1 5/8s nut width and a stock fender hardtail bridge.

[Samhain]

I’m weighing two different necks.
One being a 1 5/8s nut.
How does that width work with a modern fender flat mount hardtail bridge?
String spacing?
Will the Es be too close to the fretboard?

 

[stratamania]

The strings will be fine with a 1 5/8" neck.

String spacing will be slightly closer together at the nut end compared to a 1 11/16 width neck but at the bridge end, the spacing will be exactly the same.

The Es will not be too close to the edge of the fretboard as that is determined by bridge spacing rather than the nut in this case. It is normally vintage width bridges that you end up with Es being closer to the edge of the fretboard.

 

[spe111]

I don't think fender uses different bridges when they have 1 5/8" nut widths.

 

[stratamania]

I don't think fender uses different bridges when they have 1 5/8" nut widths.

No, they don't. 

One example is the Yngwie Strat, has a vintage bridge and a 1 5/8" the E strings are quite close to the edge but it is not the nut width it is the vintage spaced bridge. I have one but don't find it problematic but you need a light and certain touch with it.

 

[Samhain]

The strings will be fine with a 1 5/8" neck.

String spacing will be slightly closer together at the nut end compared to a 1 11/16 width neck but at the bridge end, the spacing will be exactly the same.

The Es will not be too close to the edge of the fretboard as that is determined by bridge spacing rather than the nut in this case. It is normally vintage width bridges that you end up with Es being closer to the edge of the fretboard.

Thanks!

 

[Samhain]

I’m curious now.
Would the Warmoth narrow hardtail just make the string spacing closer to each string? Further from the fretboard edge?
I’m trying to understand the geometry of nut width and bridge width.

 

[Cagey]

The nut is much narrower than the bridge, so the strings flare out as they move down the neck. String spacing at the nut is set by the nut slots, while string spacing at the bridge is (more or less) set by the saddles and baseplate. Typical Fender neck widths vary at the nut by 1/16" to 1/8" overall, but at the heel they're always 2 3/16", with about 2 1/16" usable. Since the heel is much closer to the bridge than the nut, the bridge string spacing has more effect on how close to the edges of the fretboard the E strings end up. "Vintage" spacing puts them very close, while "modern" spacing tightens them up a bit, giving you room to do a bit of vibrato action on the strings without pulling them off the fretboard.

 

[Samhain]

That’s what I was wondering. Thanks for the detailed answer!
I’ve def grown to prefer the Warmoth narrow flat mount.

 

[Strat Avenger]

The modern bridge string spacing is narrower than the vintage string spacing, so it's a non-issue.
I have the modern flat mount hardtail bridge with the 1-5/8" nut, and it works beautifully.

 

[Samhain]

The modern bridge string spacing is narrower than the vintage string spacing, so it's a non-issue.
I have the modern flat mount hardtail bridge with the 1-5/8" nut, and it works beautifully.

The Warmoth flat mount?
Is the string spacing on the Warmoth flat mount the same as Fenders?

 

[Strat Avenger]

The modern bridge string spacing is narrower than the vintage string spacing, so it's a non-issue.
I have the modern flat mount hardtail bridge with the 1-5/8" nut, and it works beautifully.

The Warmoth flat mount?
Is the string spacing on the Warmoth flat mount the same as Fenders?

I have the Fender bridge, but don't know why the Warmoth would be any different as far as string spacing.

 

[Cagey]

What Warmoth sells is the Fender part, so no worries.

 

[Samhain]

What Warmoth sells is the Fender part, so no worries.

Thanks man! This has been an informative thread.