falling_in2_infinity Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 (edited) As I've mentioned previously, my January switch from a Bongo 6 to a 5 left me frustrated by the proximity of the G string to the edge of the neck (or, more significantly, too close to the edge of the frets).* For me, this causes a lot of slipped-strings when fretting. A lot of people say you can get around this through better technique, but none of my other basses suffer this issue and my technique is well honed now.** As such, I decided to design a new nut, which I 3D-printed in PLA to do some tests. Moving the G-string inboard approximately 1.5mm has made a massive difference to playability, and actually the at-nut spacing is now similar to my other basses. I've been surprised that the PLA actually sounds ok. Barely distinguishable from the OG nut, by my ears. This video is just a sample of me playing the open strings, and some 12th fret harmonics. For anyone interested, see the attached vid for reference recordings (mostly open strings, plus some 12th-fret harmonics. Cheers! Youtube video * - Oddly, even though everyone says this is a common issue, the previous late-00's Bongo 5 I owned wasn't this bad. I tried a few (but not this one) in stores over the years, and also never noticed it being so bad. ** - Yes, it's probably poor technique. I just don't want to change it, so please don't post negative comments about this. Edited August 31, 2022 by falling_in2_infinity Clarifying that the issue is largely when fretting notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 cool! Maybe the photo makes it look worse than it really is, but the original position of the string is ridiculously close to the edge of the fretboard! This is interesting for me because my brother is big into 3D printing and when he recently bought a good one, he gave me his old not-so-good-but-still-functional printer. I haven't set it up yet, but I was recently looking up plastic acoustic saddles on eBay for an upcoming build. Why didn't I realise I could just print one with the exact dimensions I want? Thanks! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 Pics please... Please correct me if i am wrong. String Spacing at Bridge (for the non adjustable kind) is usually center of string to center of string... rather than between strings... But, At the nut the spacing looks to be a 'divvy up' of between strings... bassed on say 45-105... with a bit left for the outside edges... Wonder how an 'Exact' - same string spacing centers with half either side- nut would look n feel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falling_in2_infinity Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 On 29/08/2022 at 19:46, alittlebitrobot said: cool! Maybe the photo makes it look worse than it really is, but the original position of the string is ridiculously close to the edge of the fretboard! This is interesting for me because my brother is big into 3D printing and when he recently bought a good one, he gave me his old not-so-good-but-still-functional printer. I haven't set it up yet, but I was recently looking up plastic acoustic saddles on eBay for an upcoming build. Why didn't I realise I could just print one with the exact dimensions I want? Thanks! That's an interesting idea - I'd be keen to hear how that sounds! Yeah, the photo might make it look a bit worse, but the string was essentially aligned over the fret roll-off, which meant that any slight pulling-down of the string was a recipe for disaster... especially around the 12th fret, where there is more play in the string. Everyone tells me this is normal for Bongo and Stingray 5's. No local stores had any stock for me to compare. All I know for sure is that the C on my Bongo 6 was well inboard of the fret edge, and I never had an issue. Admittedly, I probably spend a lot more time on the G than I did on the C... hence I was able to switch to a 5 without feeling like I was losing out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falling_in2_infinity Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 On 29/08/2022 at 20:08, PaulThePlug said: Pics please... Please correct me if i am wrong. String Spacing at Bridge (for the non adjustable kind) is usually center of string to center of string... rather than between strings... But, At the nut the spacing looks to be a 'divvy up' of between strings... bassed on say 45-105... with a bit left for the outside edges... Wonder how an 'Exact' - same string spacing centers with half either side- nut would look n feel? The pics I currently have are in the video. I'd be interested to know if all basses measure the nut spacing centre-centre. All of my basses are done this way, but I have heard that maybe some vintage basses have an equal spacing between strings, rather than centres. Either way, the standard nut spacing on the Bongo 5 is approaching 9.5mm centre-centre, and my new nut design has 9mm spacing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 (edited) Interesting Blah Blah here: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/straightedges/string-spacing-rule-6282e9ad/ Edited August 31, 2022 by PaulThePlug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falling_in2_infinity Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 31 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said: Interesting Blah Blah here: https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/types-of-tools/straightedges/string-spacing-rule-6282e9ad/ 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 the difference at the nut would be greater... so equal gap may help... less so at the bridge so 'string center spacing' to make machining easyier... I can see it being a 'thing' for gtrs and chord palying etc, but then the strings are a whole load skinnier and teh difference a whole load less! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falling_in2_infinity Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 As you say, chord playing on guitars might be a thing. I'll ask my friend, who is a luthier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitrobot Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 This is my Ibanez 6 string. The nut is 50mm across and there's so much space between the edge of the C string and the roll-off of the fret. Even if this was a BEADG 5 string, if this C was as thick as the G, there's still plenty of space for the string to flex without choking out on that fret end. Very strange design, if intentional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falling_in2_infinity Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 That's pretty much my experience of every bass I've owned! 🙂 My Bongo 6 was just like in your photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted August 31, 2022 Share Posted August 31, 2022 Ibanez... looks equi gap at about 7mm rather than string centers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falling_in2_infinity Posted September 1, 2022 Author Share Posted September 1, 2022 (edited) I agree. Interesting, and I've created a thread for further discussion about nut string spacings. 🙂 Edited September 1, 2022 by falling_in2_infinity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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