Major help needed to decipher neck contour???

[Suds]

Well I still can't figure out this contour biz...... :icon_scratch:

For the first time I am considering the standard thin profile......but for the record I really dislike thin necks (I think).  I play a Fender SRV (already tried the SRV contour which is nothing like the Fender SRV) and my other guitars are about the same or thicker. 

If I were to close my eyes and pick up a Warmoth standard thin, then go to the guitar store and pickup multiple Fender teles or strats and the try some Ibanez' and Jacksons.......would the Warmoth standard be most reminiscent to Fenders or the latter two??

Personally I am a fender man.  I love the round feeling in my hand and I have never really enjoyed flat neck.  Now I know the standard thin is not Steve Vai thin but just how thin is it?  I read a thread saying you can balance a quarter on them with ease.  Coz I went to the guitar store today and pretty much all the fenders were rounded........no where near the flatness on jackson and ibanez.........comments?

The reason why I disliked the SRV contouring was the degree of asymmetry.  It was very beefy on the bass end compared to the tremble.  I spoke to Warmoth and they said the Wolfgang is more "subtle."  Does anyone have a wolfgang?  Is the asymmetry very noticeable or only if you really measure it?  Part of the problem is that the asymmetric guitars are comfy for the thumb over the neck, but if I do some jazzy chords (with a bit of stretch perhaps) with your thumb behind the neck, is the "bump" gonna get in the way?

And I finally gave up on the roundback because I recently developed tendonitis and I am concerned to push my had too far.  On the other hand, too thin of necks coz me to adjust my technique to uncomfortable measures.  And of course the Wolfgang and the SRV are splendid with the overall thickness but why the asymmetry. (WHY SEPERATE VOLUME NOB??!!!!1WHY?!!!!!)

Seinfeld anyone?


Suds    :blob7: (anal contour man)

 

[tfarny]

This has been hashed out on this board at least a dozen times this year. Basically, go play a new american standard strat. That's your standard thin. I've recently played a wolfgang and thought it was nice, the assymetry wasn't very noticable at all. Now I'm assembling an SRV and that seems like it'll be fine, too. Not sure why you think it's different than the Fender sig. model.  It's all very individual of course.

 

[Orpheo]

the 59 neck is a nice round and beefy neck, but not too much. its great for thumb over the fretboard, but also great for thumb behind neck.

the wolfgang is a bit skinnier, a bit faster, and a bit asymmetrical. I like this profile a lot. since the assymetry isn't as extreme as on the SRV, thumb behind the neck is still very much doable.

The clapton is very sharp-V-shaped

the boatneck is a soft-V shape, but very thick.

the fatback is THICK, and fat, and very round.

the standard thin is quite thin, but comfortable. its great for jazzy stuff (behind the neck) and rockstuff (over the neck).

these are ofcourse only my experiences

 

[GoDrex]

I don't find the standard thin to be all that thin really. I think of it as a medium. To me it's a good in between size. Not too fat and not too thin. My Parker is much thinner feeling. My MIM stat feels a tad thicker. I guess the standard thin is kind of a boring neck. It seems very symmetrical and round to me.

 

[tfarny]

yeah, "standard thin" is more "standard" than "thin" I think.

 

[onedrop]

I've only played the W standard thin so far, and I find it very "fendery". Round and comfortable, not an overly thin neck, I have played strats with thinner necks than this. I find it comfortable for thumb-behind-the-neck jazzy stuff, but for thumb wrapped around the neck bluesy stuff I prefer a slightly thicker contour.

YMMV

 

[Suds]

Well this is great help because anytime I hear the words "thin" and "neck" into the same sentence I automatically assume the nasty flat necks that by no means fit my hand.  But Warmoths are traditional based off fender right? so there "standard" should hopefully not be too extreme in my hands.  And thats good news to me about the Wolfgang!  As long as the asymmetry is hardly noticeable, I'm happy  :icon_smile:.

Also will the contouring of the neck and general "feel" be strikingly different when it is strung up and played?  I only got to feel the SRV neck when it was all alone.  Will asymmetrical necks be more accentuated when strung up?  Will standard thin be thicker feel?    :icon_scratch:


Cheers,

Suds    :blob7:

 

[Johnhamdun]

Does anyone know of any mainstream guitars with a similar contour to the boatneck?

I ordered one tonight because it is otherwise what I wanted and the wood was drop dead, but I've never played many thick necks. I'd like to try something similar before Monday (before they do any work on it so I can cancel if need be.

 

[RLW]

the 59 neck is a nice round and beefy neck, but not too much. its great for thumb over the fretboard, but also great for thumb behind neck.

the wolfgang is a bit skinnier, a bit faster, and a bit asymmetrical. I like this profile a lot. since the assymetry isn't as extreme as on the SRV, thumb behind the neck is still very much doable.

