chunky neck

[angelodp]

I am finalizing a Dano ( Silvertone 1457 ) build, and have been dithering on the neck dimensions. While I have an original to use as a guide, I am finding the thickness of the neck is quite a subjective issue. My question relates to the pros and cons of a slightly thicker neck.
Do you prefer a thick or thin profile on the neck, why??

Thanks Ange

[andy]

I find this a bit of a subconcious thing, but I'm pretty sure a thicker neck tends to work better for me. The reason being that whilst my hands aren't massive, there tends to be a lot of open space between the back of the neck and the palm of my hand. Classical technique would say all sorts of stuff about putting my thumb in the middle of the neck anyway, but my self taught 'grab it and go' way likes plenty of support from the wood behind the strings. I play away on a 5-string bass without a second thought to comfort, at any rate!

[ChrisK]

I believe that as we age, we need a thicker-backed neck to avoid hand fatigue.

On the guitars that I build, I use either a 1 7/8" boat neck or a 1 3/4" fatback neck. Both of these are a full 1" thick with the boat being a soft "V" and the fatback being a "U".

Another advantage is that a 1" thick neck significantly increases both the tone and sustain (uh, physics).

[angelodp]

Ok that makes sense, I seem to like the chunkier neck. On those dimensions you quoted, please indicate where they are taken.

thanks A

[dunkelfalke]

as thin as possible. i have a project neck somewhere which is so thin that there is barely enough space for the truss rod.

[D2o]

Dunk,

Yes, thin is lovely!

I had a Peavey T-15 with a deliciously thin, fast and flexible little neck ... although it was prone to an unintended sort of "wah/phase" just because it bent so easily. I miss that guitar.

I now have a Peavey Patriot, which has a thicker neck with a typically strat feel. I really like it as well - it lacks some of the charm of the smaller neck, but is very stable - and I am quite sensitive to tuning and intonation related issues.

Overall, I'll vote for thick.

Thinking about it another way: if you play tennis, what size grip do you use?
- "L2" (quite small) ;
- "L3" (small) ;
- "L4" (medium and probably the most common) ; or
- "L5" (large).

I should use L5, but I prefer L4. I think I feel that I am more in control and can do more things with an L4, even though it actually requires a little more effort to grip it and control it than the L5 would require.

L4=Thin
L5=Thick

It really is a preference thing, I guess.

D2o

[ChrisK]

On those dimensions you quoted, please indicate where they are taken.

At the nut.

www.usacustomguitars.com/contours.html

www.usacustomguitars.com/neckoptions.html


There are other firms that offer replacement necks, but I'm still pd at the large one.