Nut, neck, scale, gauge (important?)

Tannin

Let's do a small survey. Assume that you are ordering a new acoustic guitar, which will be made to your specifications. Please provide your preferred -

Nut width
Neck profile
Scale length
String gauge

And say which of these are important to you - string gauge obviously not so much as you can always change the strings.

bertie

EDITED
Nut width       -   43mm 
Neck profile     -  C or shallow D,  doesnt really matter except NEVER V soft or not
Scale length    -  not fussed,  like the two "norms" for different reasons
String gauge    -  12s on 650/647 13s on  630

Tannin

NUT: 46mm. 
NECK PROFILE: Don't really care too much, not huge, not really skinny: anything middling is fine.
SCALE LENGTH: 650mm. (Fender length.)
String gauge: 12s.

I'm fussy about nut width and can't tolerate anything under 44mm. Anything up to 50mm is OK. 

I've always disliked short scales and quite like playing my ultra-long scale baritone (730mm!) but the standard 650mm is ideal. Maybe one day I'll fall in love with a short scale guitar. Or maybe not. 

Evan

bertie said:

Nut width       -   43mm (I think) never really taken  much interest
Neck profile     -  C or shallow D,  doesnt really matter except NEVER V
Scale length    -  not fussed,  like the two "norms" for different reasons
String gauge    -  12s on 650/647 13s on  630

Why no V Bertie? I’ve just bought my first acoustic in years, it’s got a soft V neck (non of my other guitars have) and it took me about 10 minutes to get used to it.

drofluf

Here’s what I’ve asked to be built for me so I hope I like it

Nut width.    45.5
Neck profile no preference
Scale length 630
String gauge 12 - 52 but that’s for  DADGAD 

Cryptid

Nut width and neck profile go hand in hand for me (pardon the pun).

1 7/8 (with wide string spacing at bridge) if for a dedicated finger picking guitar, with a D shape neck carve. 

1 11/16 is suiting me well for strumming and flat picking, with a nice full C profile neck. 

Either way, I like my hand to be adequately filled.

Long scale on everything - I've not bonded with any of the short-scale acoustics I've owned. 

I like lightly-built and responsive dreads that don't need the tension of 13's and an aggressive touch to really come alive.  

bertie

Evan said:

bertie said:

Nut width       -   43mm (I think) never really taken  much interest
Neck profile     -  C or shallow D,  doesnt really matter except NEVER V
Scale length    -  not fussed,  like the two "norms" for different reasons
String gauge    -  12s on 650/647 13s on  630

Why no V Bertie? I’ve just bought my first acoustic in years, it’s got a soft V neck (non of my other guitars have) and it took me about 10 minutes to get used to it.

Ive had one for a while  (Furch OM33) I didnt really notice at first but for me its uncomfortable to play, compared to my others,  and since my elbow op  and onset Dupuytrens becoming more so. Also the size is noticly "bulkier" than anything else I have (including electrics) 

Im at an age where Im "why should I just "put up" with and get something that is more "comfortable"

I was thinking of getting the Furch "re-profiled"  but I think I'll just sell it on, I was hankering after an Atkin OM37 - but just seen the nut width is 43,  which, according the the website, is the same as my Tanglwood parlor, which is small and a little too "different" to everything else I have -  I guess what I need to do...............get the calipers out and actually measure it

Mellish

 Nut 1 11/16, neck low profile, scale length 24.5" strings 12s. That's where I'm happiest. But if you get the first two wrong for you, you'll know all about it  

bertie

very confused  -  just  checked the spec of a strat and tele - and its states 43mm  - which is ideal and "feels" the same as my other two acoustics...............and wider than the Tanglewood - which their page states 43mm.............

Caliper time me thinks  - watch this space

Lewy

 Nut: 1 11/16, Profile: soft V a la Collings, scale: 25.4, strings: medium.

Over the years I’ve come to realise that none of them are critically Important to me. If I like the sound and look of an instrument I can make it work. I don’t pick up a mandolin or banjo and tell myself it’s unplayable because of the dimensions…. (I tell myself they’re unplayable because I can’t play them…!)

LastMantra

Apart from string gauge, no, not important to me. 

