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Topic: Nut on Gretsch 5700 |
Russell Baker
From:
Owego NY, USA
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Posted 27 Apr 2018 6:47 pm |
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Howdy...
Now I am not a complete idiot.
(But I'll do until one comes along)
I bought a Gretsch 5700 Lap Steel.
The Bridge has what I would consider
"normal" string spacing of aprox. 3/8 inch.
The nut has spacing of about 1/4 inch.
?????????????
Does this make sense?
Regardless I ordered an new nut with 3/8 string spacing
and just installed it and it makes a world of difference.
I had a Lap Steel a few years ago that I didn't care for
and stopped learning to concentrate on playing guitar with my band. A few years back I did buy a Paul S. Beard Gold Tone Dobro that I am finally making some headway on.
But when I got this lap steel with that taper of the strings from the Bridge to the Nut I was mistified!
Russ
_________________
R.E. Baker
There's lots more of me where I come from! |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 28 Apr 2018 5:43 am
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I am by no means an expert (on anything) I have seen lap steels with strings that are spaced straight and strings that are tapered. I think it's more of an appearance thing.
If a neck is straight and if the taper is too great it doesn't look right and visa versa. If a neck is straight I usually make the spacing straight. If I do taper the strings on a straight neck I do it very subtly. I don't think one sounds better than the other. I have built them both ways.
This one has a straight neck, but tapered strings. .393 at the nut, .435 at the bridge. I only did it because I had the nut made for a different pickup spaced at 10mm. I have since switched to that Lollar String through in the picture.
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40
Last edited by Bill Groner on 28 Apr 2018 12:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Russell Baker
From:
Owego NY, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2018 6:57 am
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It may be appearance....
However with owning a Dobro and another Lap Steel
that have more or less straight string spacing,
going to a Lap steel with that much of a taper
was more than a bit awkward!
_________________
R.E. Baker
There's lots more of me where I come from! |
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Francisco Castillo
From:
Easter Island, Chile
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Posted 28 Apr 2018 10:36 am replace nut
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hi, where did you get the new nut from?
any link?
i have the same gretsch and the same feeling about the nut spacing....
thanks a lot |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2018 12:10 pm Re: Nut on Gretsch 5700
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| Russell Baker wrote: |
The nut has spacing of about 1/4 inch. ????????????? Does this make sense?
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Not to me it doesn't. I prefer a relatively wide string spacing on my 6-string lap steels, like on the old Rics & Gibsons. 1/4" at the nut would unplayable for me. |
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Steve Atwood
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 28 Apr 2018 4:15 pm
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| I think it's appearance, i.e. tradition. On regular guitar the spacing has always been narrower at the neck, because the difference in the angle of your arm (when you play on the lower as compared to higher frets) makes it easier to play on the lower frets when the spacing is narrower. It's harder to reach straight across to the sixth string when your hand is farther away from your body. So when they started making lap steels they copied this, even though it's actually easier to form slants on the lower frets if the spacing is not tapered. |
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