Weights of necks

[GoDrex]

They have the weights of bodies, but not of necks.

I have a very real concern about neck heavy guitars. I bought a basswood body 20 years ago from Warmoth and it's so light that my thin maple neck I used on it weighs almost as much it does. Neck heavy guitars make me feel suicidal. I have a plan to make a guitar and I'm too scared to go through with it because I'm worried that the combo of woods I'm interested in will make the guitar neck heavy. If I could see the weights of necks in the showcase I might be able to make more of an educated guess before I drop a grand on a guitar and then have to kill myself and/or quit playing guitar forever because of a guitar that will be like an albatross around my neck, dragging me down into the depths of despair and credit card debt. Thank you.

 

[jmasin]

I don't mean to be a 'tard, but what is the concern with neck-heavy guit?  Maybe I've never played with one so haven't observed the downside.

Cheers?

 

[Nando Vallart]

I don't mean to be a 'tard, but what is the concern with neck-heavy guit?  Maybe I've never played with one so haven't observed the downside.

The "only" problem is they usually have a "crush" for diving, which isn't very nice while you're trying to play it  :toothy12:

 

[SkuttleFunk]

neck heavy guitars cause you to exert effort leveling (lifting) the guitar with your fretting arm. this lifting effort causes premature fatigue and reduces the natual ability to keep your fretting hand loose and tension free. in severe cases it also leads to shoulder fatigue and cramping

for most thin stringed guitars (think Strat, Tele, Les Paul, etc ...) the effect felt by a player is minimal to moderate.

if you happen to be a bass player, a neck heavy bass can be downright unplayable for long sets. using a Hipshot Ultralight tuner set vs. a stock style Schaller set will remove roughly 1/2 POUND of weight from the lever end of your 4-string bass. that's a lot of weight to hold up for a 45 minute set!


how do you know if you have a neck heavy guitar or bass? remove your hands from it while standing up. if the neck dives toward the floow like an electromagnet reaches for ferrous metals, you have a woefully neck heavy instrument that is punishing your shoulder and fretting arm whenever you play it


Drex - I've asked for W to publish neck weights since were were on the previous message board. sadly, most of the W employees are 6-string thin stringers and not bassists, so they don't recognize the benefit of adding the neck weight to the Showcase entries. good news is that you can call W and have your rep weigh anything in the showcase - so there is a way (or is it weight?) to learn the weights, it's just not a 'net friendly' way

all the best,

R

 

[Nando Vallart]

using a Hipshot Ultralight tuner set vs. a stock style Schaller set will remove roughly 1/2 POUND of weight


good news is that you can call W and have your rep weigh anything in the showcase

#1st: Good to know it!  :icon_thumright:

#2nd: Let's call everybody Warmoth about 10 times a day asking for the weights of the necks... after it they probably will weight it before go to showcase  :laughing7:

 

[GoDrex]

I don't mean to be a 'tard, but what is the concern with neck-heavy guit?  Maybe I've never played with one so haven't observed the downside.

Cheers?

My concern is based on this: I bought a basswood body years ago to replace a body I had that had a neck pocket problem, and after I had it assembled I got it back and it sounded great but totally sucked to play standing up with a strap. I played metal mostly at the time, and it made it much harder to play fast leads that moved on the neck, because I was using part of my hand just to hold the neck up in a position where I could play it. It really slowed me down and it was litterally a drag to play.

I would like to get a explorer shaped body. My neck heavy guitar was a star shape. The Warmoth versions of these shapes are extremely similar except for a big chunk cut out of the body for the star shape. I just have a horrible fear that if I do what I want to do I will spend close to $1000 on a guitar that will make me miserable. I just can't have a neck heavy guitar. There was no fixing my star. I put ten holes in the body trying different locations for the strap pegs and nothing worked.

I would just love to be able to get an idea of the relative weights of different types of woods used for bodies and necks.

I think in the end I'll probably get a very heavy body - like maybe hard ash instead of swamp ash. That plus a wenge neck will probably weigh like 15 lbs hahaha   Hmmm or maybe black korina with trans-green. I'm sure that would get people nuts here hahaha

 

[Min@cious D.]

I'm with you on this subject. I like to see the weights mentioned too. I have a 5 string Deluxe body (4.9 lbs) lying and am just afraid ordering a too heavy neck...:icon_scratch: 

 

[DocNrock]

I don't mean to be a 'tard, but what is the concern with neck-heavy guit?  Maybe I've never played with one so haven't observed the downside.

Cheers?

My concern is based on this: I bought a basswood body years ago to replace a body I had that had a neck pocket problem, and after I had it assembled I got it back and it sounded great but totally sucked to play standing up with a strap. I played metal mostly at the time, and it made it much harder to play fast leads that moved on the neck, because I was using part of my hand just to hold the neck up in a position where I could play it. It really slowed me down and it was litterally a drag to play.

