How A Guitar Feels – Why The Details Matter

First, let’s understand that there is a big difference between how a guitar sounds and how a guitar feels. The two are not the same but can influence each other. The sound of a guitar mainly has to do with the type of construction of the body, the type of material used to make it, and most importantly, the electronics. But let’s take a look at what I think are the main features that impact how a guitar feels.

In my opinion, here are some of the most crucial aspects that I would focus on when building or choosing a guitar.

1. The Scale Length

The scale length refers to the distance between the nut and the bridge saddle. Essentially. This is the distance between the two points on the guitar where the string rests. This has an impact on how the guitar feels because it affects string tension. String tension affects playability and can also make a difference in the overall tone. This is why going from playing Les Paul-style guitars to playing Stratocaster/Telecaster-style guitars can seem difficult. The latter has a longer scale length. Guitars with a longer scale length tend to have a brighter sound than those with a shorter scale length

Electric guitars commonly have scale lengths of around 24.75 inches (628 mm) (Les Paul style guitars) or 25.5 inches (648 mm) (Stratocaster/Telecaster styles guitars). Acoustic guitars typically range from 24.9 inches (632 mm) to 25.4 inches (645 mm). Classical guitars often have longer scale lengths of around 25.6 inches (650 mm) or 26 inches (660 mm). The scale length of baritone guitars can vary, but it is commonly around 27 inches (686 mm) to 30 inches (762 mm). The scale length of guitars can vary from these standards as well, but these are a good representation of the most commonly used scale length.

2. Wood and Finish (Neck + Fretboard)

This is by far the most obvious aspect that impacts the feel of a guitar. It is where our fretting hand lives, the terrain that it navigates in pursuit of new ideas. The type of wood and finish have a bearing on the way the neck feels in the player’s hands. Some of the most commonly used woods for necks and fretboards are:

• Maple
• Mahogany
• Rosewood
• Alder
• Pau Ferro
• Ebony
• Roasted Maple
• Swamp Ash

In addition to the different woods used for necks and fretboards, guitar manufacturers also use a variety of finishes.
Some of the most common ones are:

• Clear Gloss
• Clear Satin Nitro
• Vintage Tint Gloss
• Vintage Tint Satin Nitro

Certain woods don’t require a finish, while others do. As a personal preference, I borderline despise the feel of a glossy neck. It gets tacky with the least bit of moisture and can seriously impede smooth playing on sweaty or ocean-side gigs. A quick fix is to use fine sandpaper to reduce the glossiness and give it more of a satin feel.

3. The Frets

Similar to guitar strings, fret sizes are measured in 1/1000ths of an inch. Often enough, this is an aspect that goes unnoticed, especially for beginner to intermediate guitar players. The size and material of a fret have so much to do with how your finger plays a note. There are about 20 different fret sizes. However, only 5 get used commonly. Let’s take a look at the commonly used fret sizes:

• 6130 – Medium Jumbo – They have a width of .106″ and a height of
  .036″.
• 6100 – Jumbo – They have a width of .110″ and a height of .055″.
• 6150 – Vintage jumbo – They have a width of .102″ and a height of .042″.
• 6105 – Modern narrow and tall – They have a width of .090″ and a height of .055″.
• 6230 – Vintage frets – They have a width of .078″ and a height of .043″.

The size of the frets facilitates ease of playing depending on the style of music. For instance, having taller frets allows players to dig into a note more and have smoother unobstructed vibrato. Whereas, having shallower frets is suitable for Jazz where there isn’t a lot of note-bending. Frets are made from an alloy commonly referred to as “Nickel-Silver” that contains approximately 8 percent nickel, 80 percent copper, and small amounts of other materials such as zinc, lead, and cadmium. Recently, stainless steel and EVO gold (Nickel free) frets have also been flooding the market.

In my experience, the material of the fret is also a key factor in the way it feels to play guitar. I find that bends and vibrato are smoother, brighter sounding, and feel easier on guitars fitted with stainless steel frets. Stainless steel frets also last 3 times as long as nickel-silver frets because they’re harder and more durable.

