string spacing

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 7 Aug 2017 4:43 am

I'm frustrated with the fact that the string spacing on my Emmons is different from the string spacing on my Jackson. the Jacksons spacing is wider than the Emmons. Lately I've been playing the Emmons more and finding it difficult to play the Jackson now. I'm thinking about selling the Jackson and buying a modern guitar with similar spacing to the Emmons. I love the weight of the Jackson but the spacing is throwing me off. Is Jackson spacing the same as ShoBud ? Hows the spacing on Rittenberry, Carter, Fessy ? I need a true S-10, no pad.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Aug 2017 5:44 am

Spacing or scale (e.g. 24" or 24 1/4") should not be a hindrance. I can play my Franklin, my Dobro, my friend's Sho-Bud or even a friend's lapsteels and it makes no difference. Comes down to play the guitar rather than let the guitar play you.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 7 Aug 2017 5:54 am

Jack Stoner wrote:Spacing or scale (e.g. 24" or 24 1/4") should not be a hindrance. I can play my Franklin, my Dobro, my friend's Sho-Bud or even a friend's lapsteels and it makes no difference. Comes down to play the guitar rather than let the guitar play you.

I respectfully disagree with you Jack. I understand this on different instruments but on my pedal steels I want the spacing to feel the same. the 1st string on the Jackson feels very far away. It will never be seemless to go from Emmons push pull to a modern steel due to the pedal and knee action differences, but I do feel that it would be easier on a guitar with the same string spacing.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 7 Aug 2017 5:58 am

or maybe I'm just looking for an excuse to try something new

Jack Hanson · Post by **Jack Hanson** » 7 Aug 2017 6:13 am

In theory I would agree with Jack, but in actual practice I understand where Karen is coming from.

Although I have not abandoned my Emmons, Dobro, Tri-Cone or Weiss, my current passion is vintage 6-string lap steels. Seems like each manufacturer had their own ideas about the string spacing width on 6-string steel guitars. The Valcos and Fenders have quite narrow spacing in comparison to the Rics, Maggies, and Gibsons.

I am partial to 6-string Gibsons (Skylarks excluded), with their wider string spacing. The 7-string Ultratone, and especially the 10-string Century, were spaced much narrower than their 6-string sisters, so it's usually a struggle for a while when switching back and forth.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 7 Aug 2017 8:19 am

This was my 1st "electric" guitar. I went from this Gibson to a T-8 Fender Stringmaster and it took a while to get used to the narrower string spacing but it was harder to go back to the wider Gibson spacing.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 7 Aug 2017 8:31 am

Well, that's my take on it, and I've seen others express the same thing. It may be different but don't let it be a real concern. I don't even think about the difference in spacing or the scale length when I play a guitar - just play it.

Ross Shafer · Post by **Ross Shafer** » 7 Aug 2017 8:41 am

Karen, have you measured the difference? It'd be interesting to know how much difference there is between guitars.

Karen Sarkisian · Post by **Karen Sarkisian** » 7 Aug 2017 9:39 am

i will measure tonight !

Graham Bland · Post by **Graham Bland** » 7 Aug 2017 9:50 am

Karen,

You are exactly right. When I made the move from a Sho-Bud to an Emmons in 1981 I had intended on keeping the SB but was unable to because of the reason you have stated. And BTW...stick with the Emmons it is a far superior guitar on all levels!...IMHO

John Sluszny · Post by **John Sluszny** » 7 Aug 2017 9:51 am

I can drive big cars,small cars and medium ones.
I can drive cars with different tire sizes too.

Keep playing both guitars.You'll get used to the Jackson's string spacing too...sooner than you think !!!

Rick Abbott · Post by **Rick Abbott** » 7 Aug 2017 12:44 pm

Stephen Williams · Post by **Stephen Williams** » 7 Aug 2017 1:03 pm

I believe the string spacing between the strings is commonly 11/32" and on a Fender it's 3/8", same as a guitar.

Going from one to the other is a bit disconcerting I agree. I had 2 PSG's with 3/8" spacing and went to an 11/32" spacing. But am quite used to it now.

If you measure the distance between string 1 and string 10 it will be 3 and 3/32" for 11/32" spacing and 3 and 3/8" for 3/8" spacing

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 7 Aug 2017 1:57 pm

I am used to something in between the two. For reasons of convenience, I built my uni 12 with a spacing of 9mm. For reference, 11/32" = 8.7mm and 3/8" = 9.5mm, so I'm closer to the traditional spacing than the wider one.

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 10 Aug 2017 4:59 am

I have found the spacing between my Emmons and ShoBud to be a slight problem. It takes me a few minutes to adjust to the spacing. For this reason I had 2 steels built for me, both with the ShoBud spacing which I prefer. I also prefer the tone of the Shobud over the Emmons which I find too bright.

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string spacing

string spacing

String spacing