Fret Board and Necks

[just strum]

I have a curiosity question for all you Strat and Strat clone owners out there.

1) What do you prefer - maple or rosewood fret board?

2) What neck (C, V, U...) have you found most comfortable? Why? Are your hands/fingers big or small?

Slowly working my way towards the MIM. I know what model and color, but I would like to hear some preferences on the features noted above.

I'm going to visit a music store to check out different features before I make my decision.

[Spudman***]

I really love a maple neck and fingerboard. For some reason my eye sees positions easier and I like the feel. Sadly once the board starts to wear there isn't much maintenance that can be done to it like you can do to a rosewood board.

For best neck shape it would have to be a V type. Specifically the neck on the Musicman Luke guitars. It is amazingly comfortable and very hard to put down after you pick it up. Incredibly comfortable. Too bad they don't make a maple fretboard version of it.

[mrmudcat]

maple, v or c shape,small hands sausage fingers :

[just strum]

maple, v or c shape,small hands sausage fingers :

I've come to the conclusion the only ones with long fingers are the people that post on youtube. I think it's a pornism thing.

[Danzego]

I don't have very big hands, either. In fact, I can barely make the stretch from the 1st to the 5th fret on Strats. I do find Strat C shaped necks comfortable, though it took me a bit to get used to the Standard radius (9.5") as opposed to the Les Paul radius (12") that I'm used to. I'm also a die hard fan of rosewood. No maple fretboards for me.

[oldguy]

Soft V maple, tho I don't mind rosewood, I just think the tinted maple looks cool. I can bend easier on a 12" radius board, but I don't notice a big difference otherwise after playing a few minutes on either.
So many choices, so little time.....money......sigh.:

[just strum]

I was under the impression that the V shape was for larger hands/fingers, but apparently not. I wish I could remember where I read it. I do remember the article referencing Clapton and Beck, as well as others regarding their preference and why.

[Dreadman]

Hey there Strummy.

I like maple, mostly for appearance reasons but also because they're easier to finish. No masking the fretboard. My hands are about average size and I like thinner necks. Warmoth's "standard thin" (which I think is thinner than any Fenders) is perfect for me, very much like Washburn's acoustic necks (not the bats on the jumbos though).

MIM, huh? May I suggest building from scratch? Between ebay and www.warmoth.com you can put together a killer Strat for as little as $400-$500. My butterscotch baby only cost $700 in parts, all new and very good quality (except the body which is a used USA Fender in like new condition).

If you like the idea I'd be more than happy to help you pick out what you need and guide you through assembly. I'd even build it for you (no charge) if you like.

[M29]

Great post just strum. I was just going to post a question on prefs for shapes. I am looking for a new neck for a project and do not have enough experience playing different shape necks so this post will be great. Thanks:

I kind of like the '51 neck. It s kind of thick though at the nut.

I also like a 9.5 radius.

My jazzmaster has a flatter compound radius but it makes fretting chords more difficult. The chords in the song Long Train Running are harder to fret on the flatter board. That neck is a standard thin but a compound radius of, 12 to 16. Playing leads is nice though. That also has a PauFerro board which I like a lot.

M29

[Dreadman]

Just for reference here's Warmoths neck profile page. I don't know how they correlate to Fenders but it's something to look at anyway.

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/...=back_profiles

[sunvalleylaw]

I own two strat types, my MIM 60th, and my Fully. I like the Maple modern C shape on my 60th the best. I like the 9.5 radius on the fret board better than the flatter one on the fully, and just like the feel.

[Adrian30]

I have a curiosity question for all you Strat and Strat clone owners out there.

1) What do you prefer - maple or rosewood fret board?

2) What neck (C, V, U...) have you found most comfortable? Why? Are your hands/fingers big or small?

Slowly working my way towards the MIM. I know what model and color, but I would like to hear some preferences on the features noted above.

I'm going to visit a music store to check out different features before I make my decision.

1. Maple, though I'm ready for a guitar with rosewood or ebony fret board.

2. C and soft V, 9.5 radius feel very natural to my average size hands.

Can we hear more about the model and color?

