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What is a good machine head spacing for 12 string. I have a harmony that is 4.6" ish. I'm thinking more like 5" ish.
I'm using Schaller 506a mini. Is there a string winder out there that works on 12 strings?

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Mike McNerney

I used vintage style Klusons like on a strat on one I did. So 4 11/16ths seems to work well for those.

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You just pick up a chord, go twang, and you're got music. -Sid Vicious

I used 5" with minis, comfy spacing.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I think that 4.61 (0.922 between posts) is pretty common for the industry. Both StewMac's six on a plate paddle head and slot head tuners use that spacing, I did on both of my 12 strings



I used mini Grovers on mine and happen to hate the big washers, I would change the tuners but there is already an imprint in the lacquer. I think I can get my little plastic string winder between the knobs, but I honestly don't find stringing or tuning either guitar the hassle that people seem to think it is.

I did make drilling jigs for both guitars - it was very important on the slot head to have the spacing exact so there wouldn't be any binding





Last comment - the paddle head is an OM body and long Martin scale, it (barely) fits in a standard case - if the head was any longer it would require a custom case. The slot head is a very long scale 000 and did require a custom case. Just one of those minor things that I like to think about before I start building.

thanks all. I've gone with 5.125. cause I find the standard ones hard to tune so close together. mines a 12th fret at the body so it may look a bit oversize but it fit's in the case.

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Mike McNerney