I'm sure it's a completely individual preference. I have delicate fingers and have to get in between the strings with my right hand in order to pull out the tone I like. So I like a wider spacing. But I do have a bass with narrower spacing because I like it.
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String Spacing: Where does it really matter?
- Thread starter superheavyfunk
- Start date
Will, to me the BBP35 is truly the grandson of the BB5's. I got to admit, after the 5000's, I NEVER complained about string spacing again, makes a Jazz or Ric spacing feel big. I got to admit, it was like some sort of dexterity exercise playing B-flats or E-flats against the nut really tightened up my technique.
Nut for 4 strings, bridge for 5ers.
For 4-strings, everything is generally 19mm at the bridge, so it's all about the nut width. I'm a 1.5" guy, I can play the 1.625"s but they feel a little wide, but an old-school 1.75" P-bass neck feels like a 2x4 to me.
For 5-strings, my G&L and Modulus are both in the 17.5mm range at the bridge- haven't measured but they are tighter than 19mm for sure. The nut widths are slightly different, one is 34" scale and one is 35", but I can easily go back and forth between them and/or a 4 string and not miss a beat fingerstyle.
The downside of the tighter spacing on a fiver for me is slapping - unless I'm playing the 5ers consistently, slapping is sloppy due to my right hand being off that 1.5mm - missed strings, not muting correctly, etc. If I play a 5er consistently (and avoid a 4-string) for a week or so, my right hand technique acclimates and it's better. But since I'm generally swapping back and forth, I keep the slapping to the 4s.
For 4-strings, everything is generally 19mm at the bridge, so it's all about the nut width. I'm a 1.5" guy, I can play the 1.625"s but they feel a little wide, but an old-school 1.75" P-bass neck feels like a 2x4 to me.
For 5-strings, my G&L and Modulus are both in the 17.5mm range at the bridge- haven't measured but they are tighter than 19mm for sure. The nut widths are slightly different, one is 34" scale and one is 35", but I can easily go back and forth between them and/or a 4 string and not miss a beat fingerstyle.
The downside of the tighter spacing on a fiver for me is slapping - unless I'm playing the 5ers consistently, slapping is sloppy due to my right hand being off that 1.5mm - missed strings, not muting correctly, etc. If I play a 5er consistently (and avoid a 4-string) for a week or so, my right hand technique acclimates and it's better. But since I'm generally swapping back and forth, I keep the slapping to the 4s.
I go for the nut as well but I have found lately that if the neck is skinny enough then I can handle wider spacing. For example, the new Fender ultra V has wider string spacing at the nut than my old SR5 but because of the neck's skinnier profile, I'm ok with it.
Ah! A muti-dimensional bass player. Wide/narrow, short/long. To cover the third dimension, where do you stand on string height?
Both are important. There are literally millions of basses out there... why not play one that is as comfortable as possible for your own needs and preferences?
Both, but bridge is most important here. Both of my 6 string basses are 14.5mm at the bridge. I think more people would dig more narrow spacing given the time and ability to try it and adjust.
Really, that's something that only you can answer for yourself. For me I find I'm much more sensitive to bridge spacing than nut spacing. I very very much prefer standard Fender 19mm (3/4") bridge spacing (even on 5-strings). Anything narrower than that and my right hand gets all buggered up. Precision or Jazz spacing at the nut I can deal with no problem, though I still prefer wider P spacing. As much as I like the sound of some Ibanez basses, the combination of narrow bridge and narrow nut spacing makes them almost unplayable to me.
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What do your hands tell you? As I have gotten older, my hands don't like the stretch of a 5-string on a 34 or 35 inch scale, 1 7/8 inch nut, and Fender standard string-to-string spacing. To avoid pain, I now play narrower spacing at both the nut and bridge, as well as shorter scale length. So my current gig bass is an Ibanez 5-string with a custom 33-inch scale neck with a 1 3/4 inch nut and the Ibanez bridge string spacing which is narrower string-to-string than Fender standard.
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The only question is what is most comfortable and effective for you.
I play mostly P basses and MMs which are similar in neck and spacing. But also Jazz and narrow shorts and 5s and violin and guitars. And I normally play guitar without a pick. So for me the bridge space on a bass is not a buy or fly factor.
I’m more driven by the neck shape and I’ll adapt to the others because everyone has different hands.
I play mostly P basses and MMs which are similar in neck and spacing. But also Jazz and narrow shorts and 5s and violin and guitars. And I normally play guitar without a pick. So for me the bridge space on a bass is not a buy or fly factor.
I’m more driven by the neck shape and I’ll adapt to the others because everyone has different hands.
I did answer it for myself. It’s the last paragraph in my OP, which you quoted.
There’s this strange thing that happens on TB… I guess ppl get so used to the same old questions that they don’t seem to read past the first part of any post lol. Not trying to call you out personally or anything NKBassman - there are several posters in this thread that either just threw up a canned response or otherwise didn’t seem to read past the thread title
I appreciate that you shared that you’re a bridge guy! I’m a nut man lol
When they started putting jazz bass necks on precision bass bodies.... I'm sorry that's just too thin, that's a quarter inch thinner than a Precision neck or was... now they're all the same, unless you buy the Roger Waters Precision bass version which is the "old timey width" at the nut.
Every Precision that I ever had was a wider deck and the ones that I've been checking out lately that friends have had for 20 years or only as wide as a jazz neck. And if I wanted a jazz neck I'd buy a jazz bass.
Luckily... i still have a wide neck P-Type FSO, it ain't a Fender (which is a branding monster), but It is my go-to 4-slab.
Every Precision that I ever had was a wider deck and the ones that I've been checking out lately that friends have had for 20 years or only as wide as a jazz neck. And if I wanted a jazz neck I'd buy a jazz bass.
Luckily... i still have a wide neck P-Type FSO, it ain't a Fender (which is a branding monster), but It is my go-to 4-slab.
I did answer it for myself. It’s the last paragraph in my OP, which you quoted.
There’s this strange thing that happens on TB… I guess ppl get so used to the same old questions that they don’t seem to read past the first part of any post lol. Not trying to call you out personally or anything NKBassman - there are several posters in this thread that either just threw up a canned response or otherwise didn’t seem to read past the thread title
I appreciate that you shared that you’re a bridge guy! I’m a nut man lol
I did read it, actually (but not any other responses in the thread). All I meant was that it's a personal thing, and my opinion and experience doesn't/shouldn't really count for anything on your end.
I think I hate the TB canned answers as much as you do.
It really only matters in your head.
Humans are amazingly adaptable, and amazingly hard-headed at the same time.
Humans are amazingly adaptable, and amazingly hard-headed at the same time.
It's not a matter of "obsessions with millimeter differences", it's a matter of feeling what's most comfortable, which is reflected in the numbers. Of course one can adapt to various string spacings, but the question here is what's preferred, what works best for someone. It does make a difference.
I began with a 4 and 5str so was confused from the start lol went thru everything ala GAS and was ok with differences, now in retirement down to 3 mains I find myself to be spoiled with perfection.