I don't know what any of mine are. I wouldn't know a v from a d or c, or whatever, shape. Don't know anything about scale. I basically either like it or don't, but seem to be able to play most guitars equally, or at least can get used to it pretty quickly.
Body size and shape is more important. 

I have felt some instruments were a bit cramped so probably prefer an average or wider nut. I've fairly large hands and a couple of damaged fingers on my fretting hand that now have wider tips than they would be. 

bertie

Lewy said:

 If I like the sound and look of an instrument I can make it work. 

that was where I was with the Furch,  when I bought it,  it was because of the sound....... I never really noticed the neck.....it was "bigger" but not too uncomfortably so  -    but Im just finding it "less comfortable" to play  -  and the more "other" guitars  you have and more you play them  -  I think it makes it "worse"  with the adjustment.  

Soupman

Nut 45mm; scale around 645mm; neck profile - as long as it's comfortable; strings elixir nano 12s.
I also have a Flambeau with a 43mm nut, which I thought great back when I bought it many years ago, but now it feels a bit cramped at the nut end. Prob down to styles - I played with a pick back then but now tend to play fingerstyle.
I also have a Fender 12 string but I reckon the neck is from a logging camp. Defines the term 'handful'. 

bertie

well I'll stand at the wrong end of the pope

just goes to show how your mind/brain can play tricks...........................  just been up and measured the Furch, Brook, TW73, Tele and Strat

Brook =  44.5mm with a 37 string spacing

ALL the others are 43 with a 35.5mm string spacing  -  so the "cramped TW73" is actually the same size  - absolutely bamboozled

Im off to drink gin

Kilgore

Nut: 1.75"

Neck: flexible but no baseball bats.

Scale length: Between 24" to 25" is good.

Strings: 12s 

ICBM

Nut - 1-11/16" - or even 1-5/8" (although I prefer that for electric rather than acoustic).
Neck - shallow modern C profile.
Scale - not critical, although it depends on the body style/size.
Strings - irrelevant unless the neck is non-adjustable, but I'll usually fit 11s or lower-tension 12s.

McSwaggerty

Kilgore said:

Nut: 1.75"

Neck: flexible but no baseball bats.

Scale length: Between 24" to 25" is good.

Strings: 12s 

Same as me...... Nearly. 
Got a Waterloo.... Spent a fortune on Strings various gauges and had a mad weekend....really l did.....probably around 12 diggerent makes, varying between 11s and 12s.....
For me... LMartin Retro 11s won out the park, no question....
I'm a fingerpicker..... With a wee bit of bottle eck.... 

McSwaggerty

Sorry.... A few typos there.... I'm in the pub....

Kilgore

McSwaggerty said:

Kilgore said:

Nut: 1.75"

Neck: flexible but no baseball bats.

Scale length: Between 24" to 25" is good.

Strings: 12s 

Same as me...... Nearly. 
Got a Waterloo.... Spent a fortune on Strings various gauges and had a mad weekend....really l did.....probably around 12 diggerent makes, varying between 11s and 12s.....
For me... LMartin Retro 11s won out the park, no question....
I'm a fingerpicker..... With a wee bit of bottle eck.... 

I do about 90% fingerpicking.

 Short scale 00/parlour/12 frets are the sweet spot for me.

I've purposely avoided going down the string rabbit hole. I know very little about the various types. Ignorance is bliss. 

artiebear

TBH, if the instrument sounds great, I do the adjustments playing wise. Never been fussed about any measurement ( or guitar weight ) in fact some of the beauty of playing guitars of different specs has always been the lovely way that a new composition reveals itself. There is probably an ideal for me, but after playing for nearly 50 years now, it is too late to figure it out.

ToneControl

Tannin said:

NUT: 46mm. 
NECK PROFILE: Don't really care too much, not huge, not really skinny: anything middling is fine.
SCALE LENGTH: 650mm. (Fender length.)
String gauge: 12s.

I'm fussy about nut width and can't tolerate anything under 44mm. Anything up to 50mm is OK. 

I've always disliked short scales and quite like playing my ultra-long scale baritone (730mm!) but the standard 650mm is ideal. Maybe one day I'll fall in love with a short scale guitar. Or maybe not. 

same for me except 11s

, also have long baritones, a 706mm Avalon and a 736mm Alan Arnold
 http://www.alanarnoldguitars.co.uk/guitar_baritone.htm