falling_in2_infinity

Trouble is, I'm getting more curious the more I think about it. I suppose at least I know that all my basses are 9mm evenly-spaced c-c, and that I'm happy with that particular configuration. I do wonder if sometimes when I've tried a bass and it's felt odd under the hand, if it maybe had an irregular nut spacing.

For completeness: Sandberg California TM2 5-string. Zero fret, ~9mm c-c spacing: Spector NS Pulse II, ~9mm c-c spacing. I also measured my Ibanez SR505F, and it's the same... But no photo because it's in a mess. 🤣😥

Yep, I concur with this. The stewmac page has a focus on guitars, and those differences would definitely be too small for my fingers to notice. Maybe that's why I'm a bass player. 😁

OG Bongo 5 nut (~9.5mm centre-centre): Steinberger spirit (the zero-fret has string grooves, so determines the ~9mm c-c spacing):

I agree. Interesting, and I've created a thread for further discussion about nut string spacings. 🙂

That's pretty much my experience of every bass I've owned! 🙂 My Bongo 6 was just like in your photos.

Apologies. I've re-written it in an attempt to add clarity - but yes, your summary is correct. I'd never thought about it either. It just made me curious about others' experiences.

As you say, chord playing on guitars might be a thing. I'll ask my friend, who is a luthier.

TLDR: I thought string spacing at the nut was always set evenly, based on the distance between string centres. Seemingly this isn't always the case. I was wondering what others' experiences where of this? In reply to another topic on here, user @PaulThePlug suggested that not all bass (and guitar) nuts have even string spacing, with respect to string centre-centre measurements. This is backed-up by this stewmac page: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/straightedges/string-spacing-rule-6282e9ad/ I wonder what other players' experience of this is? Personally (as I've suggested to @PaulThePlug), the argument given on the stewmac page doesn't make immediate sense to me (YMMV). Spacing at the nut will mostly affect the fretting hand and I tend to fret the top of the strings (which is necessarily the centre of the string), so I think it would feel more natural if all the strings were evenly spaced centre-centre. I think all my basses are set up with centre-centre nut spacing (my MM Bongo, Ibanez SR, and Steinberger Spirit certainly are)... I need to check my Sandberg and Spectors. However, it got me thinking about my plucking hand, and bridge spacing. As many plucking/picking techniques strike the edge of the string (to some extent), perhaps the bridge spacing should be evenly spaced edge-edge rather than centre-centre. I wonder if this would especially improve picking accuracy for new players.

Interesting! I'd be keen to try a bass which has a nut with this approach. Perhaps I could design a new nut and print it. For me, the wording on the stewmac page doesn't make immediate sense. I tend to fret the top of the string, which is necessarily the centre... so it would seem to me to be sensible for all the string centres to be evenly spaced, rather than the gaps between string edges. However, I can see a benefit to this approach at the bridge, to benefit the picking hand (which for many techniques tends to strike more of the side of the string). When playing with a pick, I guess I'm constantly having to adjust the distance of the strokes, depending what string I'm playing.