Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

New To Forum With Nut Width Question

#1

First off hello everyone this will be my first post
I have been messing around with a Mandolin for a few years but never reall took it to serious until now.

Awhile back I picked up a Loar LM310 F style just because I love the looks of the F style got it about a year ago just because of the price anyway my question is really about the spacing between each set of strings I have trouble fretting the strings cleanly because of how big my fingers are would a wide nut mandolin make a difference with the issue I am having

All opinions are greatly appreciated
Thank you

3 Likes
#2

Unless your fingers are the size of one of these foam fingers you get at football games, then yes, a wider nut may help you drastically! Because the nut is wider, there will be more string spacing as well. I have the same problem and prefer a wider nut. The spacing at the bridge is important as well and will usually coincide with the nut width.

If you’re in love with your instrument, you may be able to have a new nut made (it will still be the same width) with a wider string spacing, moving the two sets of outer strings closer to the fretboard. But only if you have the room to do that. If they’re already close to the edges, then you may as well get a different instrument. Again, you would most likely have to change the bridge to match the new nut spacing.

I believe most mandolins are 1 1/8" nuts. A “wide nut” is usually 1 3/16" or even 1 1/4" but usually 1 3/16" and that little bit definitely makes a difference in feel.

Good luck!

3 Likes
#3

jw11 thank you for your reply I believe the Loar LM310 is 1 1/8 nut width when I purchased it I really did not have much of a choice because the only place that had a mando in my area was a guitar center and that was all they had was literally 1 so I did not have any other choices to compare it to, it looked nice and what little bit I played on it in the store it sounded nice to me so I purchased it have been using it for about a year but I have always felt the strings needed more space between them for me.

Do you have any suggestions as to what brand I should possibly look at that would have wider string spacing’s also does a radius ed fret board make a difference

Again thanks for the response

1 Like
#4

I would check with Jake or Ben right here on the Forum or send one of them a message. They have a physical store now as well as the on-line store and they’re always getting more gear in. Depends on your price range but I hear nothing but good from Eastman (never owned or even played one myself) and that’s one of Ben and Jake’s biggest sellers I think. I hear great things about Northfield too but on the higher $ side.

As far as the radiused verses flat fretboard… that is personal preference. I would think chording would be a little easier with a radiused board and I prefer radiused myself due to so many years playing guitar most likely.

Check out what some of your favorite players are using and what they seem to like and if at all possible, try to get to a store where you can play several mandolins and see what feels best.

Another good place to look is The Mandolin Store in Arizona but definitely start here with our store.

Good Luck!

3 Likes
#5

I have had radiused and flat, as well as normal and wide nuts. I can’t really add much to what JW wrote. Given all the comments you made, it would seem that a wide nut would be a good choice.

4 Likes
#6

Thanks again jw11 and also Mike _R both your replies are greatly appreciated
I have been looking at the site store and have been looking pretty hard at one of the Eastman’s also have considered a Northfield but not sure I want to spend the kind of money a Northfield brings if I played professionally that would be different but all I do is serenade my wife LOL and just play around for fun but i could justify a new Eastman in the 1K-2k range everything I have read about the Eastman’s everyone seems to love them

Again thanks to both of you for the replies ya all have kind of confirmed what I was thinking in my mind just never know with my mind if it is playing tricks on me or not LOL

3 Likes