Is It Possible To Change Nut Widths?

[legiticus]

Has anyone ever done this to a neck or is it "nuts?" I'm not talking about putting in a different nut, but actually reshaping the neck.

Thanks.

[www]

You could do that, but I think you'd have to remove the frets to reshape the neck and narrow down the fret board. Then you will have to install new frets, so you will need the proper tools.

[Sindlei]

you can just pop out the 1 11/16 and pop in a 1 5/8, the only thing that changes is a more narrow string spacing, no modification to the neck is needed, you'll just have a wider neck, but tighter string spacing at the nut.

[www]

you can just pop out the 1 11/16 and pop in a 1 5/8, the only thing that changes is a more narrow string spacing, no modification to the neck is needed, you'll just have a wider neck, but tighter string spacing at the nut.

That really doesn't make the guitar any easier to play for smaller hands and that was what I assumed he was wanting to do the change for. What other reason would there be to just change the nut?

I would think any guitar would be uncomfortable to play with too much fretboard overhang.

[Sindlei]

i don't really see it as a big difference for people with hands that are smaller or bigger, it's more of a "feel" thing, the strings have a different spacing is all.

[legiticus]

Yeah, I now that you would have to pop the fretboard off and narrow it as well, but the width of the fretboard is just as important as the string spacing to me.

I just wanted to see if I was nuts for thinking of doing this. It seems it would be possible.

[www]

I don't thing you have do remove the fretboard just the frets. The fret board you can just sand down along with the neck.

[LGM Guitars]

for the 1/16th of an inch difference you don't even need to take the frets out. It will be less than 1/32" on each side by the 1st fret and progressively less as you go up the neck as you won't want to change the heel width. You could take down the entire fret end with files or even just coarse sandpaper while you take down the wood, then dress your fret ends again, no point in over complicating the issue.

[www]

I thought about that, but wasn't to sure if that was the right way, but definately the easiest.