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Is string spacing more important than we think?
- Thread starter project_c
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My Fbass BN6 is19mm, The Jazz is 19mm, the Lull is 18, and my G&L is 17.5... I find myself playing the G&L all the time.
Its more about personal preference in two ways. Some people seek neck sized they prefer. Others, adapt to small changes between various neck sizes. Neck taper is an important factor for me, as less taper is easier for me to play vs necks with huge tapers. I'm talking nut to 12th fret.
I like a bigger neck/wide nut, and closer spacing on the bridge. So basically modern Rickenbacker. I have an OLP that I've owned for a month, and I hate it. String spacing is way too close.
On a four string who cares. My hand notices differences in neck profile and thickness, not really string spacing.
On a five string though, it suddenly feels like a night and day difference, but I feel that anyone can adapt. It's really about having a comfortable neck.
On a five string though, it suddenly feels like a night and day difference, but I feel that anyone can adapt. It's really about having a comfortable neck.
I'm sort of the same way, within limits.
Trying to play traditional bass parts on a Bass VI type instrument without a pick is really annoying. The bridge spacing is narrower than my fingers are thick.
But anything in the "normal" bass range is all the same to me. I couldn't tell you what the bridge spacing on any of my basses is.
Nut spacing doesn't bother me either, until it hits 3". Regardless of the number of strings. Beyond that and it isn't comfortable for me to reach the thickest string(s).
I have a Krappy Guitars 2 string with the same spacing from nut to bridge. About 18 or 19mm. That felt really strange at first. It took about half an hour to get used to it, but now I can go back and forth between that and any other bass without blinking an eye.
Doesn't matter to me. I have small hands (5' 7") but I play P5's and a 4 string jazz. Maybe if I slapped a lot more I'd care? Don't be a wuss (JK). 
Unless you have ginormous hands or baby paws it doesn't matter that much if your technique is good
Pretty sure it was me
Well, ok, I knew it was one of the revered and iconic philosophers of the bass guitar universe!
I'm not a pro
So other people words here have more credit .
But in university I found a big thing .
Bassist choose the bass connected to the Gener of music they play .
Jazz bassist (jazz subject over all ),they are into slap and some positions that are rare for my style .
6 string bass in their hand is a norm .when the subject I study in ,no the 5 string sometimes call too much .
Use pick with closer strings is easier for me
But slap because I have poor slap style wider ones are heaven .when the string spacing is near I usually make sound in other string .
But over all its matter of getting use to .
Although I use slim neck ,with close string spacing but for exam of enter the university I had to play with their bass for a day in their band .
Guess what in the end of the day an Ibanez btb was just ok .but when I picked I thought it's for airplane Landing.
So other people words here have more credit .
But in university I found a big thing .
Bassist choose the bass connected to the Gener of music they play .
Jazz bassist (jazz subject over all ),they are into slap and some positions that are rare for my style .
6 string bass in their hand is a norm .when the subject I study in ,no the 5 string sometimes call too much .
Use pick with closer strings is easier for me
But slap because I have poor slap style wider ones are heaven .when the string spacing is near I usually make sound in other string .
But over all its matter of getting use to .
Although I use slim neck ,with close string spacing but for exam of enter the university I had to play with their bass for a day in their band .
Guess what in the end of the day an Ibanez btb was just ok .but when I picked I thought it's for airplane Landing.
The correct answer is (to quote my attorney ex-wife), "it depends." Some guys have zero problem playing any variation. Other guys have problems if a butterfly farts in Zimbabwe. I will say that if you do a lot of chord comping, then changing string spacing can be a bit more problematic than if you're playing quarter notes on the root. That said, lots of physical and mental variables in play, so there is no one-size fits all answer. And has been noted by JimmyEd™, humans can adapt if they want to. Just depends on if adapting to ergonomic differences is where you want to spend your time and effort.
I've been switching between 4-string and 6-string lately, with occasional 5 thrown in, spacing between 20mm and 19mm on the 4s, to 17.5mm on the 6. Its working ok for me, but what I do find a bit troublesome is picking up the 5'er that is strung E-C now. Kind of like my brain is ok with a 4 being "in the middle" of a 6, but if there is more than 4 strings then it should have a B as the low string.
Just something else to work through, or an opportunity to sell and instrument or three
I've been switching between 4-string and 6-string lately, with occasional 5 thrown in, spacing between 20mm and 19mm on the 4s, to 17.5mm on the 6. Its working ok for me, but what I do find a bit troublesome is picking up the 5'er that is strung E-C now. Kind of like my brain is ok with a 4 being "in the middle" of a 6, but if there is more than 4 strings then it should have a B as the low string.
Just something else to work through, or an opportunity to sell and instrument or three
I regularly swap between a Beatle Bass (15mm), Precision / G&L / MM (?18 - never measured them), EUB (again I haven't measured it), Strat, SG, acoustic guitar and half scale Spanish guitar tuned for slide. All have differing nut and bridge widths, once you get used to them they are fine.
The J nut width used to bother me because I played a P exclusively for 25 years but just like spacing at the bridge it is fine once you get used to it.
The J nut width used to bother me because I played a P exclusively for 25 years but just like spacing at the bridge it is fine once you get used to it.
I never cared about string spacing until the day I got a bass online that had a different bridge width than I was used to.
Now I care profoundly about string spacing.
--^@
Now I care profoundly about string spacing.
--^@
Sadowsky four string basses come with 20" mm spacing so the strings fit perfectly in between the pole pieces in the pickups. I've won competitive auditions and have done recordings with 20mm spacing, but I prefer the old Fender 19mm . So, my Sadowsky bridges are replaced with Hipshots or BadAss bridges with 19mm spacing.
I've never measured but I know that some basses I've played or owned have been either too narrow or too wide at one end or the other and it's made me tired, uncomfortable or cramped enough to feel like I had to sell the instrument. I guess it's all a matter of comfort...
I imagine the 18-20mm zone is just what's become the defacto standard string spacing, and so most ppl *think* that's what they prefer - kinda like the tone of a passive P bass being "the" bass sound, since it's been recorded so many times over the decades
I imagine the 18-20mm zone is just what's become the defacto standard string spacing, and so most ppl *think* that's what they prefer - kinda like the tone of a passive P bass being "the" bass sound, since it's been recorded so many times over the decades
Burwabit
Likes guitars that tune good and firm feelin women
The 15mm spacing on a Beatle bass (to me) cries out to be played with a pick. There is always one wedged under the pick guard.
I started out trying to use fingers and was successful to a degree but the string spacing was a bit tight. Once I switched to a pick 90% of the time it was so much better.
I started out trying to use fingers and was successful to a degree but the string spacing was a bit tight. Once I switched to a pick 90% of the time it was so much better.
