Official Luthiers Forum!

Finishing up a 12 string and trying to lay out the bridge...2 5\16 between high e an low octave e ...I am kinda struggling with the spacing between pins..also is it best to have octaves close to saddle???
by spacing I mean the width between string and octave ...looking for 3/32 width between strings

_________________
MK5acoustics.com

Check this discussion, which addresses part of your question at least:

viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=27952&p=374497&hilit=+your+preferred+nut+#p374497

There may be other informative discussions if you can get the OLF search function to work for you.

_________________
Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

I've used 0.100 (about 2.7 mm) on a couple of mine, but like the nut, you need to decide whether to space on centers or between the strings. Some players (Chris Proctor) likes to increase the spacing within a course - he can pick individual strings of each course so a little depends on your playing style. Putting them closer makes it easier to pick both with equal force - you can bring out more octave by picking down, more primary with an up stroke.

Whether to put the primariers or the octaves closest to the saddle has been debated a lot on 12 string forums - obviously the ones that are closest will have the better break angle and in theory, a little more drive. The arguement is that if you want more bass, put the primaries closest, for more "jangle", the octaves. Taylor and Martin put the octaves closer (however Martin did the opposite with the Grand J), I think that Guild has the primaries closest. (I solved this delima on my last one by making it a tailpiece guitar).

You can control both break angle and string spacing to some extent by the way you slot and ramp the bridge. Post some pics of your 12 when you are done.