Yamaha acoustics

Soupman

I tried a couple of Yamaha transacoustics a few months ago, the FG range have a 43mm (1 11/16") nut, the slightly more upmarket LL and LS models have 44mm (1 3/4") nut.
The 43mm I found uncomfortably narrow, the 44mm I reckon I could learn to live with.
In fact, 1 3/4" converts to 44.5mm . I don't know which measurement scale they actually use, but it felt like 44.5mm , based on my being used to playing 45mm.

(We need a one of those smileys with a head being scratched here ...!)

BigPaulie

Soupman said:

I tried a couple of Yamaha transacoustics a few months ago, the FG range have a 43mm (1 11/16") nut, the slightly more upmarket LL and LS models have 44mm (1 3/4") nut.
The 43mm I found uncomfortably narrow, the 44mm I reckon I could learn to live with.
In fact, 1 3/4" converts to 44.5mm . I don't know which measurement scale they actually use, but it felt like 44.5mm , based on my being used to playing 45mm.

(We need a one of those smileys with a head being scratched here ...!)

I measured my LL16's nut at 44.11mm.

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/244571/interesting-observation-on-nut-width-vs-string-spacing

Soupman

@BigPaulie that extra 0.11 mm makes all the difference... 

guitarjack66

Soupman said:

@BigPaulie that extra 0.11 mm makes all the difference... 

I'm glad you agree with exactly what I keep telling mrsguitarjack.

BigPaulie

Soupman said:

@BigPaulie that extra 0.11 mm makes all the difference... 

Tannin

BigPaulie said:

Soupman said:

I tried a couple of Yamaha transacoustics a few months ago, the FG range have a 43mm (1 11/16") nut, the slightly more upmarket LL and LS models have 44mm (1 3/4") nut.
The 43mm I found uncomfortably narrow, the 44mm I reckon I could learn to live with.
In fact, 1 3/4" converts to 44.5mm . I don't know which measurement scale they actually use, but it felt like 44.5mm , based on my being used to playing 45mm.

I measured my LL16's nut at 44.11mm.

You inspired me. 10 or 15 minutes worth of fossicking around in the shed looking for the micrometer I vaguely thought I remembered buying from Aldi's centre aisle one upon a time led (eventually!) to discovering it filed under "marking tools".  As with so many of those great gadgets you get from Aldi, I've had it for years and never once used it. It turned out to have a flat battery, but Aldi shipped it with a spare, which was thoughtful of them

So I measured all my nuts, with the following results in the format:

nominal size - actual measured size - model

44mm = 44mm Cole Clark Angel III

44mm < 44.3mm Paul Mineur custom build

44.1mm  < 44.3mm Maton Messiah

44.1mm < 44.45mm Maton custom SRS60C

44.1mm < 44.5mm Maton Custom Shop WA May

45mm > 44.65mm Furch Red

46mm > 45.9mm Tacoma Thumderhawk baritone

47mm = 47.0mm Paul Mineur custom baritone

So of my 8 guitars, one is narrower than spec (but it's American made, so it presumably the actual spec was in imperial measure, so I'll write the difference off as a decimal conversion error).

The Furch is BOTH narrower and wider than spec! They variously cite it as "45mm" and "1/3/4" - which is 44.5mm. At 44.65mm, it's closer to 44.5mm.

Two guitars are exactly on-spec - laughably, they are the Cole Clark Angel III (where the neck will have been done very, very precisely by ultra-high-tech CNC), and the Paul Mineur baritone (made entirely by hand). Go figure.

And the Matons vary significantly - from 0.2mm oversize for the Messiah to a remarkable 0.4mm oversize for the hand-made WA May.