Nut with uneven string spacing

gerryjazzman · #1 02-11-2007, 06:47 PM

This is part of my post on the Bass Guitar forum, but I thought I would ask this here since it is a potential repair issue.

I just bought a Brice Z6 fretless bass and it suprisingly came with a brass nut. Didn't expect this on an inexpensive instrument. Anyway, the weird thing about it is that the string spacing is uneven

. At the bass end (B, E, A) it is 3/8 inch and as you go towards the treble end (D, G, C) it is ¼ inch. Was someone drinking on the job when they cut this nut, or is this sometimes done on wide multistring (i.e. 6 or more string) necks? I was thinking about replacing it and making the spacing even, but I wanted to ask first. It's playable but a bit annoying. Thanks.

emils · #2 02-11-2007, 07:03 PM

Are you measuring at the string centre or between strings?

gerryjazzman · #3 02-11-2007, 07:11 PM

I was measuring the string centers right over the nut.

Dan1099 · #4 02-11-2007, 07:16 PM

Most basses are set up with equal gaps, not equal center-to-center spacing. This is more obvious visually on a 6 string, but "feels right," where as an equal center-to-center bass "looks right" but "feels wrong" if you catch my drift.

madlee · #5 02-18-2007, 06:27 PM

I've got this same problem on my MIM p-bass. The G string is very close to the edge of the fretboard, so sometimes if I'm too vigorous, the string actually comes off the fretboard. All the strings are spaced differently. I'm a beginner on bass, so I didn't notice it when I got it. Other than that, it's been great.