Nut widths

[NickHorne]

I know I like 1 11/16" (43mm) nuts; I can get along with this width OK.
And with the wider heel of G&L necks, I don't get the "falling off" feeling I get with Fender necks.
BUT I'm tempted to try a custom with a 1 3/4" (44.5mm) nut, which would be like my favourite acoustic's width. But although I've done the math for string spacing along the neck, and this tells me the strings are still just a little further in from the edges up the top of neck, compared to a Fender neck with a 1 11/16 nut, this is not by such a big margin that I feel super-confident about ordering.
Does anyone have experience of a G&L with a 1 3/4" nut width that you could share? In particular, are strings getting close to the edge higher up the neck, or is it still nice and roomy feeling? I really find the wider G&L heel is a big help (struggle to adapt to how the top end of a Fender neck feels after playing G&L) and rather dread erasing this asset just for a little bit more room at the nut end.

[Lazer]

I just refitted my Asat classic with a Graph tech Tusq PQ-5000-00.
It measures 1 11/16, but the string spacing was a little bit wider
then the original nut. It works but it it's a close cut. I installed
it a little bit closer on the low end.

Order both, then size them correctly. The trick is to have a tight
fit, then You can play without gluing it in. Then after a day or
two when You are sure it works glue it in, but real light so it's
easy to tap it out next time.

Cheers
L-zr

Edit: I meant the neck width as well, This nut need to be "width fitted" as well

[NickHorne]

Lazer, thanks for your reply.
I had in fact meant the width of the actual neck at the nut; G&L offer various neck options (guitar), two of which are wider than their usual 1 5/8". You can order 1 11/16" or 1 3/4".
This is one of those personal guitar things that's hard to pin down.
I'm sure I could use any of them just fine, I just find 1 5/8" a bit tight, I know I like 1 11/16, but wondered whether anyone might share their experience with a 1 3/4, which I haven't tried.

[darwinohm]

Nick, another thought is if you like a 1 3/4 neck and would like more space along the edge of the neck with the closer string spacing you could install a 1 11/16 nut on the 1 3/4 neck and end up with a bit more room on the edges.-- Darwin

[astutzmann]

I have neck 3, 1 11/16 on my asat special. I really like the extra spacing. Feels very comfortable compared to the 1 5/8.

It still had a problem with the high e string going off the edge of the fretboard. My luthier cut a new nut for it, with the high e slightly further in from the edge and the problem went away.

I haven't tried a 1 3/4 neck, but the difference between 1 5/8 and 1 11/16 was bigger than I thought it would be, its noticeable, especially down low, so I would wonder if 1 3/4 is just too wide.

Would be nice to try one for sure.

Alf

[NickHorne]

Thanks!
Glad you got your nut right, it's always personal but takes experimenting until you find what suits best.
The close-to-the-edge issue that I am most concerned about is up above the octave. G&L's heel is 1/16 wider than Fender's, and I love the extra space and security that it gives there (I pray they never make the heel narrower!!) A nut width of 1 11/16" still leaves plenty of room up around the heel, but my math tells me that the string-to-edge distance at, say, 19th fret and above, is getting a bit too Fender-y for (this person's) comfort if the nut is 1 3/4".
But I suppose I'm hoping someone will write and say it's great, don't worry, just do it!
+ Thanks Darwin for your very good idea; though probably not my personal solution, I'm more after spacing between the strings in lower positions (without, as I say, losing too much fingerboard higher up).
By way of example, Clarence White's "Nashville West" has around 70 (seventy) whole-tone bends of the G string at the second fret, lots of them with the open B string also sounding. Getting this clean on 1 5/8" is not favourite, at least for my fingertips. And it wears the fingertip pretty hard even when there is room to do it OK.

[NickHorne]

P.S.
As Alf says, re the 1 3/4 neck, it would be nice to try one!
But not very likely here in the UK; there might be half-a-dozen no 4 necks over here somewhere, but there very well might not be. Hence this enquiry of mine to gather opinion.

[louis cyfer]

I have neck 3, 1 11/16 on my asat special. I really like the extra spacing. Feels very comfortable compared to the 1 5/8.

It still had a problem with the high e string going off the edge of the fretboard. My luthier cut a new nut for it, with the high e slightly further in from the edge and the problem went away.

I haven't tried a 1 3/4 neck, but the difference between 1 5/8 and 1 11/16 was bigger than I thought it would be, its noticeable, especially down low, so I would wonder if 1 3/4 is just too wide.

Would be nice to try one for sure.

Alf

i found that the high e close to the edge helped me with my technique a lot. had to pay attention to properly fret the notes, pressure from top, not sideways, also lighter touch, less tension. helped my playing greatly and it has not been an issue. now when i get a guitar where i fall off easy first, i look at it as an opportunity to improve and within a few weeks i adjust and never fall off. try it.

[NickHorne]

Absolutely agree, up to a point that I cannot change, which is to do with bending technique of catching the E string at the top of bending the B string up, and then letting B down while bending E up. This needs enough room to ensure good intonation of the B bend.
E near the edge at the nut, I like. Just as you say, you can adjust to a guitar that's like that and then it's actually better, + makes the max of spacing at the narrow end.