The clapton is very sharp-V-shaped

the boatneck is a soft-V shape, but very thick.

the fatback is THICK, and fat, and very round.

the standard thin is quite thin, but comfortable. its great for jazzy stuff (behind the neck) and rockstuff (over the neck).

these are ofcourse only my experiences

I'm saving this, just so I can repeat it 3 or 4 times a day here.

:tard:

 

[Orpheo]

Does anyone know of any mainstream guitars with a similar contour to the boatneck?

I ordered one tonight because it is otherwise what I wanted and the wood was drop dead, but I've never played many thick necks. I'd like to try something similar before Monday (before they do any work on it so I can cancel if need be.

if it were a fatback I'd say yes: the 1958 reissue gibson les paul standard. otherwise I have no idea. its kind of a one-off.



NO, wait. I believe the customshop no/broad/telecaster have this kind of a neck, albeit a bit thinner. otherwise try the clapton-neck, and think of it as less 'sharp' and a tad fatter. thats very close

 

[shanejw]

I really like my standard thin necks.  they seem to be about halfway between my soloist and a strat neck.

 

[Johnhamdun]

Does anyone know of any mainstream guitars with a similar contour to the boatneck?

I ordered one tonight because it is otherwise what I wanted and the wood was drop dead, but I've never played many thick necks. I'd like to try something similar before Monday (before they do any work on it so I can cancel if need be.

if it were a fatback I'd say yes: the 1958 reissue gibson les paul standard. otherwise I have no idea. its kind of a one-off.



NO, wait. I believe the customshop no/broad/telecaster have this kind of a neck, albeit a bit thinner. otherwise try the clapton-neck, and think of it as less 'sharp' and a tad fatter. thats very close

Thanks so much Orpheo.

Always helpful!

 

[nathan a]

I play a wolfgang and love it. If you look at the neck from the side, the asymmetry is very noticable. If you take your thumb or your fingers and run them widthwise across the neck, you feel the asymmetry. It's definitely there. While playing, though, it's just straight up comfy. For the record, I have my thumb behind the neck around half the time, and the 'bump' (it isn't really a bump. quite smooth transition) provides a great anchor. It is unique and I really dig it... I've had people play it and hate it, others love it.

Definitely try it out, but maybe test it on a $157 neck, not a $700 neck.....

 

[GoDrex]

I'm thinking I'll go for the wolfgang on my next guitar - just so it's different. I like variety.

 

[jmasin]

Does anyone know of any mainstream guitars with a similar contour to the boatneck?

I ordered one tonight because it is otherwise what I wanted and the wood was drop dead, but I've never played many thick necks. I'd like to try something similar before Monday (before they do any work on it so I can cancel if need be.

I freakin' love my boatneck.  I pick up my Am Std after playing the boatneck Warmoth and it's like holding a pencil in my palm... sadly I barely play the thing any more.  I have long fingers and kind of play baseball bat style though...

 

[Orpheo]

Does anyone know of any mainstream guitars with a similar contour to the boatneck?

I ordered one tonight because it is otherwise what I wanted and the wood was drop dead, but I've never played many thick necks. I'd like to try something similar before Monday (before they do any work on it so I can cancel if need be.

I freakin' love my boatneck.  I pick up my Am Std after playing the boatneck Warmoth and it's like holding a pencil in my palm... sadly I barely play the thing any more.  I have long fingers and kind of play baseball bat style though...

a fatback feels even fatter! strange huh, that with these fat necks, we can stil play darn fast!

 

[dudesweet157]

A boat neck is about the same feel as a Fender CS '56 Strat.

 

[jmasin]

a fatback feels even fatter! strange huh, that with these fat necks, we can stil play darn fast!

I was thinking of trying a fatback on my next project, or as a replacement neck for my Am Std so I'd play it more.  I like the boat because the thick but flattened V fits nicely in the natural soft V between my thumb and index finger (given the grip I play with most of the time).

I'll be honest, after having played this thing I can't believe standard necks are so thin.  It makes me wonder if it's what people play because it's what is in the store, and if they had fatback choices from the Fender factory that more people wouldn't go that way.  But what to I know...

 

[lairdness]

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to match up Warmoth necks to stratocaster years....for example is it possible to say that the typical '62 strat neck is a warmoth standard thin? Or are the neck of that era too varied to make statements like that?...IF it is possible to make statements like that here is the info I've gathered so far....please help me fill in the ???'s

Wizard = '57 reissue Strat aprox.
Std. Thin = '62 reissue Strat approx.
'59 Roundback = ??? (I played a Calaham that matches the number almost exactly...my favorite)
Boat = ???
Fat = ???

Jump in and help out if you can please...I REALY want to figure out what the '59 roundback is based off (if this is even possible)....cause I want one

 

[jmasin]

I can't help much... I can say I've played a few telecasters that had a contour more like my boatneck.

What I *think* I can also say is even if you match the contour you probably won't match thickness.  Even the SRV which started out thick and was worn assymetrical still isn't 1" thick the entire length.  I think that is a major difference between the boat/fatback and fender production necks, even if you do match profiles.