I think 1-1/8" is pretty much the standard -- if you don't specify otherwise, just about any good mandolin will come this way. Anyone know of any common exceptions?
1-3/16" is a common alternative found on some older Gibsons, and a few new mandolins. Most folks get by fine with 1-1/8", but if you have unusually large fingers, or are interested in a more chordal approach rather than playing just single note lines, you might want to consider the wider fingerboard. I just recommended a student trade in his very nice 1-1/8" Rigel A-Natural because he has big fingers and limited flexibility -- the wider fingerboard will be easier for chording, since there's more room to get fingers out of the way. I think the wider fingerboard is a little more forgiving of left hand placement issues, since there's more room to move fingers away from where they shouldn't be!
August W
Exploring Classical Mandolin (Berklee Press, 2015)
Progressive Melodies for Mandocello (KDP, 2019) (2nd ed. 2022)
New Solos for Classical Mandolin (Hal Leonard Press, 2020)
2021 guest artist, mandocello: Classical Mandolin Society of America
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