4. Fretboard Radius

The radius refers to the curvature of the fretboard surface. The radius is usually measured in inches by imagining a circle that fits the curvature of the fretboard. To see the radius, place your line of sight starting at the nut and look toward that last fret. You’ll notice that the frets follow the curvature present on the surface of the fretboard. This is your fretboard’s radius. On some guitars it’s more pronounced.

For instance, vintage guitars have a smaller radius (7.25 – 9.5 inches), resulting in a deeper curve. This is suitable for playing chords and small note clusters as our hands naturally follow the curve of the fretboard. More modern guitars have a larger radius (12 – 16 inches) which facilitates greater ease for leads and soloing. More recently, guitar companies have been offering guitars with a compound radius which has the best of both worlds. From a feel standpoint, the guitars with a compound radius ranging from 10 to 14 inches offer the best playability. Based on personal preference, this range may differ. Chords on the lower frets are easy to navigate and soloing on the higher frets is made easier by a flatter surface.

5. Neck Profile

This refers to the shape and contour of the back of the guitar neck. It is a major aspect of how the guitar feels in a player’s hand. The neck profile definitely influences how one plays and the degree of ease or difficulty with which one can play the guitar. Players with larger hands might have a different neck profile preference as opposed to players with smaller hands. Certain neck profiles are favored by players in specific genres because of how “fast” it makes the neck feel. Let us take a look at some common neck profiles.

• C-shaped profile: This is one of the most common neck profiles. As the name suggests, it has a curve that resembles the letter “C.” This profile shape gets commonly used as it suits most players and styles of music.
• U-shaped profile: This profile has a deeper curve resembling the letter “U.” It offers a fuller grip and is often preferred by players with larger hands. It makes the neck feel more substantial and thicker.
• V-shaped profile: This profile has a distinct V shape along the back of the neck. Players can opt for a deeper or shallower V shape based on their preference. The V-shaped profile is popular among vintage-style guitars. It may be better suited for players who use the thumb-over technique.
• Modern slim profiles: As the name suggests, these guitars feature slim or thin neck profiles. They are also known as “modern C” or “slim C” profiles. Slimmer necks are often associated with comfort and ergonomics, this allows players with smaller hands greater ease and comfort while playing. These can also make for faster playing.
• Compound profiles: A more recent trend is guitar necks with compound profiles. This means that the shape changes gradually as you move from the lower frets to the higher frets. Similar to a compound radius, a neck may start with a D-shaped profile near the nut and transition to a flatter D or C-shaped profile as you move up the neck. Once again, these compound necks are aimed at achieving optimal comfort.

Companies like Warmoth offer a wide range of neck profiles. I would highly recommend checking out their website https://warmoth.com/guitar-neck-profiles and creating a custom neck. Whether or not you decide to purchase a neck from them, it’ll be a valuable learning experience in all the aspects that go into making a world-class guitar neck.

6. Nut Width

The width of the nut can and does affect the playability of a guitar. It determines the spacing of the strings and the nut width directly impacts the width of the neck. This is such a small detail that often gets overlooked. The guitars with a wider nut have strings that are spaced out just a bit further apart than those with narrow nut width. This is an important aspect because the strings that are spaced wider apart are suitable for players with larger hands. The space of the strings at the bridge is also impacted as a result. This too can determine how easy or hard it is for players to execute picking techniques. Let us examine some common nut widths on standard guitar types.

• Steel-string acoustic guitars with 6 strings vary between 1.6875″(42.86mm) and 1.75″ (44.45mm).
• 12-string acoustic guitars usually have a nut width of 1.875″ (47.62mm).
• Electric guitars can vary between 1.65″(41.91mm) and -1.69” (42.9mm).
• 7-string electric guitars typically have a nut width of 1.889″ (47.98mm).
• 8-string electric guitars most often have a nut width of 2.125″ (53.97mm).
• Classical guitars are usually between 1.875″(47.6mm) and -2.04” (51.81mm).

These are common nut widths and can vary based on guitar models and manufacturers. However, they definitely impact the way a guitar feels and is an important aspect to pay attention to. In addition to the nut width, the nut material is also something to consider. Manufacturers offer guitar nuts made from bone, metal, synthetic, and ivory.

