Fat necks

[abraxas]

Don't know if this has been discussed before...

I find myself gravitating towards meatier necks as years go by... Right now I really cannot play a guitar with a slim neck (e.g. Ibanez, Jackson, etc). Although I have small hands, I cannot find the correct "pivot points" with such necks and I find myself getting tired after a while. My left hand just seems to lock up... And it has nothing to do with speed, as far as I can tell for myself...

What's your experience? Where you stand on the "fat neck vs slim neck" argument?

[tremoloman***]

I used to live by the "thinner is better" motto myself until I was diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrome at 26. Years of computer keyboard use compounded with my Ibanez thin neck were to blame. With my old Ibanez, I could only play 15-20 minutes before I was in agonizing pain throughout my left hand and arm. My doctor told me I would have to quit playing the guitar altogether if I wanted any relief.

In January 2004, I shopped for a guitar that would aid a person with CTS. I rediscovered Fender with the purchase of my first “real” Strat: An American Deluxe. This guitar allowed me to play for over 3 hours before I’d experience any sort of discomfort. I become conscious the thicker neck kept me from having to curve my wrist as far as the Ibanez did. In addition, the Fender greatly reduced the amount of string pressure necessary to play.

Fender is now and forever will be my favorite brand of guitar. Sure there are other guitars that are easier to play, but that Strat saved me from having to make the hardest decision of my life: quitting the guitar.

[kerc]

I have tenosynovitis on my left hand. I also find thick necks better and comfier. For me, a thick neck plus relatively thin (.009s) strings means long, healthy guitar playing sessions...

[abraxas]

Tentontitis is a curse for guitar players and I hear about a new case everyday...

Perhaps turning back to older neck "designs" is not such a bad idea after all...

For me, only my Kramer has a relatively slim neck, but makes up with the C-profile and wide fretboard. All others have substantial to baseball-bat style necks.

[Tone2TheBone]

The guitars I have now are mid sized necks I suppose. C shaped Fenders and a '50s style on the Gibson. I don't consider the ones on my guitars to be thick. But if I was to be given a choice it would be for thick necks yeah.

[Spudman***]

I have guitars with both thin/wide and fat/round necks. It takes some getting used to them if I switch back and forth. Otherwise, if I stay with one type I like them both a lot. I have no problems with either type and after I've gotten used to playing one type swear that I like it the best...until I switch to the other type. Go figure?

I don't have a preference and don't suffer any physical problems from either. I do try to play the fat ones harder and it takes a while before I realize that I don't have to squeeze the notes so hard.

I guess I really don't have a preference but I do play necks more in the middle size wise on a reqular basis.

[elavd]

I suffered by the C.T.S for a long time and I think that the problem was caused by my wrong technique end bad guitar necks...

The fattest neck that I have tried was on 56 Custom Shop Fender that had the 10/56 neck. This neck was a REAL PAIN for me...I couldn't play anything on that guitar Maybe it was not only the neck profile the problem for me, but the vintage radius and frets too...

My Rockinger Strat and Tele have C shape profile and I feel "like home" while playing them.

The Squier 51 has a thinner but not annoying neck profile.

I don't know...Maybe I will change my mind Abraxas, if I come to Athens and try your Blue Dream's neck

[Jimi75]

Besides all diseases described above, I come up with the following conclusion:

Thinner necks, especially the from my side most hated Ibanez Flat Profile Jem Neck, are in the musician's jargon often called "Fast Necks". I remember that when starting to play the guitar we had like battles in school, who could play the fastest solo and being a kid of the 80's you had to play fast anyway! The more mature you get, the more you realize that there is qualities to the guitar playing like sound, tone, sustain, feeling, phrasing etc.

The first time I figured out that a meatier neck is better was around 1994 when I picked up a friends 1978 Strat. He complained about the fat neck all the time. I asked him to borrow me that guitar for a while, in exchange I gave him my ESP Mirage Deluxe. After 2 days I was so used to the fat neck and the tones and the feel I get out of it fitted right in in my musical development/state of mind - away from Metal towards more "mature" sounds.

Today, thin necks seem like a comic to me. And to be honest, a real man plays thick necks and heavy strings! lmao

[abraxas]

I don't know...Maybe I will change my mind Abraxas, if I come to Athens and try your Blue Dream's neck

It needs some time getting used to it.

After a while you find out that you don't need quite as much pressure to play with fluidity and precision, you need not force your fingers to do the job.

Another thing is, fatter necks contribute very much to the TONE of the guitar! At least as much so as the body and perhaps more.

As far as speed goes, have you heard Richie Kotzen? He happens to play a signature Tele with an enormously fat neck... and his fingers fly.

