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| 12 String string spacing http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=17679 |
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| Author: | j.Brown [ Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | 12 String string spacing |
I'm looking for some general guidelines on 12 string spacing, both at the nut and the bridge. Anyone? -j. |
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| Author: | donh [ Sat Jun 21, 2008 4:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 String string spacing |
1-15/16 at the nut, 2-3/8 to 2-1/2 at the bridge. Space the larger strings wider center-to-center to make the gap between the string sets about the same, adjust the spread at the bridge accoring to whether you want clean or jangly. I have the spacings I have on my 12 in a drawing program, and you are welcome to a copy should you wish. There are no standards for 12-strings, so you get to pick whatever seems to make sense to you at the time. I feel mine worked out really great, tho other opinions will of course vary. |
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| Author: | Steve Kinnaird [ Sat Jun 21, 2008 4:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 String string spacing |
j, I took a 12 to the GAL convention, and here's what I did: 1 7/8" nut, w/ the outermost E's 3/32" from the edge of the board. The courses themselves were 1/8" apart at the low E, and 3/32" apart at the treble e. This spacing varied as the strings got smaller. (Truth be told, I just followed the layout on the Ibex ruler for 12 string nut.) At the bridge, the outermost E's (total spread) was 2 7/16". I like to space the courses at 1/8" apart all along the bridge. You'll have to draw all this out, of course, but there is something like 5/16" between courses at the bridge. Hope this helps. Steve |
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| Author: | j.Brown [ Sun Jun 22, 2008 11:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 String string spacing |
Thanks for the responses. donh - I'd love to have a copy of that. email me or PM me with it. I appreciate it. -j. |
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| Author: | Todd Rose [ Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:03 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: 12 String string spacing |
J., I would recommend making the time and effort to get your hands on several 12 string guitars, play them, and take measurements (if this is for a customer, asking them if they've played several and which they like best should also, obviously, factor in). The thing with a double course instrument (stating the obvious again, here) is that the total spread of strings is considerably wider, and this really changes the feel and playability from a standard guitar. For example, I normally fret an ordinary A chord using my first finger alone, bent backward a bit at the first joint, pressing down all three strings. On any guitar with too wide a string spacing, I can't do that, and that throws a bit of a wrench into my playing. Other chords, for example, where I reach my pinky across to the lower strings while fretting on the higher strings with my other fingers, can also be difficult or impossible with a wide string spread. Most people who play mostly 6 string guitar would probably, I assume, want a 12 string that plays as much like a 6 string as possible (for the left hand, especially). So, if it were me, I'd probably begin by trying to determine just how closely I can space the strings without creating problems because they're TOO close. Checking out a bunch of existing 12 string guitars and seeing how they work with various spacings would be a good way to begin to figure stuff like that out. Without getting a good feel from, and measurements from, existing instruments, there's guesswork involved in the string spacing decisions you make (even if your guesses are informed by the recommendations of others) - that is to say, you're guessing about how it's actually going to feel to play your guitar - and you might not be so happy with the results. |
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