Extra wide on treble side, who did it?

[burningyen]

I recall some years ago seeing a guitar that had a whole extra string's worth of space on the treble side of the fretboard to enable "butterfly" vibrato on the high E string. So it was like a 7-string guitar with the treblemost string removed. Does anyone else remember seeing that, and the name of the guitar maker that came up with it? Clearly the idea hasn't taken the world by storm, but I'm curious how it would feel.

[bluesdoc]

Adam Stark made a guitar that had extra width on the high E side for 'advanced fretting technique' or something like that. Really nice ax. Not a whole string width extra, but significantly more than stock. This was back in the early 2000s. He made one for himself, then a limited run for sales and I owned one for awhile. Very nice ax and I can't remember why I sold it other than the 'usual' reasons . I don't see them on Adam's guitar page: http://www.starkguitars.com/main.htm#history

jon

[whoismarykelly]

That would require a change in normal technique since most players aren't wildly pulling down on their high E strings for vibrato.

[burningyen]

Originally Posted by bluesdoc

Adam Stark made a guitar that had extra width on the high E side for 'advanced fretting technique' or something like that. Really nice ax. Not a whole string width extra, but significantly more than stock. This was back in the early 2000s. He made one for himself, then a limited run for sales and I owned one for awhile. Very nice ax and I can't remember why I sold it other than the 'usual' reasons . I don't see them on Adam's guitar page: http://www.starkguitars.com/main.htm#history

jon

Can't find any pics, but I'll get in touch with Adam. Thanks for the lead!

Originally Posted by whoismarykelly

That would require a change in normal technique since most players aren't wildly pulling down on their high E strings for vibrato.

Maybe they aren't because their guitars don't allow them to. Dunno how big a deal it would be without trying it first.

[whoismarykelly]

And of couse it would go to a specialized player so I guess the point is a little moot. Seems like an overall wider string spacing may be more advantageous so its not just affecting one string.

[burningyen]

I don't want to widen string spacing and create yet another challenge for players, and I don't want to make the fretboard any wider than it has to be to address this one particular issue. When I see threads about people having trouble with vibrato on a specific string, it's always the high E. And it seems odd to me that vibrato technique would have to vary depending on the string. You're no doubt right about it having limited appeal, but that's my niche.

[9fingers]

When I cut a nut and notch a saddle for myself I leave a little extra fingerboard space on the treble side, more for pull-offs than anything else as I "push" the high strings for vibrato. No where near a whole string-space worth though, more like a couple millimeters at most.

[Mighty Melvin]

Yeah, I do too. In fact, I increase the spacing by a couple thou each space from E-A to B-E. That way it quickly becomes natural and those jingle jangle arpeggios come following you.

MM

[stark]

Originally Posted by bluesdoc

Adam Stark made a guitar that had extra width on the high E side for 'advanced fretting technique' or something like that. Really nice ax. Not a whole string width extra, but significantly more than stock. This was back in the early 2000s. He made one for himself, then a limited run for sales and I owned one for awhile. Very nice ax and I can't remember why I sold it other than the 'usual' reasons . I don't see them on Adam's guitar page: http://www.starkguitars.com/main.htm#history

jon

That link is to someone else with the same name, not me. My webpage is, http://starkcreativeindustries.com
The guitar I made had a fender style neck with a gibson spaced bridge giving additional string space on both sides. Next experiment will be a slighly wider than standard heel width and gibson spaced trem. Including a 20" radius board. Great for the legato thang.

[Tone_Terrific]

Originally Posted by burningyen

So it was like a 7-string guitar with the treblemost string removed.

Even up the spacing, a bit, but leave plenty on the high e side and this makes a lot of sense...to me, YMMV, as usual.

The extra hole in the headstock would bug some folks.

[GA20T]

This is the one thing I despise about nearly every guitar I've owned. I've had luck with re-fretting and leaving more playing area on the treble side of the frets (ex. no bevel, just rounded & polished). Didn't much change the feel of the neck at all, but allowed much easier vibrato.

[burningyen]

Hmm, still no luck finding that guitar I remember seeing. Maybe I was hallucinating.

[speedyone]

How funny I'm readin this thread-- I was just thinking the exact same thing (about having extra space on the high E side for vibrato) YESTERDAY!!!

I'm so ticked that after 30 years my vibrato STILL feels forced (to me,) on the high E, but not on any other string. I have compensated over time by using the tremolo whenever vibrato is required on the high E.

I have considered getting a Warmoth 7 string neck and body, but having it routed for a 6 string bridge, and cut the nut accordingly...leaving me extra space for my technique of downward-pulling vibrato on the high E. A LOT of hassle to go through, but I think it would feel amazing to allow me to use the same technique for bends on every string.

[Tone_Terrific]

Originally Posted by speedyone

high E.

I have considered getting a Warmoth 7 string neck and body, but having it routed for a 6 string bridge, and cut the nut accordingly...leaving me extra space for my technique of downward-pulling vibrato on the high E. A LOT of hassle to go through, but I think it would feel amazing to allow me to use the same technique for bends on every string.

Check the superwide strat replacement neck.
If the heel rout has to be enlarged that is not a real big deal, either.
1 7/8 neck nut width, but use a 1 3/4 or 1 11/16 nut mounted nearly flush to the low E side to expand the room on the top end. Retain your current bridge. This should work. The slight skew of the strings to the tuners should not be a problem
Let us know.

[speedyone]

Thanks for the advice!

It'll be probably 3 months at least until I can scrounge together the parts, but now that I know others are interested in this type of experiment, I'd love to post about my results.