4 string basses with narrower string spacing?

[GIBrat51]

With a steel machinist's rule; string center to string center at the nut. And, you're referring to nut width, not string spacing. So, sorry; not wrong - it's just why lots of people don't like them, and why the strings on more "modern" basses aren't that close together any more...

 

[RyanOh]

String spacing specifications like 16.5mm or 19mm refer to the distance at the bridge from center to center of each string.

I see nut width specs 38mm or 40mm, or 1.5" or 1.625". Never seen it by string at the nut.

I have a Fender Jazz that is 1.5" at the nut and 19mm string spacing. That's pretty standard.
The Schecter Elite 4 is 38mm nut and about 17.5-18mm string spacing.
Rickenbacker 4003 is 17mm at the bridge. Didn't measure the nut.

I don't always measure my nuts, but when I do, I use a digital caliper.

 

[ctmullins]

Nut width is important, but it doesn't tell the whole story. The additional variable here is the overhang, or the unused fingerboard space outboard of the strings. A wide nut can have wide string spacing or narrow, depending on the overhang.

("Overhang" is the term I just made up. It might more commonly be called something else, I don't know. But hopefully you know what I mean... )

 

[GIBrat51]

If you have thick, stubby fingers like I do, then yes, the string spacing at the nut is important - whether the manufacturer tells you what it is, or not. It's what determines how many strings your thick, stubby fingers are going to fret at the same time - whether you want to or not. Even with lots of practice, sometimes. It's one reason why I don't own 5 string basses; why playing a mandolin is such a royal PITA; and why I can't really play a 12-string guitar at all - especially a Rick. On my Frankenstein Epiphone 12- string, I have managed to get it down to only fretting 4 strings at a time - most of the time...

 

[Kubicki Fan]

If you have thick, stubby fingers like I do, then yes, the string spacing at the nut is important - whether the manufacturer tells you what it is, or not. It's what determines how many strings your thick, stubby fingers are going to fret at the same time - whether you want to or not. Even with lots of practice, sometimes. It's one reason why I don't own 5 string basses; why playing a mandolin is such a royal PITA; and why I can't really play a 12-string guitar at all - especially a Rick. On my Frankenstein Epiphone 12- string, I have managed to get it down to only fretting 4 strings at a time - most of the time...

Stubby fingers are great for muting, hehe. So a Jazz neck is probably not as comfortable for you as the P-bass neck?

 

[GIBrat51]

Actually, my '78 P-bass has the Jazz width "A" neck. I've never had much of a problem with it; but it's the bass I've had the longest, and was my only bass for several years. It's the ones with strings that start out close together at the nut, then pretty much stay that way down to the bridge, that give me trouble. Violin basses are the worst; but they seem to give everybody trouble...

 

[harrumphicus]

I dunno, my first acoustic guitar was a Rogue, still have it (sitting in a closet at the in-laws place), so that Rogue violin bass is kinda tempting for less than 200 bucks. It's gonna be a few years until I can save up to get a custom bass from Drake in Iowa. I'm moving back there soon, I wonder if he'd let me "apprentice" with him or something.

 

[Les Fret]

Hi,
I just received my brandnew Ibanez GVB36.
I have a question: mine has a very light and pale wood for the fretboard. When I see pictures the wood of other GVB36 basses the fretboard is much darker. Do they use different wood now because of CITES? It says on the Ibanez site that they use jatabo wood now on this bass. On some other site I see that the spec says rosewood wood. My serial number starts with I18.... (I guess that's 2018?) I am asking because I don't like that light/pale wood. Looks a bit dry as well with a white-ish complexion. Never liked like fretboard wood on other guitars and basses either. Also I think it doesn't combine well with the yellow finish. I might have to send it back.

Hope someone here or another GVB36 owner can say more. Cause I need to decide this week if I keep it or not. Here are some pictures:

 

[AV8R]

If you want something done right, do it yourself. I just bought a brand new Fender "Squier" 70's-Style Precision Bass. Great instrument. Not too heavy, great tone from the single split pickup and decent looks (all black body with maple neck with black block inlays and neck binding).

The bad thing: 20mm string spacing. Might as well be canyons between strings, especially after playing an Ibanez SRC6 with 10.6mm spacing for so long. So I purchased a Hipshot A-Style Bridge with its narrowest spacing (16.5mm). But the saddles can be adjusted even more - 1.5mm total. So after mounting it to the bass, I tweaked the inner saddles in by .5mm each (making the A and D strings 15.5mm apart) and pulled in the E and G strings their full 1.5mm inwards and voila! - I now have a Fender Precision Bass with 15.5mm string spacing. It plays so much easier too, not just on the body area, but on the neck too.

See pics below for the new setup.

 

[Jarneskeg]

I was having trouble finding 4-strings with narrow enough string spacing, so I got an Ibanez 5 string with 16mm spacing and I just use the B string as a thumb rest