How to Measure Your Neck?

[Plunk]

Greetings all,

I searched and couldn't find the answer to this VERY basic question.

I'm planning a build and I want the neck to be similar to any of my 3 electrics (PRS CE24 from the mid 90s, Ernie Ball Music Man Silhouette Special from 2001, PRS SE22 Semi Hollow from 2019).

I've decided on a neck radius of 10", as that's what's in use by Ernie/Ball PRS. But the Neck Profile is throwing me for a loop.

Warmoth says the '59 Roundback is closest to a PRS; but PRS seems to have shifted at some point from Wide Fat to Wide Thin - and as the Roundback mentions Les Pauls, I know for a fact my hands have never felt comfortable on one of those.

So, best to measure the guitars I have and pick the Neck Profile closest to them - but how do I do this?

For example, the '59 Roundback has a Thickness at 1st Fret of .860". How is this measurement found?

I've got a fabric tape measure that I can easily wrap around the neck at the first fret, but when I do so, it's way more than .860", so obviously I'm doing something wrong.

Help me, Unofficial Warmoth Forum, you're my only hope!

 

[Spud]

I do it with calipers( digital) middle of back of neck/ at first fret. Others may have different methods. Not on top of fret btw.

 

[PFDarkside]

Harbor Freight has a super cheap (like $12) digital caliper that is very useful for guitar. Using it you can measure:

-Nut Width
-Neck Depth at 1st and 12th fret (“pinch” the caliper from the back of the neck to just behind the fret for neck depth)
-Fret Width
-Fret Height (use the little tab the plunges out of the back side against the fretboard and slide the caliper until the main body touches the fret for measuring the height)
-Screw outer and inner diameter to select pilot hole drill bit diameter
-String gauge diameter when you forget what gauge you installed last time
-String action height (a scale is better, but in a pinch you can use the same technique for measuring fret height to measure action as well)

Overall it’s definitely a useful tool, especially if you are building and planning guitar builds.

 

[Plunk]

Thanks, all! I've ordered a digital caliper.

 

[stratamania]

1st Fret of .860". How is this measurement found?

Just to be clear it is the measurement of depth and it is measured with calipers as others have said.

 

[Plunk]

Just to be clear it is the measurement of depth and it is measured with calipers as others have said.

Appreciated!

 

[DuckBaloo]

PRS seems to have shifted at some point from Wide Fat to Wide Thin

They didn't "shift", they were offered at the same time. From the late '80s through the '00s, the three main neck options were Regular (what old PRS aficionados call "Standard"), Wide-Fat, and Wide-Thin. Then, maybe a decade ago, they renamed them all to Pattern Regular, Pattern, Pattern Thin and added the Pattern Vintage (asymmetric).

• Regular/Standard/Pattern Regular – narrow 1.65" nut; medium C shape; .845"@ 1st fret, .920" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = '59 roundback with a 1.65" nut (but too thick)
• Wide-Fat/Pattern – 1-11/16" nut; medium C shape; .875"@ 1st fret, .955" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = '59 roundback (in the ballpark)
• Wide-Thin/Pattern Thin – 1-11/16" nut; thin C shape; .830"@ 1st fret, .890" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = Standard Thin (but too thin)
• Pattern Vintage – 1-11/16" nut; asymmetric; .845"@ 1st fret; .985" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = SRV (in the ballpark)

 

[Plunk]

They didn't "shift", they were offered at the same time. From the late '80s through the '00s, the three main neck options were Regular (what old PRS aficionados call "Standard"), Wide-Fat, and Wide-Thin. Then, maybe a decade ago, they renamed them all to Pattern Regular, Pattern, Pattern Thin and added the Pattern Vintage (asymmetric).

• Regular/Standard/Pattern Regular – 1.65" nut; medium C shape; .845"@ 1st fret, .920" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = '59 roundback with a 1.65" nut (too thick)
• Wide-Fat/Pattern – 1-11/16" nut; medium C shape; .875"@ 1st fret, .955" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = '59 roundback (in the ballpark)
• Wide-Thin/Pattern Thin – 1-11/16" nut; thin C shape; .830"@ 1st fret, .890" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = Standard Thin (too thin)
• Pattern Vintage – 1-11/16" nut; asymmetric; .845"@ 1st fret; .985" @12th fret – closest Warmoth = SRV (in the ballpark)

Dude, that's great info, thank you.