7. String Action

This refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. The string action on guitars affects the feel and playability. The higher the string action, the harder it is to fret a note. The string action is different for electric guitars, basses, and acoustic guitars. There is a sweet spot for most guitars in terms of ideal string action. Go too high and it becomes increasingly difficult to fret a note and might cause intonation issues. Go too low and it may cause notes to buzz or not sound out at all. Often, the reason why some guitars feel so much easier to play is because of how it has been “set up”.

*Thing to do* – Ask your local guitar repair guy for a setup and compare how the guitar feels before and after.

Adjusting the string action yourself can be a learning experience. The important thing to remember is to do your research before making any adjustments. The string action is adjustable at the bridge for most electric guitars. Depending on the kind of bridge a guitar has it may or may not be possible to adjust string action individually. In some cases, the height of the strings is also lowered by sanding down the bridge or nut. It is helpful to have a string action ruler to get it just right.

• String action on an electric guitar is typically 4/64″ (1.6mm) on the high E string and 6/64″ (2.4mm) on the low E string.
• The string action on an acoustic guitar is at around 5/64″ (2.0mm) on the high E string and 7/64″ (2.8mm) on the low E string.

These may vary from player to player based on personal preference. However, it is best to find your preferred string action height. The measurements above can serve as a guide to get you in the ballpark. Pay attention to how the string action impacts playability and the feel of your guitar.

8. Neck Relief

Another method to alter the space between the fretboard and the strings is using “truss rod adjustment”. Adjusting string action brings the strings closer to the fretboard. However, neck relief involves using an allen wrench to adjust a metallic truss rod that runs inside the neck of a guitar. This truss rod acts as a reinforcing support to the neck and can be adjusted to add a slight curve to the neck to counteract the pull of the strings. The adjustments can either be a forward bow or a back bow, also referred to as relief and negative Relief.

Adjusting the amount of bow in the neck impacts the space between the neck and strings, it affects playability and the overall feel of the guitar. It is important to exercise caution while adjusting neck relief. Tightening the truss rod too much can damage the guitar. Make sure to do your research before you decide to make any adjustments.

9. Height of the pickups

This aspect doesn’t nearly get the attention it deserves. Pickups are essentially magnets. They exert a certain magnetic pull on the strings. Simply put, the closer the pickups are to the strings, the greater their magnetic pull on the strings. Like all the other aspects discussed earlier, there is a sweet spot for pickup height, but this varies for different pickup manufacturers. When the pickups are too close to the strings, this may affect intonation and sustain. When they’re too far, the output is greatly reduced and the tone may lack some of the punch and clarity promised by the pickup manufacturer.

All these details go into how a guitar feels while being played. Even expensive guitars with high-quality components can “feel” harder to play because some of these details are being overlooked. Guitars that feel harder to play generally contribute towards a less than positive playing experience. As mentioned previously, please be thorough in your research before making adjustments to your pickups. Understand how and where to make adjustments with the right tools and guidance.

10. Strings

And finally, last but not least, the strings! With all the different brands of strings out there it can be hard to know which one is best for you. At first, this may not seem like a big deal but strings are what your fingers are working on manipulating while playing the guitar. The quality, build, and size of the strings are important when considering how a guitar feels.

Things to consider when buying strings:

• String gauge
• String Material (Steel, Nylon, nickel, coated, etc..)
• Flat wound, round wound, tape wound
• Price point
• Type of music

Most guitar players find what strings suit them best and tend to stick to one brand and gauge for years, if not decades. Although, this is something that we can always re-examine with new eyes. For example, changing from round wound to flat wound strings can offer a fresh approach to playing. The gauge or thickness of the strings impacts the playability, the ease with which strings can be bent, and the ability to execute lightning-fast phrases. Switching the string gauge for different styles of music is another way to manipulate how a guitar feels. For instance, using a heavier string gauge for metal gets you a thicker, chunkier sound while using a lighter string gauge on the same guitar could help pull off country licks with ease. As always, these are aspects to consider when playing, ultimately the focus is and should always be on the music.

Conclusion

There may be other aspects that directly impact how a guitar feels in a player’s hands. You may find that some of these resonate with you while others don’t. In either case, the objective here is to heighten one’s awareness of the minute details that go into creating a truly beautiful guitar that supports the playing experience. Remember that ultimately, we are calibrating and re-calibrating the instrument to the point where it becomes an extension of us, and the object of oneness with the instrument is attained.