Nut width ... how big a factor in chosing your guitars??

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Scott Timberg on July 23, 2011 at 10:41pm

Richard Thompson a bog Drop-D guy too. Does things with it John Denver could only dream of.

Permalink Reply by Dean Tyler on July 24, 2011 at 12:30am

Thanks, I will check it out.

Permalink Reply by Dean Tyler on July 24, 2011 at 9:23am

Thanks for introducing me to the power cords, now I know what the hack the others are talking about LOL.

Permalink Reply by Scott Timberg on July 23, 2011 at 10:40pm

I did not measure it, but the Entourage I almost bought has the best neck and nut (for my size/shape hand) of any guitar I've ever played... Want to own one someday.

Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on July 23, 2011 at 10:43pm

Scott, I agree.  I own the S-6 with the 1.8 nut, but I have large hands and fingers.  Seagull Entourage models are all 1.72 inch nut, still a wider nut than most standard guitars offer.  That combined with the shape of the Seagull neck makes for a really comfortable playing experience.

Permalink Reply by Scott Timberg on July 24, 2011 at 9:29am

My overall sense of Seagull is that they respect tradition but are not wedded to it and keep trying to make their guitars more resonant and playable... They seem like they're working hard to make the best axes possible. I had a blast playing my dad's and brother's recently.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Collins on July 31, 2011 at 10:21am

I just gave an Ovation Celebrity to my Daughter in Law because the nut width was so narrow. I normally play a Martin D-28 but wanted the Ovation to travel with. I played one in a store in Portland and didn't think there was much of a difference until I bought one through mail-order. Big mistake! I learned a lesson not to buy anything I can't put my hands on. The Ovation specs were the same as the Martin as far as nut size, but it definetly was not. My Seagull S12 is perfect; I'm sure a Seagull S6 would be good as well. Didn't know each manufacturer was different and didn't know the same manufacturer could be different.

Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on August 6, 2011 at 6:53pm

Jeff ... I found out to my surprise that nut width is only one concern and that string spacing is probably more important.  My Seagull S-6 has a 1.8 inch nut and my Martin DCPA4 has a 1.75 inch nut.  Surprisingly they both have the exact same string spacing.  The Seagull just has a little more room on each edge of the fretboard for the E strings.

Permalink Reply by Scott Timberg on August 6, 2011 at 9:45pm

That spacing can make a difference. Hard to explain, but it keeps me from accidentally muting the high E.

Permalink Reply by Richard Lee Norris on October 25, 2012 at 2:45am

I had the same experience when I bought a Larrivee several years ago. It has a 1.75" nut (1 3/4) but the strings were set out with the top e so close to the edge that the fleshy part of my lower index finger would mute the string on certain chords or runs, as you have described. So within 30 minutes of owning this relatively (for me) expensive guitar, I had her on the bench and replaced the tusq nut with a bone one with a new string layout. So when I decided I wanted a smaller guitar, nut width was a factor and my Seagull cedar folk is just the bees knees. I love everything about it and the Larrivee has taken second place in my armoury. I will keep it though because I believe that solid wood guitars will become something of a rarity in the not too distant future, and someone in my family might be grateful.

Permalink Reply by FloridaGull on August 7, 2011 at 10:10am

That little bit of real estate is helpful for me as well!

Permalink Reply by Chuck Hydrick on October 24, 2012 at 9:56pm

Hope ya'll don't mind the thread resurrection. Being new here, I just found this and wanted to add my 2 cents.

Nut width has become the single biggest factor (other than expense) in deciding which acoustic guitars I would even consider buying. The 1.75" nut on my Martin has spoiled me for anything narrower. Interestingly, I don't mind (and even prefer) skinny necks on electrics. Probably because cleanly fretting open chords on an electric is generally easier (and likely not as important when playing The Who, AC/DC, VanHalen, etc.)

When looking for a relatively inexpensive (yet high quality) "second" acoustic, I was thrilled to find the Seagull Maritime MJ. There seems to be VERY few guitars under the $1000 mark that offer the wider nut width. Which in reality is probably a good thing for me, as it helps keep my GAS in check.

P.S. - I've got a Taylor Big Baby that I've had for about a decade now. I'm pretty sure I would have spent a lot more time with it if it had the wider nut of its more expensive siblings.

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