[t_ross33]

I love the maple neck and fretboard on my Tele. A twangin' Tele needs a maple neck for whatever reason - even if it's just to look cool! But I've seen some sweet Teles with rosewood boards too, hmmm...

I'm GASin' for a Strat with r/w, mostly an aesthetic thing for me.

As far as neck shapes, I find Fender types generally more comfy - mine is a "C", and I like the 9.5" radius.

But every once in awhile, my HB-30 calls to me and her 43mm wide, 12.5" radius neck tucks into my hand ever so sweetly, ahhhh...

I just can't make up my mind. Gonna need one of each I guess :

[Katastrophe]

After years of playing on rosewood fretboards, I got a Strat with maple. It seems to me, and this just may be my ears being goofy, that the maple adds a little snap to the tone.

I am probably one of a very few people that don't like the V neck shape. I played a JV Strat once, and while I loved the tone, the neck just felt awkward to me. I like the C neck shape on the Fender Standards. They are more comfortable to me. I don't have large hands, but I do have semi-long, skinny fingers.

I loved the neck on a '72 Tele Deluxe (or was it Custom? It was the two humbucker version) that I played on a while ago. Perfect fit for my hands, and it felt like a D shape (since it was a 70's model, it probably what Fender calls a U shaped neck). Anyway, it felt good, and I had a blast playing the guitar.

The 9.5" radius is fine. I've never had any problems with chording or bending, and it's a good compromise.

[Jimi75]

I have always preferred maple necks. I love the look and the tone of maple way more than rosewood. In a way it is brighter and I have the impression that one can control the tones and sounds better on a maple fretboard.

Regarding the shape I love v-shaped necks. Got a v-shaped neck on my Jimmie Vaughan Strat and I have never ever felt more comfortable than with the "V". The reason is that I have not the bigest palm, although my fingers are in comparison pretty long, so for my palm the v is just perfect.

Great thread!

[marnold***]

I prefer maple, but that's an aesthetic thing. I'd probably prefer ebony to rosewood for the same reason. As far as neck shape goes: flat and thin all the way, baby! My Fender has about the perfect neck for me. Very thin and 15.75" radius. My Floyd is a good middle-ground between my Fender and a typical Fender C-shape. It's got a 12" radius. My '51's neck feels like a baseball bat compared to my Fender.

[wingsdad]

Shape & radius is a 'pesonal feel' thing, but as for the board: Glossed maple. Lacquer. Board & neck.

It's Leo's original 50's design, as he designed the Tele & Strat for Country-Western bar players, with their input & feedback. And part of that is maple's 'snappiness' or briteness vs. rosewood. Less sustain, to a degree, but that's the point. It helps the Strat 'Quack' in the 2 & 4 PUP positions. (that and the middle PUP a shade lower than than either or both the other 2.

a) bends are easier because it's slick
b) doesn't retain grunge
c) low maintenance
d) less wear over time

I've got a 27-year old glossed maple neck on my 81 STRAT. Years of Bar-Wars resulted in a couple of finger board chips and neck dings. They were easy to repair with epoxy fill/stain, and lacquer touch-up.

Heavily-layed areas will wear down the lacquer, but again, it's a simple thing to touch up.

IMO, at least on a Strat or Tele, unfinished/satin necks & boards are a skimpy, cost-saving measure that take less skill to build.

[just strum]

Can we hear more about the model and color?

As soon as I wrap up a possible deal.

[marnold***]

IMO, at least on a Strat or Tele, unfinished/satin necks & boards are a skimpy, cost-saving measure that take less skill to build.

I don't think I could disagree with you more on this. I see what you're saying about the durability of a gloss finish, but from a feel perspective, I hate it. During these winter months, it's not a problem. As soon as humidity becomes a factor (and it is in all of the non-cold months here) gloss finishes become far too sticky for my tastes. I would imagine that a good satin finish should be every bit as durable as a gloss one.

That's another reason why I got rid of my Model 7. It had a heavy gloss finish on it that I really didn't like. Having said that, there are plenty of people who value those necks very highly, so different strokes for different folks, I suppose.