String spacing

John Hyland · From: South Australia

My 1975 shobud has string spacing at the bridge of 3/8” (.375” or 9.5mm). I would be interested to know why players prefer narrower spring spacing. Or is it more about not making 12 or 14 stringer too wide.
Also if any one can nominate their PSG and spring spacing that would be informative . ( measure all 10 string and divide by 9)

Thanks. John

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I'm surprised that a pedal guitar is that wide. The traditional spacing is 11/32" (approx. 8.7mm)
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Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Playing a Push Pull and a Carter was a problem for me going back and forth. I once bought an old Excel and the strings were very close together.
ShoBud strings are spaced further apart. It's whatever you are used to.
A 2nd guitar is a luxury and is what led me finally to get 2 MSAs.
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Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I just measured my Williams 12-string at 8.1mm, which is a shade over 5/16". I remember finding it a little tight to begin with, but I'm used to it now.
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Larry Allen · From: Kapaa, Kauai,Hawaii

My Excel S-10s are 1/4” at the nut and 11/32” at the bridge. Very Happy

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John Hyland · From: South Australia

Thats all good info. The other part of my question is why have pedal steel has made the spacing much tighter than typical lap steels. I would have thought what is good for a lap steel would be good for PSG. I wonder if this is some attempt to reduce cabinet drop with a short bridge axle.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

Its not just that the strings are wider on some steels. Clearance down through the changer, When a string has 2 or 3 raises and lowers on it, Getting all the bell cranks and rods clearance under the guitar, All have to be considered when designing a guitar. So the widest needed space for 1 loaded raise and lower string is figured out, Determines the width of all strings, For even spacing.

An all pull changer guitar also has to have the raise finger mounted on the changer axle, Which adds to string width also.
If the guitar has some type of Comb design in the changer for more support on the Changer shaft, Also have to be considered also.

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