Your favorite neck shape and why

[Blille]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

I like parallelogram and hex shaped necks.

Got one for you.

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

I'm not a shredder by any means, but I like thin D shapes with flat fretboards best.

I really like the Super Wizard on my RG570. Really comfy as I'm a thumb on the back of the neck kinda guy. I really like the flat fretboard radius too. The Wizard Prestige in my former RGA was also nice, but I think I prefer the thinner one on my RG570. I'd really like to try a Super Wizard HP or Prestige.

I'd really like to try the ESP Extra Thin Flat and Extra Thin U to see how they compare to the Ibbies as I'm finding their standard Thin U pretty comfy too. 12" is probably as round as I like my fretboard, though.

I used to have a Japanese Jackson with what I think they call "speed neck"? Either way, that was nice, and the compound radius was kinda cool, but I think I prefer a flat fretboard all across.

I'm starting to dislike the Wide Fat on my PRS SE. I'm willing to live with it because I'm sure it contributes to how good that guitar sounds, but man, that 10" fretboard specially is totally not my thing.

I also don't like V necks. It's not my preference, but I can live with a round thick neck, but definitely not a V. A thick V-shaped neck with a 7.5" radius would probably be my worst nightmare.

[Silence Kid]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

I’m weird; can get along with any neck radius from 7” to 16”/compound.

[weepingminotaur]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

I'd really like to try the ESP Extra Thin Flat and Extra Thin U to see how they compare to the Ibbies as I'm finding their standard Thin U pretty comfy too. 12" is probably as round as I like my fretboard, though.

Interesting you mention the ESP U necks. I had occasion to try some LTD thin U necks recently (the EC-1000 and the H-1001) and I was surprised by how well I got along with those necks. Very slim and comfortable, access to upper frets no problem. Being a thumb-on-back player with longish fingers, I don't mind the U shoulders that bother some players. So now I want to try some of their extra thin U necks to compare. Might try to make it out to a Sam Ash for this very reason in the next little while. I'm saving up to buy a new guitar within a year or so, which is why I want all the intel on necks!

[beaubrummels]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

Best sounding guitars I have, acoustically and plugged in, have baseball bat necks. I’ll play anything, but the best playing neck I’ve ever felt was the custom thin neck on a Pete Townsend signature SJ-200 acoustic. Plays like an electric, very fast and comfortable. Can play it for hours. I also tend to like 7.5-9” radius fretboards. I play more rhythm than lead and the edges of flat 12” radius necks hurt my hands/fingers when holding chords.

[St_Genesius]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

The honest answer: whatever neck I've been playing on a lot most recently. I pretty quickly get used to whatever I'm using and any big swing the other direction will feel weird at first. But only at first.

That said, I've always found the various versions of Gibson's 60s Slim Taper to be a pretty nice, middle-of-the-road size and shape for my hands: med-large, but with remarkably short fingers. I also love whatever shape my EBMM neck is, but it's also the one I've been playing the most for the past several weeks, so...see above.

[Blille]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

I’m weird; can get along with any neck radius from 7” to 16”/compound.

This blows my mind. I can’t do 7.25 - Do you have any setup tricks?

[NoOnesFang13]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

i like a thick c best. i dont like the shoulder of a d or u and dont care for the back contour of the v. i can make due with most things but a thick c is my favorite. 1" from nut to body with no taper is just fine

My favorite neck is from an Austin 70's Strat copy, its got a pretty tight radius as well (not sure which one but definately smaller than modern guitars) fits in my hand perfectly and bending is fine contrary to popular opinion. A good setup does wonders

[DavidRavenMoon]

Your favorite neck shape and why

I like thin C shaped neck like on my Parker P-38 and most Ibanez guitars with 12” of higher fretboard radius.

I like them a bit wider because I have long fingers.

I hate fat, baseball bat necks.


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[Silence Kid]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

This blows my mind. I can’t do 7.25 - Do you have any setup tricks?

In general I just keep the action between 1.5 - 2mm as needed at the twelfth fret. As long as the neck relief is good and pretty flattish, bends come easy. The G/D strings can go a bit lower if you want, because they’re less compromised by needing to conform to a non-flat surface than the outer strings, which need to lie more ‘sideways’ across the least flat segment of the radius, if that makes sense. The inner strings are more perpendicular to the radius curve since they don’t have a spread between the bridge/nut spacing. But again - I just say screw it and set things up around 1.5mm anyway, generally.

If you hand me a guitar I’m terrible at being able to figure out what the radius is just based on feel; it’s just not something that seems to matter for me, chords aren’t any easier with a small radius etc.

[Liam1963]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

What's known as a soft "V", the same neck that's on my Fender Jimmie Vaughan signature Strats....

[Ascension]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

Prefer a slim D profile with a flat wide board. Have real issue with a thick neck and in particular with a V profile as my hand will go numb on a long set.
Favorite neck is the 93 94 Carvin neck with the 16 radius board close second is the current thin profile neck option from Carvin / Kiesel next would be the necks on 1995 Washburn USA Mg's.

[PFDarkside]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

Mid-sized Fender C. The profile they use on the 62 Hot Rod and John Mayer is perfect. Thicker or thinner is fine, but shoulders and Vs aren’t my preference, after playing Fender C shape for so many years.

[GreatOz]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

I guess I'm in the minority with the soft-V shape being my favorite. By far my favorite shape is the Clapton-style made by Warmoth. Maybe it's bias because it's on my favorite guitar

I play with my thumb level with where the face dots would be and I have quite long fingers, so the V sits comfortably right in the cleft between my thumb and index finger. Although, I personally care less about neck shape as I do thickness and fingerboard radius. I prefer medium to thin thickness. I cannot stand 7.25" radius, 9.5" is tolerable, 12" is my favorite, and anything flatter than 12" messes with me, dunno why.

[Mincer]

Re: Your favorite neck shape and why

What type of shape is the Music Man neck? (I've never tried Music Mans.) I assume from your description that it's a thin C or oval, is that correct?

Like a thin C, 1 5/8" at the nut.

The Strandberg's neck with the flat spot in the back is uncomfortable to me unless you play in purely a classical left hand position. I vary mine, so it is uncomfortable most of the time.