hands, and fat fingers - i felt it would mean i'd hit duff strings less. However, i'm a bit unsure now as to it's playability for me: my parent phoned me up (i'm staying somewhere elsze for crimbo), to tell me it had arrived, and he'd checked to see if it was okay, and that he felt the neck was too far for him. Now this parent (my dad), has massive hands - like me. So now i'm really worried about it being too wide.

My question is how much of a real difference does the 1/3/4 make over a 1/11/16ths neck?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Acoustic Nut Width

I can feel it! I have medium hands...not big or small. 1 3/4" feels uncomfortable to me because I have a hard time wrapping my thumb around the neck to fret the low E comfortably.

I have one of those Martin's, BTW. Mine does not have a 1 3/4" wide nut. Mine feels very comfortable.

Martin ships with high action at the bridge and nut. I'll bet you could have the action lowered and make the guitar alot more comfortable.

lew

 

[Rstlessone]

Re: Acoustic Nut Width

Yeah I can feel it as well. But on an acoustic I actually prefer it. When you think about it its really only 1/16 th of an inch across six strings, but you can tell its there. I also have fat fingers and the 1 3/4 inch width is better for me.

Hope it works out, those acoustics are awesome, congrats.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Acoustic Nut Width

I think any player will notice the difference between 1 11/16ths vrs. 1 3/4". But I think what most people are noticing is the difference in string spacing more so than the width of the nut. The primary reason for a wider nut is to make the guitar easier to fingerpick. I have a Santa Cruz OM which has a 1 3/4" nut, and I have a Santa Cruz Tony Rice which has 1 11/16ths. Martin typically as well as other builders make a thinner nut width on large body guitars. The D28, D18, D35 all have a 1 11/16th width, where the 000, and OM sizes are usually 1 3/4". Again small body guitars are better suited for finger style playing than the larger bodies because of this (and other reasons). Larger body guitars such as the "D" have a tendency to be boomier than a small body, yet they produce more volume when you hit them hard. This is one primary reasom why a D28 has been the go to guitar for bluegrass players for so long. This is not to say that one cannot use a large body for fingerpicking. I just feel it is easier to fingerpick on a smaller guitar due to string spacing, and the small size reacts...... differently to your touch than a big body does! It doesn't hurt to have both. Good luck, this is a really great guitar you have aquired!! and don't worry about the neck after a few weeks of playing it you will hardly notice the difference!

 

[rspst14]

Re: Acoustic Nut Width

On an electric, I can tell the difference between a 1 5/8 and a 1 11/16 nut. I much prefer 1 11/16, but I think 1 3/4 might be a bit too wide for me. Play it and see, that's the only way to know for sure.

Ryan