New String Spacing Ruler Technique..

[@jsnowdendavies]

...great stuff! Now...is there a complimentary Crimson approved depth-cutting technique? I've tried the lots-of-masking-tape-to-butt-up-to-the-first-fret guide. Always interested in other ways too.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Good question! This and other questions/suggestions will help me make more of these quick tutorial videos. So, keep them coming.

[@Bobo_Tapia]

I've seen several luthiers, including Ben, lay a half pencil on the frets and mark the nut. Seems a simple and effective method.

[@ldhaney56]

I've seen using a feeler gauge up against the nut while cutting, preventing the saw from going too deep. I guess you get your tools where you can.

[@tusharjamwal]

I love this kind of content especially when after a year of having watched the video, I stumble against a problem and remember you have shown how to deal with said problem on the channel and I naturally want to find the video for reference again. It's easier to find these retrospectively compared to the wisdom nuggets hidden in the longer videos. The longer form videos I like more as a "come along for the ride" more relaxing and enjoyable. Both are great in different ways in my opinion

[@jlphoto1143]

..just wanted to say, I appreciate you going back to the 'tips & tricks' / 'guitar build' videos - thanks ! (it helps those of us who are fairly new to the craft)

[@tahoemike5828]

I am old, I have an attention span. I prefer full length videos. You know full well that I will watch you build live in real time for days on end. I hope you know just how much I miss doing just that.

[@frankiechan9651]

It's a nice, little trip back to the roots of the channel. Fully understood the drift away, as you were covering similar ground of tips and tricks over and over with the fairly rapid builds. But enough time has passed, and many new learnings had since those old videos - so it is new and/ or updated technical information that is very welcome. Sprinkled in amongst the videos on interesting guitars, new tools and builds - I'll be happy to come along for the ride.

[@Timberwolf69]

I totally agree.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you very much

[@eklypse69]

I love that you are going back to this kind of content. I found the guitar reviews and DGD content fun, but this is really why I gravitated to Crimson - building tips, tricks, tools, luthier's question time, and learning how to build guitars.

[@TheStrykerProject]

I, for one, definitely enjoy vids like this; shorter, to the point, and very helpful. I do also really enjoy longer, full-build-type vids, too. Mix and match, my friend, as you wish.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Awesome, thank you!

[@Splattle101]

I've been wondering when this mahogany fence post travel guitar was going to show up again. Awesome!

[@Eeklex]

It also makes an appearance in the fret-polishing video that preceded this one.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I want to complete this guitar so badly!

[@scottishgentlemen6038]

Excellent content. Would love to see more stuff like this. The bigger build videos are great, but smaller incidental teaching moments like this are fantastic.

[@hymnplayer]

I agree.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thanks, will do!

[@steveincollins]

Love this type of video from you! You talking about the origins of the channel made me realize I've been subscribed to you for a long ass time! You have been a continuous inspiration. Thank you for the years of content and looking forward to more!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you so much ☺️

[@HandlebarWorkshops]

Why not put a single piece of tape across the nut and use the knife to mark the tape straight off of the rule? No slip, exact spacing, and a small groove to start the saw. Once the slots are initially cut, just remove the tape. Edited to add: I like that neck brace for field work, but it looks way to flimsy for doing bench work. I kept thinking that it was going to topple over on you as you were filing the nut slots.

[@martyo11]

The longer videos are great, but if I need a specific guide on something it can be hard to trawl through those to find the right bit. Short to the point videos are easier to search for. Thanks.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

I agree wholeheartedly.. any tutorial in particular you would like to see filmed first?

[@dalgguitars]

Great video.

[@PaulCooksStuff]

Always happy with more content. I can always choose not to urgently watch topics of less interest. I do wonder if you've overcomplicated this one (time wise). I get that some nut materials can be slippy, but I'd still have thought pencil/scalpel either onto the nut or onto tape on the nut then scoring is a lot less faff. But hey, the tip ultimately works and sparks thoughts so that can only be a good thing.

[@Crispy_Music_2024]

This method ensures you don't have to worry about the scale shifting while marking the positions and gives a solid reference as you're cutting against an edge instead of "centering" in a mark that is obstructed by your cutting tool.

[@PaulCooksStuff]

If the scale shifts while you're marking, you'll easily see it when all the other marks are eclipsed. 🤷

[@martinrwolfe]

Very nice trick. I could have used this on a couple of prototype builds (not guitars but the technique transfers) I did a couple of years ago.

[@DeeveOnYT]

thanks

[@darrylportelli]

Have you ever tried a set of dividers for this task? They work perfectly when i use them to do equal dovetail spacing without any measuring , so it should work great for this application. Mark where you want the high and low E strings , then place the dividers on one of the e string marks and "walk the dividers" on the nut until you get 6 equal spacings .. if it is not equal adjust the dividers and walk them again ... Once the perfect setting is locked in, you can use the dividers to scratch the position of each string with the divider tip while walking them on the nut

[@BLBlackDragon]

Always love learning new tricks to make the job easier.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Me too! I love learning from others experiences

[@ObiWanAugus]

Excellent. Thank you very much for the video. Yes, it would be great if you could do a series of specific mini-tutorials. Greetings from Argentina!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Greetings to Argentina, thank you for watching!

