Do you prefer wider or narrower spaced strings, and why?

[Jrussblues]

18 on a six is tight but workable. 19 on a 5 is pretty much mandatory for me.
I have large hands though so It seems 99% of the hurdles others hit don’t apply to me the same way.

 

[Jay2U]

I prefer 19 mm spacing, because of the size of my fingers.

 

[sikamikanico]

Wider. I'm not sure if I have played 18 mm yet or not, but 17 mm is too narrow, and 19 or 20 mm feels great. I also prefer wider necks (at nut), for similar reasons, though I can get by on a jazz type neck. I'm not sure if it's comfort per se, it may be just what I'm used to. But with narrow spacing, my fingers just don't work...

 

[interp]

19 mm at the bridge for me. I once bought a Yamaha BBN2—wonderful instrument—but sold it ten days later because I could not handle the 18 mm string spacing.

I have big fingers and am very picky about string spacing.

 

[2112]

Since I have small hands and fingers like tuna cans, I prefer narrower spacing.

 

[RBrownBass]

It doesn't really matter, but I prefer 19mm regardless of the number of strings. I guess that's neither wide nor narrow, but standard width.

 

[Herrick]

Looking at it now I think the poll might have been a bad idea.

That's no problem, mang. You should be able to add more options to the poll.

I like 19mm spacing on a 5-string. My fingers always bump on the higher strings when I play a Warrick or Ibanez SR 5-string.

 

[Chrisk-K]

The poll is 100% wrong.

 

[AV8R]

Neither for me. I play an Ibanez SRC6 crossover 6 string bass with 10.6mm string spacing at the bridge. Yes, 10.6mm. It took some getting used to but, once I did, it really increased my speed and transitions. I don't play slap or funk that would require a lot of slapping, though it is still possible to do on this bass (with my smaller hands, anyway).

 

[AdamR]

16.5 to 17mm for me

 

[JZQuantum]

For some reason, string spacing does not matter for me. I adjust to whatever by just playing and not even thinking about it.

What does bug me are huge/tall pickups in the neck position, like a Stringray with HH pickups.

 

[Badwater]

I have no clue what that would feel like. Space of strings and thickness of neck, radius, and taper all are different on basses. Thus, I go with what feels good in the hands from the nut to the neck pocket. I prefer less taper and thin necks with wide at the nut. Everyone has their preference, no one way to look at it.

If it feels good. It's right.

 

[flam]

My only bass is a four string with 15.5mm spacing at the bridge. I really like it, but playing any other bass sort of trips me up a little.

 

[logdrum]

I do not have large hands but prefer 19mm spacing. I play ukulele and that doesn't bother me also

 

[lz4005]

With a 4-string bass, it doesn't matter at all: I own and have owned 4-string basses with tiny broom-handle necks that sported string spacing more similar to a violin than a typical Fender...and I've had 4-string basses with wide broad necks that must have sported >20mm string spacing. Didn't matter to me, I could play them all just fine.

That's a good point. I agree that it really doesn't matter on a 4 as long as they're wider apart than guitar strings.

If you really want to get into spacing details, how about on-center vs equal gap nut spacing? Most people don't even consider that.

Or bridge spacing to nut spacing ratio. Wide to narrow, narrow to wide, wide/wide, narrow/narrow? Or the elusive equal spacing the whole way down.

 

[lokikallas]

20mm is my most comfortable on a four, with a Jazz neck.

 

[dhagopian]

I don't understand the poll... wider than 16mm and narrower than 19mm could be the same thing...

 

[bumperbass]

I couldn't deal with 19mm on a 5, but on a 4 it was perfect. Not sure why, but the 17.5mm on my G&L 5'er feels just right.

 

[bumperbass]

I don't understand the poll... wider than 16mm and narrower than 19mm could be the same thing...

Sort of like "Do you prefer more than 4 strings, or less than 6 strings?"

 

[JW56789]

I know this subject gets batted around quite a bit, and I got to admit it's way too many hairs being split for me personally.

Actually, if I really like the bass, it doesn't matter. If it will take a proper setup and play OK, I'll make it work and never think about it.