[tot_Ou_tard]

I've only really played on my two Godin's (I started learning to play last Christmas). Does anyone know where these necks fit in the thin--fat continuum?

For a beginner I was thinking that thinner necks are probably easier until the players fingers learn to stretch and move independently. But now I think that thicker might help by being able to cradle the neck in one's palm.

As far as pressure on the strings:

This probably won't mean anything except possibly to new guitar players, but I remember vividly when I stopped fighting the strings and began to view my left hand as a spider dancing gently and with complete awareness on his web.
I was surprised at how little pressure was necessary and how fun it was to dance on those strings.

I mean it! (& no I wasn't under the influence of anything other than my too vivid imagination).

[abraxas]

I've only really played on my two Godin's (I started learning to play last Christmas). Does anyone know where these necks fit in the thin--fat continuum?

For a beginner I was thinking that thinner necks are probably easier until the players fingers learn to stretch and move independently. But now I think that thicker might help by being able to cradle the neck in one's palm.

As far as pressure on the strings:

This probably won't mean anything except possibly to new guitar players, but I remember vividly when I stopped fighting the strings and began to view my left hand as a spider dancing gently and with complete awareness on his web.
I was surprised at how little pressure was necessary and how fun it was to dance on those strings.

I mean it! (& no I wasn't under the influence of anything other than my too vivid imagination).

You are just so right! Case in point, my daughter, now learning guitar... she is more confortable with fatter necks, although she has tiny hands (12 y.o.).

Godins have rather medium necks, IIRC, but are quite wide and very flat.

[tot_Ou_tard]

You are just so right! Case in point, my daughter, now learning guitar... she is more confortable with fatter necks, although she has tiny hands (12 y.o.).

Godins have rather medium necks, IIRC, but are quite wide and very flat.

Sooo what are Fretter's feelings about wwiiIIIIIIIiiiidddeee necks?

If the Godins are wide then I like that. Anybody like unwide (just what *is* the opposite of wide if thin is already juxtaposed to FAT?) necks?

[Spudman***]

Wide necks? What next? Long necks?

I played a 7 string for a while, and while I was playing it it felt odd. Then when I went back to a 6 string I really missed being able to stretch my fingers out. Strange!

For chording I like narrow and for movement I like wide.

As for FAT necks...does anyone know anything about Gibson Les Pauls?
I have an Agile Les Paul with a really fat neck. I like it a lot and was wondering what model/years it would compare to a Gibson Les Paul? I know some of their vintage years were slim necks and then some were fat. I just don't know which years.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Wide necks? What next? Long necks?

Ummmm...yes.

There is a discussion going on right now on the Gear Page about Strat scale vs Gibson scale.

Seems t'me t'be a legitimate question.

So d'ya like'm wide fat n' long or thin skinny n' short?

[tremoloman***]

The specs on an American Deluxe neck are ideal for me.

• Maple, Modern “C” Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)
• Rosewood or Maple, 9.5” Radius (241mm)
• 22 Medium Jumbo Frets
• Width at Nut 1.6875” (43 mm)

I think this falls under WIDE... but correct me if I'm wrong.

[jpfeifer]

I much prefer fatter necks. I didn't know what I was missing until I bought my Eric Clapton Strat several years ago. It has a vintage V shaped maple neck and I realy noticed a difference in overall tone and feel when I started playing that guitar. I think that the chunkier neck tends to add to the tone. My Hamer Newport also has a chunky C chaped neck much like an old Gibson. It has a similar nice feel especially when bending strings, etc. I now prefer fatter necks than the skinny necks by far.

-- Jim

[Tone2TheBone]

Spud - The vintage Gibson Les Pauls from 1952 to 1957 had the fat necks and these were of the Gold Top style of the LP model. In 1958 Gibson had introduced the Les Paul in their first Sunburst version which typically had the same fat neck profile as the earlier models and the small frets. The 1959 Sunburst Gibson Les Paul was featured with a slimmer neck and bigger frets. The size of the neck heel also decreased in size by then. By the 3rd year of the 'burst production the 1960 LPs introduced an even more slimmer neck at the later part of that year although some '59 necks that were produced in the fall of '69 still had the "fat" neck. Most of the necks on guitars produced in 1960 are known as "'60s grip". It is safe to assume that prior to 1960...necks are described as the "50's grip". BTW the red paint used in the 'bursts also changed in 1960 to reduce the effect of fading often associated with the '59 Les Paul. This color scheme is known as Tangerine Red. The pigment in the red paint contained a hue of orange.

[SuperSwede]

The 60´s les paul neck is also known as the toothpick....

[Spudman***]

Tone-Thanks so much for clearing that up. I've never been able to figure out Les Paul necks based on the date of manufacture. I think I have it now.

Swede-Succinctly put. Thanks.