Hey........As most of you regulars know, I've been at this git thing less than a year.  BUT, all of a sudden I've developed a case of Gutar Acquisition Syndrome, or GAS as I've heard it referred to.  My Epi is a full size dreadnaught and I love playing it.  However, I'm getting the "itch" to look for a smaller parlor size.  I've been looking at all the major manufacturer's web sites for smaller parlor guitars.  I keep reading the terms "finger style", "finger picking" and "flat picking" when they refer to the nut width.  Would someone explain to me what they are referring to and how does the nut width come into play?

I'm leaning toward the Epiphone EL00 or the Art & Lutherie Amis Series.  Comments?  I figure as long as I can't "play" guitar, I may as well collect them.  But don't tell my wife/accountant!!!!

Thanks,

Dean

to me the width of the nut comes down to a preference. a skinnier nut is going to allow less finger space  in the open and first positions as the width of where the strings path threw is less. a  wider nut = the obvious opposite. (more space) for example a classical guitar has a huge nut width compared to almost any electric guitar as they are intended to be played only with your fingers ( no plectrums on nylon strings) although this rule is not cast in stone as you can clearly use your guitar anyway you see fit. so hope that helps a little bit.
I have owned one epi and played several they have always met my expectations in fact i wish i still had my old LP standard epi +top i let it go for so cheap i am ashamed.

Thanks Jason:  I guess with the wider nut and more string separation at the frett board, there is more room for "chubby" fingers and less chance of interfering with adjacent strings when fretting.  To me, that would mean it's easier to get a clear "pick".  SO, bottom line, the wider nut will lend itself more to a "picking" style of play as opposed to "strumming".  Make sense?????

One more question:  Is the nut width the overall width at the end of the frett board or the distance between the 2 E-strings?

Dean

I've tried the small Ami classical and it's great at that price point. Made in Canada. I think the nut is 2" and at first i thought i'd have trouble with the reaches but lots of practice with the classical i actually bought put that myth to rest. Going back to my acoustic with 1 5/8 nut let me know that one's brain (such as mine is) will let you play both with just a short 'memory refresher' practice. Is the EL00 a classical?

Also, i'm thinking 'finger style' and 'finger picking' generally refer to the same thing. Flat picking would be with a plectrum. Then of course there are combinations of both, i.e. thumb plectrum with finger picking style, regular plectrum and finger picking style combo and thumb plectrum and regular plectrum in combination and thumb plectrum, regular plectrum combined with finger picking style.  Prolly more combos but those are the styles i've actually seen.

Cheers,

GuitarZen

Thanks GZ....this is what I expected on the different finger styles.

The A&L that I am thinking about is NOT a classical.  I'm looking at the Ami Cedar.  Dimensionally it is a smaller, parlor, guitar.  The specs list it as a 1.72 nut width.  The Epiphone EL00 is also listed as a parlor with a 1.65 nut width.

Now I need to take everyones advice and find some that I can play/plunk on to see which one "fits" me the best.  Then I can slowly break it to my financial accountant (wife) that I want to get a new guitar even though I don't do a real bang up job on the one I have.

Dean

Oh, ok....well all sounds good Dean...let us know what you decide..and yep, play before pay as always the best way to go.

Cheers,

GuitarZen

ya gotta try different gits before you decide., go to your favorite music store and try different styles. look for comfort, ease of handling, and most important ,sound.  Don't buy the first one you play, look  at different types, styles,  play each one  and then , make a choice based on your idea of what you want to do  with the guitar. I kept a notebook, as I compared one against the other. till I found what I was looking for, price wise, and all else considered.

Thanks for the reply, Buddy.  I've even been told that there are differences within the same model of guitar.  Just because you like a guitar from playing one, doesn't mean another one of the same model will "feel" and sound the same.

My problem is that up here in Northern Wisconsin, I am limited in the number of shops/dealers I can visit.  I'm planning to "let my fingers do the walking" to see where there are shops and what they have for me to try.  Otherwise, I need to plan a weekend trip to Madison and/or Milwaukee to do some shopping.

Thanks again,

Dean