Wizard
I'm very confused and welcome insights.
Please remember I'm a guitar newbie and my comments and questions have to be read in this light.
I initially had a Squier and wasn't crazy about the neck profile.
Then Alan introduced me to the MusicMan Axis neck ... and I fell in love.
This asymmetrical neck profile was apparently developed in collaboration with Eddie van Halen (corrections welcome).
This neck is definitely chunkier than the Squier I had.
On another thread there was even a rude pictorial joke about the chunkiness of the MM neck.
Now ... thin necks are often referred to as "fast" ... implying fat necks are "slow" ... and yet Eddie VH doesn't seem very slow.
Furthers my confusion.
Then I got my M200.
It has a thin neck ... feels thinner than my Squier (is this true? or just perception?)
... and I ALSO love it !
How the hell can I simultaneously like a chunky neck, a skinny neck ... but not the neck inbetween ?
Keira-WitherKay
i think one can get used to anything...when it comes to neck profiles..........
play any guitar long enough and you will get to use it the same.........
my classicals all have radical different neck profiles... i prefer the fatter traditional one tho but i play just as comfortably on a thinner one... but when i change over it feels wierd for a few minutes then i forget it and just play ..........
but hey play what you like ....... when it comes to necks and guitars.. i like the fact that guitarists have different needs and preferences of god forbid we'd all sound the same with similar tone........ and just cos something is called a fast neck don't mean you can't be fast on the chunky necks...........
AlanRatcliffe
There's more to the feel of a neck than the thickness (see below - cut and pasted from something I wrote). Most of the Corts are usually a thin .75" C-shape. I like a .87 soft V the most, but have and am comfortable on anything from a .83" up to a 1". Skinny necks make my left hand cramp and there is no truth that they are "faster" - they are just easier to wrap your hand around and give you a little more reach.
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Neck contour, symmetry & thickness
Three of the most important specifications of a neck are the contour, symmetry & thickness, which all contribute immensely to how it feels.
Neck contour
The contour refers to the shape of the back of the neck, and is usually described by one of three letters: C, U or V, each contour looking something like the letter describing it.
The C shaped neck - is the standard modern shape, and can be thought of as a section of a circle, with a consistent curve around the radius.
The U shaped neck - is similar to the C, but has a flattened rear surface and flatter sides.
The V shaped neck - has a softened triangular shape, which gives the impression of a ridge at the centre of the neck. The V shape is further divided into hard V, medium V and soft V, which refer to how sharp the triangular shape is, with the hard V being the sharpest and the soft V being the smoothest.
Neck symmetry
The symmetry of a neck refers to the evenness of the back of neck contour and is described as being either symmetrical or asymmetrical. Most necks are symmetrical, with an even curve on both the treble and bass sides on the neck, and with the thickest point in the middle. However some players - most famously Stevie Ray Vaughn and Edward Van Halen - prefer a neck which is asymmetrical, with the thickest point more towards the bass side of the neck, a larger radius on the treble side and a smaller radius on the bass side of the neck. An asymmetrical neck is often more comfortable for those players who play with the fretting hand thumb curved around the bass side of the neck, on to the fingerboard.
Neck thickness
The thickness of the neck is important to comfort, although it is largely dependent on player preference. Neck thicknesses are usually measured immediately behind the first fret and range from .72" (18.3mm) to 1" (25.4mm). A second measurement is usually given, taken from behind the 12th fret, which will usually be anywhere from .05" (1.3mm) to over .1" (2.5mm) thicker.
Other factors
Fret height - When deciding on a neck, bear in mind that the fret height also adds to the perception of thickness - if you for instance, like the feel of a '63 Stratocaster neck which measures .82" at the 1st fret, but want to fit jumbo 6100 frets which are much taller (.055) than the original vintage fretwire (.043"), you will probably want to shave .010" off the neck thickness to get it to feel the same as the vintage neck (possibly more if the vintage frets are badly worn).
Nut width - A narrower nut width also affects the feel and the impression of the neck shape and thickness.
Some examples
The following are some example neck specifications taken from Warmoth and USA Custom guitars web sites:
Fatback: C shape, 1"
Boatneck: Soft V shape, 1"
Stevie Ray Vaughn: Asymmetrical .86"
Jimmy Vaughn: Hard V tapered to a C around the 9th fret. Usually between .83" and .85" thick
Eric Clapton: Medium V - around .86"
Wolfgang: Asymmetric 1st Fret - .815" 12th Fret - .94"
The '54/Eric Johnson: .85" Soft V going to a C
Gibson '59 Roundback: C shape .86"
Ibanez Wizard - C shape .735"
