String spacing and neck width

[Dominic]

Hey Trevor, I have just been doing some fingerboards and was reading the design section on your preferred string spacing. A 40mm spacing on a 46mm nut gives you 3mm each side. But for a string space at the saddle of 58-60mm with a 56.7mm neck width at the 9th fret gives a pretty wide space between the edge of the fretboard and the string. I haven't worked it out but it seems wider than what I would use. What is you feeling for the best gap between fretboard edge and string at the 9th fret.
Cheers
Dom

[Trevor Gore]

Hi Dom,

I typically run 46mm or 47mm at the nut for a fingerpickin' steel string guitar and 58mm string spread at the saddle. As it turns out, this also gives 58mm at fret 12 and these are my normal layout numbers. Measuring at fret 9, I get 56mm for the fretboard and 47mm string spread (centre to centre) or ~48mm outside to outside. If the string spread is symmetrical (I normally leave a bit more on the treble side) you get 4mm each side, which suits me (and a lot of others) because it gives a bit more room higher up the neck for vibrato or just making sure you don't fall off the fretboard. I find this to be a better option than, say, 3mm all the way up, but it's a personal thing.

[Dominic]

Thanks Trevor, I have tended to leave less margin but have not really thought about it much. I might try a wider one to see what its like to play. I like a bit more margin on the bass side as I play a lot more bass line rhythm stuff than lead on the trebles.
Once again, I am finding your books really valuable in making me think about the details a lot more than I used to. And i am still very excited about it after all these months.
Cheers
Dom