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Double Bass string spacing at nut

Calvin Marks

Calvin Marks

Supporting Member
Oct 22, 2017
790
620
Toronto
#1
Curious what is "standard" string spacing at the night? I have smaller hands so sometimes forming octaves is tricky.

Width of the neck at the nut is 41mm and string spacing (centre to centre of each string) is 11mm. Curious what is considered average, tight, or big.

Thanks!
 
#3
On my bass string spacing center to center is 11 mm. Neck width at nut is 43 mm. David Gage replaced the fingerboard and nut.The string length is 110.6 cm (43 3/4 in.). I also have small hands. To play octaves and fifths comfortably and in tune hand shape and position, arm position and posture have to be good.
 
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#6
There are different opinions on this. Some go with 32mm center of the G to center of the E. Some make the space BETWEEN the strings the same rather than center to center. I like 30mm center to center. I file the G and E nut slots and use a divider to exactly mark the middle so they are 10mm c to c.
 
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#8
Calvin Marks said:
Curious what is "standard" string spacing at the night? I have smaller hands so sometimes forming octaves is tricky.
Click to expand...
speaking as an experienced electric player and a noob upright player, i don't see how that's a factor either way

the neck itself is the same size, so all the string spacing does here is risk your outer strings slipping off the edges of the board if it's way too wide or risk "fumble fingers" hitting two strings at once if it's way too narrow

hand size and reaching for octaves has nothing to do with it
 
#10
Even on an electric, and at both nut and bridge, string spacing is important for those with small hands or short fingers. Too wide a spacing at either (or both) end(s) can make the E string hard to get to, while double stops, unless both notes can be stopped in the same position, say fourth, can create stretch problems for the fingers. Either you can make the reach or you can't.

When it comes to plucking speed, string spacing can have a HUGE effect.
 
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#12
(On my 3/4 Juzek), I have 8.5mm (center-to-center) for the A - D - G strings, and 10mm (to the A string center) for my E/C extension string. I think the distance of the E and G from the edge of the fingerboard is worth considering, as well as the center-to-center measurements when cutting the nut slots.
I like the feel of the outermost strings (E and G) to not be too close to the edge of the fingerboard - for example - my G string (center) is located 7mm from the outermost edge of the fingerboard (at the nut).
IMFO, of course.
Thanks.
 
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#13
Don Kasper said:
(On my 3/4 Juzek), I have 8.5mm (center-to-center) for the A - D - G strings, and 10mm (to the A string center) for my E/C extension string. I think the distance of the E and G from the edge of the fingerboard is worth considering, as well as the center-to-center measurements when cutting the nut slots.
I like the feel of the outermost strings (E and G) to not be too close to the edge of the fingerboard - for example - my G string (center) is located 7mm from the outermost edge of the fingerboard (at the nut).
IMFO, of course.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

You have the Petracchi setup! That's what he would do.
 
#16
Calvin Marks said:
Curious what is "standard" string spacing at the night? I have smaller hands so sometimes forming octaves is tricky.

Width of the neck at the nut is 41mm and string spacing (centre to centre of each string) is 11mm. Curious what is considered average, tight, or big.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Have a look at Ibanez SR series. The nut width is 38mm, and the strings at maybe 11mm. Neck thickness is 19.5mm at fret 1.
 
#17
Don Kasper said:
Who is/was "Petracchi"?
Talk to me like I'm stupid.
Please and Thank You.
Click to expand...

Franco Petracchi - Wikipedia

He was a soloist in Italy and pedagogue. Though to be one of the greatest bass players and teachers of all time. He played a large Rossi bass and had the E and A spaced wide apart but the A and D and D and G quite narrow for solo playing.
 
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#19
Calvin Marks said:
Franco Petracchi - Wikipedia

He was a soloist in Italy and pedagogue. Though to be one of the greatest bass players and teachers of all time. He played a large Rossi bass and had the E and A spaced wide apart but the A and D and D and G quite narrow for solo playing.
Click to expand...

To add on... Petracchi has a book called "Simplified Higher Technique" that was influential. My first teacher went to Italy to study with him. That book is really excellent although these days I work more out of books by Rabbath and David Allen Moore, but virtually everything I do above the octave harmonic is with Petracchi in mind (i.e., I start with Petracchi and apply Rabbath or Moore as icing on the cake).
 
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#20
On my Kolstein Fendt (currently for sale) I had Mike Shank narrow the spacing on my nut and build a new bridge on which I had him install the Fishman Full Circle. I had the string spacing ever so slightly narrowed on the Bridge when he made it. It is subtle but helped.
 
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