Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

[Gearjoneser]

I was just playing some of my Gibsons, taking note of my favorite necks, so I decided to measure them. Using a piece of paper, wrap it around the neck from each edge of the fretboard at the 1st and 12th. Mark it with a pen, then use a tape measure. Use 16's, since it's easier to compare.

It's amazing how 1/16 of an inch can be the difference between a 60's and 50's neck. I never thought the differences would be so minute.

When I get the chance, I'll measure the rest, like the Fenders and PRS's.

Here's 4 Gibsons.
2007 ES-335 with 60's neck. 2 10/16 - 3
2008 SG Diablo 50's neck. 2 11/16 - 3 3/16
1991 LP Std Goldtop 50's. 2 11/16 - 3 3/16
2001 LP Std. Prem Plus 50's. 2 11/16 - 3 3/16.

That means that Gibsons most perfect consistently good feeling 50's necks are 2 11/16 - 3 3/16, because those necks are great, and obviously the guideline for what Gibson expects people will like the most.

If you feel inclined, try it, and compare the results. I'll get to my other favorites soon enough, like the Martin D-28, Strats, and McCartys. I remember measuring the McCartys awhile back and they were identical to the Gibson 50's neck but had a soft V carve instead of a rounded C, but the numbers were the same. Interesting, huh?

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

Interesting results Joe, I'll play... I'll get the guitars out and add the measurements later.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

IMO, the exact dimension you specify is not nearly as important as the profile. What allowance are you making for assymetrical necks?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

IMO, the exact dimension you specify is not nearly as important as the profile. What allowance are you making for assymetrical necks?

None. Purely numbers. That's part of the magic of neck carves. The numbers can be equal, like PRS wide/fat vs. Gibson Fat 50. The numbers are the same, which is a number that has been deemed perfect. But the carve can be different variations of C, D, V, and people will all love them.

I was surprised to see that my SG and LP had the same numbers, but the necks don't feel identical. The numbers are identical though. The SG Diablo neck just may be the best feeling neck I've ever owned though. But I've got at least 5 other guitars that measure exactly the same.

That means that there can be minute differences in the carve of the neck that may be less than 1/16 of an inch that make a world of difference. That's the truth of neck shaping which I never realized till now.
The SG leans slightly more D than the LP's C's. It's tiny differences within those same numbers that make each neck feel slightly different.

Imagine two American Std. Strats. One with low action 11's, and one with medium action 10's. The necks, could spec the same, and potentially feel the same, with less than 1/16 difference and less than a fraction of that in string gauge. That's what's odd about necks. They can be almost identical, number-wise, but have way different feels.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

it makes sense that the minute differences matter because we're talking about how easy it is to press an unfretted string and move it to the fret. Since that's generally not a very big distance, the impact of otherwise miniscule variables comes out distinctly.

That's why there are so many guitars and guitar makers. Most of us have great guitars; not all of us have guitars that fit and feel perfect every single time for every single person. Nobody's pegged down the mysticism behind a perfectly-playing neck...you just get lucky every now and then.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

my SG faded that i shaved the neck on:
1st fret: 2 5/8"
12th fret: 3 3/16"
looking at the numbers, it's ridiculously close to joe's 60s dimensions, which is funny because apparently i took a 50s neck and put it into another decade:lmao:
of course, my SG's neck probably has an entirely different feel than his since i carved down myself.
now, for the mock:
first fret: 2 5/8"
12 fret: 3"
huh, didn't realize the mock's neck was thinner than the SG's as it tapered down. kinda cool to know.

 

[d1dsj]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

I've just measured my 2 L.Ps, I went all the way around the neck, under the strings so that the paper touched if that makes any sense. The '57 which has a great feeling big beast of a neck is only 1.5mm bigger than the Page at the 12th fret, which as Joe says is about 1/16". at the first fret the difference is minimal. I'm really surprised I have to say because it does seem to feel much bigger!

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

I'd love to see how a gibson es-339 with a 30/60 neck would measure up with a gibson 50's neck. Anybody got a 339? :fingersx:

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

Interestingly enough I measured my fave two a couple of weeks ago (although the numbers are in the metric system):

The first one is the Swing EZ-10 and has a narrow C shape, it's 20mm thick at the 1st fret and 23mm at the 12th.

The other is the 94 Washburn MG-122, this one is a tad chubbier at 21.80mm at the 1st fret and again 23mm at the 12th but has a flatter, D-shaped profile (but don't go thinking anything Ibanez-like).
The neck width is 42,45mm at the 1st fret and 52mm at the 12th and frankly, it's perfect as it is so I didn't even bother measuring the other one's.

On the other hand the 1-5/8" nut is NOT for me, I can now manage it although it took me a lot of time but I still feel best when I'm handling the Swing's 1-11/16".

The reason I measured these two is because I'm trying to figure out my perfect neck, if that is at all possible...

 

[j9fd3s]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

i measured a bunch of necks with a micrometer about a year ago, and i was surprised that i could feel a difference of like 0.005" and just two MIM fender necks varied by like 0.010"!

but anyways here are a couple more;

warmoth thin strat neck

1st fret 2 1/4" exactly
12th 3" exactly

97 am STD strat (this is a BIG one, nut is very wide too)

1st fret 2 11/16ths
12th fret 3 2/16ths

99 am std strat this one is a normal size neck

1 st fret 2 9/16"
12th fret 2 14/16"

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Measure your necks at 1st and 12th fret.

Okay. You asked for it.

Chapman Grid (Stick)
1st fret 4 3/4 inches (106mm)
12th fret 4 & 3/4 inches (106mm)