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I'd like to get some opinions/suggestion/experiences addressing the gap between an octave string and its 'main' string (correct name?) on a 12-string. The first one I did, I followed printed advice and the strings wound up quite separated, farther apart than I now think physics and string resonance needed, and I'm aiming to get strings within pairs closer together but not so close as to have them foul each other. One instruction video suggests an air gap of .028" and that seems quite close and subject to problems if the slots aren't precisely cut.

So what distances are folks using to separate strings within pairs?

Thanks, folks.

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Peter Havriluk

I don’t have any specific numbers to give you, but you’re right, you can definitely close those gaps. I was able to make a very comfy 12 string acoustic with a 1 13/16 nut.

I found it helpful to switch the usual pole positions of the pin order and put the little string behind the big string so you can scooch the little string closer to the big string pin…

Ed, I considered putting the octave strings on the right side of the main strings, and passed on it for this project. I've got enough variables in flux. Next one. Thanks for speaking up.

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Peter Havriluk

Here’s how it worked out. I found it to be very very comfy. The spacing still looks big in the photo but bear in mind this is a 00.