I would like to get a explorer shaped body. My neck heavy guitar was a star shape. The Warmoth versions of these shapes are extremely similar except for a big chunk cut out of the body for the star shape. I just have a horrible fear that if I do what I want to do I will spend close to $1000 on a guitar that will make me miserable. I just can't have a neck heavy guitar. There was no fixing my star. I put ten holes in the body trying different locations for the strap pegs and nothing worked.

I would just love to be able to get an idea of the relative weights of different types of woods used for bodies and necks.

I think in the end I'll probably get a very heavy body - like maybe hard ash instead of swamp ash. That plus a wenge neck will probably weigh like 15 lbs hahaha   Hmmm or maybe black korina with trans-green. I'm sure that would get people nuts here hahaha

Gary, firstly, a wenge neck is not that heavy.  It is perhaps slightly heavier than maple. 

The other thing is that I believe there is a huge difference in the weight distribution between a star body and an Explorer body.  The Explorer has a lot more bulk in the butt of the body, which would serve to counteract any neck weight well.  If you go with the classic mahogany body, I believe there would be no issue whatsoever.

Hey, now that I think about it, maybe I am a shill for Warmoth.  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[GoDrex]

I don't want mahogany - I want a wood that will look nice under a trans green finish. I think it's going to be black korina. Someday, after I get some therapy for my PTGSD I'll work up the nerve to order it - along with a wenge/ebony neck.

 

[Nando Vallart]

I've seen some trans green B.K. and they just looks weird to me  :laughing7:

 

[Wyliee]

This has been discussed a few times in the past.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=2003.0

 

[DocNrock]

I don't want mahogany - I want a wood that will look nice under a trans green finish. I think it's going to be black korina. Someday, after I get some therapy for my PTGSD I'll work up the nerve to order it - along with a wenge/ebony neck.

Regardless, I would not worry given the extra butt wood in the Explorer relative to the star body.  JMHO.

 

[GoDrex]

I've seen some trans green B.K. and they just looks weird to me  :laughing7:

I thought it might too, but I found this old pic and I was sold on the idea. I was going to go with swamp ash, but I'm terrified that will be too light. Hard ash might be another option but I wonder how heavy that would be. I hear it's pretty heavy. I don't want an insanely heavy guitar.

 

[GoDrex]

This has been discussed a few times in the past.

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=2003.0

I read that after I started this thread and Gregg makes a good point as usual. I just get really worried. I've experience a neck heavy guitar before and I can't go there. And the stuff I want from Warmoth is always non-returnable due to it being not normal for some reason (like having no neck inlays).

 

[DocNrock]

FWIW, the bloodwood Soloist I just build is an insanely light body.  The "unknown" Bolivian neck was heavier than I expected.  I was worried about a neck-heavy build.  The guitar itself is not light, but not heavy, either.  It is heavier than I expected it to be, but I think that is because of the Floyd and the pups that I chose, not the least of which was the X2N.  That excess weight goes to the body.  This is NOT a neck-heavy build, at all.  It is actually very nicely balanced.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Gary, this one is a really light Korina and looks cool, I saw it in some more "Troubled Treble Black Korina" and looked weird, to me... This doesn't mean that you would think the same about these bodies :laughing7:

 

[GoDrex]

FWIW, the bloodwood Soloist I just build is an insanely light body.  The "unknown" Bolivian neck was heavier than I expected.  I was worried about a neck-heavy build.  The guitar itself is not light, but not heavy, either.  It is heavier than I expected it to be, but I think that is because of the Floyd and the pups that I chose, not the least of which was the X2N.  That excess weight goes to the body.  This is NOT a neck-heavy build, at all.  It is actually very nicely balanced.

Well a soloist has the horn for the strap that sticks out toward the end of the guitar - so that makes it easier to balance. An explorer has no wood past the neck.

 

[Nando Vallart]

Well a soloist has the horn for the strap that sticks out toward the end of the guitar - so that makes it easier to balance. An explorer has no wood past the neck.

Gregg, Eric, Tony, you shall make the Explorer come outstanding, the guy has already much trauma with his guitars! C'mon let's help Gary! :icon_thumright:


:laughing7:

 

[DocNrock]

Well a soloist has the horn for the strap that sticks out toward the end of the guitar - so that makes it easier to balance. An explorer has no wood past the neck.

Gregg, Eric, Tony, you shall make the Explorer come outstanding, the guy has already much trauma with his guitars! C'mon let's help Gary! :icon_thumright:


:laughing7:

+1000

Help the man!  He deserves it.  He's earned it.  :icon_thumright:

 

[GoDrex]

hahahaha still accepting donations through PayPal hahahaha  :toothy10:

there's no rush - not till sometime in '09