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I am curious about what is the common nut width for a bazouki. I`m sure they are narrower than a guitar, yes?

thanks in advance
Matt

wider than a mando, but narrower than a guitar.

there are 4 pairs of strings,

my last build had a 42mm nut, 34mm accross the widest strings.

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Matt,

Really it is all down to personal player preference. The Fylde and McIlroy 25.5" scale length bouzoukis I have are around 36 to 37mm nut width. At the saddle string width (outside edge of outer string) varies from 46-50mm. Most people like this as they can play chordal stuff and if they are used to mandolins, melody stuff fits easily. I am at the "extreme", however, as I'm used to fingerstyle guitars and built my own guitar-bouzouki with a 42mm nut width and 60mm saddle string spacing. Works for me.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

I am finishing a guitar bouzoki now, it has a 38 mm nut.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Hey Matt,
I finished up a guitar bouzouki last year too. I used Graham McDonalds book, but built it very different. His book shows a 34mm nut and a 44mm between middle of outer strings at the bridge. I made mine 36mm at the nut(36mm is the width of the nut, not the outer strings) and my bridge outer strings are 47mm. This seems to work great for me. The string spacing between strings at the nut is: (GDAD tuning) G strings 3.5mm in from nut edge, 3.5mm between strings, and then 7mm to the D string. Then the D string spacing is 3mm between strings, then 6mm to the A string. Then 2mm between the double A strings, and then 5.5mm to the high D. 2 mm between those strings, then 2 mm to edge of nut. Let me know if you need the bridge spacing too. My hands are getting tired Forgot to mention that this is for double strings as opposed to octave strings on the low G & D.
Tracy LuthierSupplier39108.7319675926

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Rodger that, thanks guys.

great info.