Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

KeeperOS

KeeperOS

New member
My first guitar is a Fender 2000 MiM Strat which I've modded to the point where only the body and neck are stock anymore.

Said guitar is due for new frets as the original ones are almost one with the fretboard but a refret has been put on the backburner for a few years now due to the fact that the neck (2000 Fender's "Modern" Soft C) is too thick for comfort and I'd end cramping up after a few minutes of playing.

So I was wondering, how would the different fret sizes affect said issue? Would some alleviate it? Would others make it even worse?

To give you some reference numbers, my favorite neck is 20mm thick & 42,45mm wide at the 1st fret and 23mm thick & 52mm wide at the 12th with 2.41mm x 1.19mm stainless steel frets.
(i.e .78″ - 1.67″ at the 1st and .90″ - 2.04″ at the 12th with .095″ x .047″ Jescar 47095-S frets for you imperial folks :D )


BTW, I have obviously already considered simply getting a replacement neck rather than refret, however like I said the neck and body are the only things still stock plus, the current neck is perhaps my most stable (unsurprisingly), not to mention the guitar sounds pretty great right now and a neck replacement would change that way too drastically.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Fret size is not really going to have the impact on feel (size), but you may be able to “cheat” by contouring the profile. Removing some material from the neck shoulders to create a more “V” than “C” can improve the feel without sacrificing thickness and thus stability.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

how big is the fender neck? your favorite neck doesnt sound all that tiny. does it have too much shoulder or is it too fat all around?
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Ayrton said:
Fret size is not really going to have the impact on feel (size), but you may be able to “cheat” by contouring the profile. Removing some material from the neck shoulders to create a more “V” than “C” can improve the feel without sacrificing thickness and thus stability.
Click to expand...
jeremy said:
how big is the fender neck? your favorite neck doesnt sound all that tiny. does it have too much shoulder or is it too fat all around?
Click to expand...
Like Ayrton surmised, it is a matter of thickness in conjunction with shape.
I've never actually measured it but I'd say it is for sure over the typical .80" "Standard Thin" neck profile although not as thick as the 1.0" "Fatback". Something around the .85" mark.

Ideally I like "C"-to-"D" necks, with a "C" profile's shoulders but a flatter "D" profile's back, however I too think I would have been able to get by with a bit more "V"-like shoulders and MAYBE a little flattening of the back (just the contour, not an actual reduction in size).
However I only have a tech, not a luthier, than I know and trust, and letting someone shave my guitar's neck requires him knowing me and my preferences and me trusting him to know what he's doing.
This right here is me trying to avoid said scenario even though I know it might be the option with the best results (thankfully that is something that I can always revisit later).
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Fretless

Take said neck off
Turn on sanding belt
Sculpt to desired minimal thickness
Wipe with oil
Replace frets with small stainless standard frets
Remount neck

Or save the neck for conversation peice
And get a new.neck with graphite rods
Possibly a Kiesel / Carvin

I have an obsession with Carvin necks
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

I highly recommend working on the shoulders as Ayrton suggested. I recently bought a Gary Moore Les Paul Standard and it has a very full 50's profile neck, the largest I have ever had, but it's comfortable. After this purchase, I bought a 57' Reissue LP with an even larger neck...... but. The shoulders on the 57' are significantly smaller, so as a result her neck feels much smaller in my hand. It's as dramatic a difference in neck feel as I've ever encountered.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

If you can find a neck that similar in thickness but a more comfortable profile, take some measurements and copy it.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Ayrton said:
Fret size is not really going to have the impact on feel (size), but you may be able to “cheat” by contouring the profile. Removing some material from the neck shoulders to create a more “V” than “C” can improve the feel without sacrificing thickness and thus stability.
Click to expand...

I slightly disagree regarding fret size. I have an EBMM Axis with a 1 5/8 nut that came with medium jumbo frets. Over the years it needed a refret so I had it regretted with the biggest frets I could find- Jescar 57110. The extra mass gave a tiny bit more girth to the neck, to the point the neck felt similar to my necks with 1 11/16 nuts.

If you already have very large frets, going down to a vintage size fret may give you what you’re looking for
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Instead of spending $$$$$ on a refret, why not get a cheap replacement neck. They're thin.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Clint 55 said:
Instead of spending $$$$$ on a refret, why not get a cheap replacement neck. They're thin.
Click to expand...

KeeperOS said:
BTW, I have obviously already considered simply getting a replacement neck rather than refret, however like I said the neck and body are the only things still stock plus, the current neck is perhaps my most stable (unsurprisingly), not to mention the guitar sounds pretty great right now and a neck replacement would change that way too drastically.
Click to expand...

.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

jmh151 said:
I slightly disagree regarding fret size. I have an EBMM Axis with a 1 5/8 nut that came with medium jumbo frets. Over the years it needed a refret so I had it regretted with the biggest frets I could find- Jescar 57110. The extra mass gave a tiny bit more girth to the neck, to the point the neck felt similar to my necks with 1 11/16 nuts.

If you already have very large frets, going down to a vintage size fret may give you what you’re looking for
Click to expand...

Well, you can disagree all you want but if you read his post he says that the original frets are nearly worn to the fretboard. Replacing them with even very small frets will likely increase the felt/perceived thickness of the neck.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

As Ayrton suggested, it's not that difficult to do a reshape yourself. Start by reducing the shoulder creating a more "V" effect and leave the middle of the neck as thick as it currently is. That may be all that you need. But if it still feels too thick, you can reduce the thickness down the center of the neck until it feels perfect.

I personally love the feel of a soft V shape...being chunky in the middle with thinner shoulders make the neck feel thinner than it actually is, and that V area just sits so comfortably in the palm of your hand. A breeze to play.
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

Hmm, after so many suggestions I am staring to think that I need to revisit the whole reshape idea after all.

This is why I love this place, you start at one place and end up in another (for the better, usually ;) )
 
Re: Suggest fret size to combat a too-thick-for-comfort neck

GuitarDoc said:
As Ayrton suggested, it's not that difficult to do a reshape yourself. Start by reducing the shoulder creating a more "V" effect and leave the middle of the neck as thick as it currently is. That may be all that you need. But if it still feels too thick, you can reduce the thickness down the center of the neck until it feels perfect.

I personally love the feel of a soft V shape...being chunky in the middle with thinner shoulders make the neck feel thinner than it actually is, and that V area just sits so comfortably in the palm of your hand. A breeze to play.
Click to expand...

I've been about this for quite some time. Might be doing that in the future to modern C in my main strat.
 
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