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View Full Version : Fender-type guitars with thick necks? (preferably Telecasters)



red
May 16th, 2010, 12:51 PM
I really like thick neck guitars. But I've noticed that most people, when talking about thick necks, think about bigger medium sized necks - especially when coming from the Ibanez-shredder world.

So let's clarify: by thick necks I mean baseball bat necks, like Gibson used to put on their guitars in the 1950s, like the ones that you can find today on some of their Custom Shop VOS 5x reissues (NOT the 60s slimmer neck profile). That's what floats my boat.

Now, a few years ago I got a second hand Fender Hot Rod 52 Reissue Telecaster guitar, and while I love it's tone I've been wondering if Fender (or a boutique clone maker, or whoever) makes guitars with necks comparable to the '50s Gibson necks. People on Internet forums keep saying that the Hot Rod 52 has a thick neck, but I don't know what they compare it to. It feels half the size of a typical Gibson '50s neck.

I've heard that the Stratocaster SRV reissues have a thick neck. Is it any closer to my paragon of thickness? Do you know of any other Fender type guitars with a thick neck (and by thick I mean etc. etc. - not thicker than most guitars).

Thanks!

markb
May 16th, 2010, 02:28 PM
Try a Custom Shop Nocaster. The Allparts TMO-FAT gets a lot of love at tdpri for those who like them on the chunky side.

http://www.allparts.com/Chunky-Replacement-Neck-for-Telecaster-p/tmo-fat.htm

Katastrophe
May 16th, 2010, 02:29 PM
Warmoth, All Parts, USACG and other aftermarket builders will have Tele necks that should satisfy your need for baseball bat thickness.

For production guitars, look at BC Rich (definitely metal oriented) or PRS, either the SE line or regular production (way expensive) and you will find some examples of baseball type necks that are a pleasure to play.

red
May 16th, 2010, 02:53 PM
Try a Custom Shop Nocaster. The Allparts TMO-FAT gets a lot of love at tdpri for those who like them on the chunky side.

http://www.allparts.com/Chunky-Replacement-Neck-for-Telecaster-p/tmo-fat.htm
Oh, I'd love to try a Custom Shop Nocaster, but there's no way I can afford that now. As for the allparts neck, I see it's unfinished - don't know how to apply finish to that. But yes, that migh be a solution, hunt for a thick neck at Allparts, Warmoth, etc. - and just replace the one on my Telecaster.

Thanks for the reply!

red
May 16th, 2010, 02:57 PM
Warmoth, All Parts, USACG and other aftermarket builders will have Tele necks that should satisfy your need for baseball bat thickness.

For production guitars, look at BC Rich (definitely metal oriented) or PRS, either the SE line or regular production (way expensive) and you will find some examples of baseball type necks that are a pleasure to play.
Yep, will check with Warmoth. Won't touch a BC Rich - unless they start making classic Telecaster or Stratocaster models (low output single coil guitars). Haven't paid much attention to PRS so far, I'll check them out - but I'm really interested in a Fender Telecaster / Stratocaster type guitar with a thick neck, which appears to be something fairly uncommon.

Iago
July 14th, 2010, 09:21 AM
Nocaster, Allparts FAT neck...those are 1" thick from 1st to 12th fret.

The SRV neck is chucky (my favorite neck profile ever, by the way), but it's not a Nocaster neck - It's a super comfortable neck, kinda soft V shaped on the first frets and a round C as you go up the neck - rounder than most Fenders, but I'm not sure about the measurement, maybe about 0.900 by the 12th fret - and this is a guy with small hands who's talking :)

Mr Pants
August 27th, 2010, 09:51 AM
I've got a Mexican Classic Player Baja (..or whatever it's called) and that has a big old neck. Seems to give the guitar a really strong acoustic resonance.

ZMAN
August 27th, 2010, 11:08 AM
The Deluxe Player Strat out of Mehico had a fairly chunky neck with a 12 inch radius like a Gibson. A really nice all round guitar for not a lot of money.
Vintage noisless pickups and and extrra switch similar to the S1 but not incorporated into the control. Only came with a Tort guard. Ash body and great see through finishes.

otaypanky
August 27th, 2010, 11:51 AM
Here's a pic of the neck on my Ron Kirn tele style. He makes Strat style guitars as well. Just tell him what you want and he'll make it for you. When I ordered this one I just told Ron I had big hands and I like to bend notes, he did the rest. The guitar is awesome and it was very reasonably priced.
I have a '58 historic Les Paul as well and the big fat neck on that is close or maybe a tad smaller than on my Kirn
www.ronkirn.com

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0008-6.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0002-16.jpg

hubberjub
August 27th, 2010, 01:32 PM
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0008-6.jpg




Holy crap! I don't think I could get my stubby little fingers around that neck.