[@johnbotsford6897]

Great format!

[@evillush]

love your stuff!! , very informative and concise ,I have been hot rodding, building and custom painting this stuff since the 80's you always bring in new ideas...I developed a new way of scalloping I can send you a short vid if you are interested its super fast but requires a lot of control.

[@picksalot1]

Do you think the string spacing should be based on equal distances between the center of each string, or should it account for the distances between the outer edges of the strings? This can vary significantly due to the string diameters, particularly on the Basses.

[@scottakam]

Thank you Ben!

[@TheGorillafoot]

That shirt is dope!

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

Get two stop-bars, and/or the bridge you'll be using and a spare stop-bar (depending on the bridge type). Insert strings and draw them apart. Angle the 'top' stop bar where the top of the headstock would be. Choose your nut width and angle the bar accordingly, keeping the strings taut. All strings will be evenly spaced, whatever width you angle the bar to. Mark, cut and enjoy your new easy method for string spacing.

[@justwinclassic]

I feel like this description needs a video or picture

[@tonyhunt4250]

Love it

[@bradwiebelhaus7065]

Good video.

[@fram8045]

All your stuff is great. Just keep beating out the content! "How to do a 7 string fan fret nut"? (like on a Cort 507)

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Great suggestion!

[@mattomon1045]

I do like this Ben

[@cheapskate8656]

I do like the new videos. I wont use the method you demonstrated in this video but I still enjoyed the video.

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thank you, I appreciate your honesty

[@themaskedsinger.8861]

I'm kinda getting a feeling of loss. I find myself thinking back to your home workshop, with the beautiful views of cows in the fields, your little dog running about, and chickens in the garden. The sun shining. Your sister taking questions on a build you were doing. Life seemed blissfully happy. Now, things seem a little quieter, dare I say a little less enthusiastic. Am I wrong in thinking this kind of project thing is not something you would have even bothered about back then? Or is this just an older man getting soppy? To qoute the great Ben Crowe, " let me know in the comments"....

[@dannyjonze]

how is it compensated for the thickness of the strings? does the ruler do that?

[@DigitalDistortedGuitars]

Title error " Sring" btw Nice Content❤

[@Timberwolf69]

Yeah, my brain interpreted this as "spring" and had me wondering...

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Sorry, my bad! Bear!

[@DigitalDistortedGuitars]

@@CrimsonCustomGuitars 🤟🔥🤟

[@Menieres4Life]

Been a while since any of your videos popped up, I really thought you were done making them. BTW, when did you morph into Rob Halford?

[@billstolz9587]

Yes more like this

[@veguitars]

I very much like this content 🎉

[@fluxx1]

I just want to hear the hand tool built acoustic!!1! Please, it's been way too long!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

It has been too long. I can't wait to finally play it.

[@Guitar_Builder]

Do you not find it a problem that these rulers while evenly space the strings (center to center) make the distance between the strings uneven due to the thickness of certain strings. Would it not make more sense to make the distance between the strings even thus making the low strings feeling less cramped.

[@shumped]

You press down on the middle of the string so spacing them based on the mid point makes sense and spacing them based on thickness is only gonna change the spacing by like.. fractions of a millimeter so I don't think your fingers are gonna feel like the fretboard is any less cramped. Basing it on string thickness also means having an inconsistent spacing from the mid point of the string which is what I think your fingers will feel the most so basing spacing on the mid point makes more sense in my mind

[@lone-wolf-1]

@@shumped If you barely can fret notes with thick fingers on the plain strings without touching the neighbor strings, you might struggle even more on the wound strings, if the space between them gets narrower.

[@raoulduke8382]

I am all for more tips and tricks videos… however, I don’t think this particular technique really made the process any easier. 🤷‍♂️

[@stickman393]

So to be pendantic, the old technique was to use a Crimson string spacing rule, and the new technique is... to use the ruler. Okay. Kidding! Cute technique for transferring measurements.

[@davedavem]

Jazz. Nice.

[@ianthomson9363]

I hated it.

[@heymrguitarman7637]

Honestly i think this is overthinking the issue and over engineering the solution. If you have a string spacing ruler it takes about 10 seconds to make the correct markings. Never had an issue with it.

[@Crispy_Music_2024]

Then you don't understand what was presented.

[@chrismcbrias4681]

Guilding the lily 😂😂😂just use the ruler

[@eklypse69]

More than one way to build a guitar. What feels overly complicated and unnecessary to one builder might feel far more comfortable for another.

[@chriscouzens3515]

Maybe I’m missing something but just seems to be overcomplicating the job. If you’re really struggling with marking the lines on mother of pearl why not just put a single piece of tape length of the nut and transfer from the ruler to that one piece.

[@LRBerry]

More of the same, please.

[@franklinslamo]

Dude I am cringing. Put some masking tape on the fretboard and headstock or something. One slip up and doh!

[@UnlikelyReply]

I reckon you are losing the plot mate.