Need help with string spacing for custom build

I am spec'ing out a custom uke for myself and I have nearly everything done except the nut width, saddle width and string spacing. I would like to go with a 35mm nut width with 10mm string spacing at the nut because my fat fingers with minimal nails need all the space I can give them to pick those strings. I am wondering what people would recommend for string spacing at the saddle?

If any of you have a uke with a 35mm or 1.5" nut, can you let me know what the string spacing is at the nut and saddle?

Dang, if I had my Talsma by now I could help you out. I, like you, have beefy fingers, so I had the nut made to be 1.5". Dave and I never talked about string spacing though.

Another week and I could answer.

Good Question. It is important, and the only advice I can give, is to measure the string centres of an instrument you have found to be comfortable with, or if that is not possible, measure the string centres of an instrument that was too small, and increase the centre distances ! I have read something along the lines that it is a feeble excuse on another BB, but a comfortable neck/fretboard is as important as a nice sounding uke! If it is a factory build instrument, that option is non existent. I am not saying that factory build ukes are not the way to go. I own three different longneck sopranos, for the simple reason of their slightly bigger necks, and the way they sound.I hope this helps?

I've never specified string spacing on the 5 customs I've ordered, only the nut width. I asked for 1.5" width on each one and let the luthier decide on the string spacing. I guess the main reason is I don't really know what the string spacing should be. In each case, other than one where the uke was made with a narrower nut than I specified (but it was a shorter scale than normal soprano, so probably should not have such a wide nut anyway), the spacing as decided by the luthier worked fine for me. As I gain more experience playing the ukulele, I find that I can handle narrower string spacings better, but I still like the 1.5" nut width and the corresponding wider string spacing. I think one thing to pay attention of is the outer strings being too close to the edge of the fretboard. If it's too close to the edge, it can be kind of easy to pull the string off to the side while playing.

By the way, who's building your custom?

A 1 1/2" nut width will be closer to 38 mm than 35. I make all of my nuts 1 1/2" wide with 1 cm spacing between strings. This allows me to keep the strings back from the edges of the fret board; 3mm for the G string and close to 4 mm for the A string to prevent "gutter balls" when playing up the neck. String spacing at the saddle will be determined by fret board taper.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

A 1 1/2" nut width will be closer to 38 mm than 35. I make all of my nuts 1 1/2" wide with 1 cm spacing between strings. This allows me to keep the strings back from the edges of the fret board; 3mm for the G string and close to 4 mm for the A string to prevent "gutter balls" when playing up the neck. String spacing at the saddle will be determined by fret board taper.

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LOL, good visual on the "gutter balls." I sometimes inadvertently gutter ball my low g strings if I'm not careful.

GX9901 said:

By the way, who's building your custom?

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I have been talking with Dave from Waverly Street about building me a uke for my 25th wedding anniversary. My wife wanted to get me a uke and I couldn't bear the thought of buying an off the shelf model for such a significant milestone. I really want it to be a keepsake that will probably end up hung on a wall somewhere eventually so as to not wear it out.

I have two ukuleles with approximately 1-1/2 inch neck at the nut. One is just under at 1.47 and one is just over at 1.53.

The string spacing is about 1.28, outside string to outside string. I guess that calculates to about 1.25 center to center with Aquilas.

I really like the wider neck and would like to try a 1-9/16 width, if anyone makes that. The ukuleles have an 18 inch scale so there is more tension to help keep them guttering, I like that terminology, but a bit more edge room would be nice.

John