ZMAN
August 27th, 2010, 08:37 PM
Here's a pic of the neck on my Ron Kirn tele style. He makes Strat style guitars as well. Just tell him what you want and he'll make it for you. When I ordered this one I just told Ron I had big hands and I like to bend notes, he did the rest. The guitar is awesome and it was very reasonably priced.
I have a '58 historic Les Paul as well and the big fat neck on that is close or maybe a tad smaller than on my Kirn
www.ronkirn.com

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0008-6.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0002-16.jpg
Otay: Love your version of the "vintage" Fender strap. I have one of the originals from 1968. My buddy got it with a Jazz Bass we bought at Whaley Royce in Toronto in 68, he thought it was too thin and he gave it to me. I put it in my case and kept it for 42 years and it is in mint shape.

otaypanky
August 27th, 2010, 09:58 PM
Otay: Love your version of the "vintage" Fender strap. I have one of the originals from 1968. My buddy got it with a Jazz Bass we bought at Whaley Royce in Toronto in 68, he thought it was too thin and he gave it to me. I put it in my case and kept it for 42 years and it is in mint shape.

Cool! It's nice to have gear that's taken the journey with you.
I hope you give that old strap some conditioner every so often ~
I have an old strap I made in '72 that I still use regularly. Last year I finally had to trim one end and make a new hole as the old one wore out.
I make my 50's a bit differently now and make the ends of the pad a bit rounded

ZMAN
August 28th, 2010, 08:17 AM
Cool! It's nice to have gear that's taken the journey with you.
I hope you give that old strap some conditioner every so often ~
I have an old strap I made in '72 that I still use regularly. Last year I finally had to trim one end and make a new hole as the old one wore out.
I make my 50's a bit differently now and make the ends of the pad a bit rounded
I used it for about a year at home back then and the felt is a little worn. It has been in that case since and I haven't touched it. I will get some leather conditioner and apply it. It might be something cool to give to one of my Grandsons if they decide to play. They will certainly have a great choice of guitars to play. LOL
Sorry to hijack, back to Fat necks.

Presto
September 6th, 2010, 12:08 AM
Here's a pic of the neck on my Ron Kirn tele style. He makes Strat style guitars as well. Just tell him what you want and he'll make it for you. When I ordered this one I just told Ron I had big hands and I like to bend notes, he did the rest. The guitar is awesome and it was very reasonably priced.
I have a '58 historic Les Paul as well and the big fat neck on that is close or maybe a tad smaller than on my Kirn
www.ronkirn.com

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0008-6.jpg

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w49/otaypanky/DSCF0002-16.jpg

That looks a lot like the neck on my Fender baja telecaster.

Duffy
September 6th, 2010, 01:02 AM
Red,

You could get an "unfinished" Allparts neck and apply a couple thing coats of "boiled linseed oil" onto it and let it soak in for an hour then wipe it off and buff it up with a cloth. You might want to apply a second coat to seal any areas where the wood was especially porus and absorbed the linseed oil rapidly.

This will seal off the neck from moisture getting into it and give you a great satin feeling neck quite unlike those polyurethaned ones, where you can actually feel the wood under your hand.

Give it as many coats of linseed oil as you see necessary, paying close attention to the ends where it will soak in fast. Just wipe each coat off and buff. You can add additional coats to refresh the finish at any point in the future without sanding or other preparation. This is why some people like oil finished guitars so much. Very easy to repair dings and scratches and such and have the color blend right in. Plus it's good for a real earth tone look that some of us like.

Hope this helps you when you think about what to do to an Allparts fat neck.

deeaa
September 8th, 2010, 06:07 AM
IMO boiled linseed oil is pretty nice for a lot of uses, but I would not put it on my guitars. I have on several pieces of furniture etc. though.

Several reasons: 1st is linseed treated wood can develop mildew in a matter of hours or less under the right conditions. Walk home in a rain once and some moisture gets in the case, don't be surprised to find the neck full of greenish-black dots. 2nd it gives next to no protection from wear and tear - it may feel nice to the hand, but pretty soon you realize it also wears the wood when you play it, and also collects loose skin bits in the wood pores etc. so keep your hands extra clean when playing. 3rd you can pretty much forget about any other finish later on as most stuff just won't stick on oil-treated wood. 4th using too much oil can act much like water, saturating wood and causing wood fibres to extrude and perhaps also cause some looseness in frets etc. plus overall lessen the structural strength of dry wood. Also linseed oil is fiercely flammable and smells kinda weird to me.

There are better, more modern wax/oil treatment mediums available, which are often hailed as great, but if you want the guitar to last 20+ years and remain nice and all, I'd recommend a professional grade full laquer job which can be made satin too if you like satin.