Chunky necks

[gary0214]

The number one factor to me in adding a new guitar to my collection is the neck.  I can't do a 60s neck.  I can't do a Heritage standard neck.  I have a 535 which I ordered with a big neck, but now the custom orders are more expensive than they used to be.  

I bet if a Heritage dealer asked for a special run of guitars with big 50s style necks, they'd be a hit!

[Gitfiddler]

7 minutes ago, gary0214 said:

The number one factor to me in adding a new guitar to my collection is the neck.  I can't do a 60s neck.  I can't do a Heritage standard neck.  I have a 535 which I ordered with a big neck, but now the custom orders are more expensive than they used to be.  

I bet if a Heritage dealer asked for a special run of guitars with big 50s style necks, they'd be a hit!

That is a great idea.  Big necks sell, but the up-charge needs to be minimal over a standard neck carve.

I have a 2008 535 with a chunky neck, but that was from another era.

 

[Kuz]

I used to think I needed an early '50s Baseball Bat neck on my guitars.   But now I find them uncomfortable and slower to move around on.  My ideal neck is a smidgen (yes that is a unit of measure) thinner than a standard '59 neck.  Basically, it the PRS DGT or a Collings City Limits neck size.  I am cool with wider nut widths (all my acoustics are 1 3/4") but Baseball bat fat "U" shapes, not for me. 

I talk to a lot of next level guitarists and they tell me that they prefer the neck shape I described as well.  So I am not sure if BIG NECKs would be huge sellers or not..... maybe for some.   But I believe the majority of real players don't like the '52 LP (or '52 Nocaster) neck and they don't like '80s pointy shredder thin necks.  Probably right in the middle-ish.  But if I had to choose from Baseball neck to Shedder neck, then it would be begrudgingly the Baseball neck.  But again, my pet peeve is nut width.  On acoustics they have to be 1 3/4", no 1 11/16" or narrower necks for me.  

Just my opinion, YMMV

[Spectrum13]

We have different length fingers and hands. Shoes, gloves and guitar necks are sized to fit. Old guard Heritage with custom necks rolled by hand at no upcharge... good old days!

[Gitfiddler]

I wish more guitar builders followed G&L's example, offering a variety of specified neck profiles.

https://glguitars.com/guitar-options/

[TalismanRich]

I've got necks all over the place for thickness, but the one thing that I can't play are the ones with a deep V, and I can't play PRS SE type necks.   They seem to be wide and fat with shoulders that just don't feel natural to me.    I don't need a baseball bat.  My hands aren't that big.    Many of you have played my Milli,  535 and 140 at PSP.  Kuz, LK and Yoslate have played the 525.  Those necks feel very comfortable to me.

 

 

[zguitar71]

The neck is very important to me as well. The greatest sounding guitar with a 60s neck will just have to be passed by. I think Heritage should offer different neck sizes without an up charge. The wonders of modern machinery can make this a reality. A cnc neck carver could make a number of different patterns. You might have to wait for the guitar to be built but a guitar with all standard appointments and one of maybe 4 neck shapes should be offered at the base price. My 2 cents. 

[rockabilly69]

I think big necks with the right shape (less shoulder, and little to no V) would sell. I used to hate big necks (other than National Resophonic because I attack them differently) until I got my Gibbons J45 50's reissue, then my ES330, and then my R4. I just didn't get it at first, but soon as they got the shape right, I started getting on board. Up till about 2014 most of the Gibbons fat neck models that I played just plain hurt my hands. Most of the good players I know are big neck guys and they used to tell me that medium c (one of my favorite profiles), felt like a pencil to them. Of the three guitars I cited, my new R4 has the first neck that may permanently change my decision on neck size. It just feels right to me. I say give people the choice!

[davesultra]

4 hours ago, rockabilly69 said:

I think big necks with the right shape (less shoulder, and little to no V) would sell. I used to hate big necks (other than National Resophonic because I attack them differently) until I got my Gibbons J45 50's reissue, then my ES330, and then my R4. I just didn't get it at first, but soon as they got the shape right, I started getting on board. Up till about 2014 most of the Gibbons fat neck models that I played just plain hurt my hands. Most of the good players I know are big neck guys and they used to tell me that medium c (one of my favorite profiles), felt like a pencil to them. Of the three guitars I cited, my new R4 has the first neck that may permanently change my decision on neck size. It just feels right to me. I say give people the choice!

I'm on board with this. I have small-fish hands and just can't stand slim necks.

[Kuz]

From the Collings website...  FOR ME, this is the most comfy, naturally feeling neck shape.  

All of our Collings electric models have a 1 11/16" nut width and a classic medium depth C-shape neck profile.  The depth from the back of the neck to the top of the fingerboard (not including the fret) is typically as follows:

1st fret: 0.860"
9th fret: 0.960"
12th fret: 1.010"

As for acoustics, again for me, Collings has nailed the shape.  I am blessed with 3 Collings.  Two have the NON-VINTAGE neck shape (see below) and the other is an OM Traditional with what they call VINTAGE-NOW.  Both shapes are very comfy, but I wouldn't want to go larger than the VINTAGE-NOW ( they do make even a bigger size neck which they call VINTAGE.  But it is TOO big for me.

Our standard (non-vintage) neck = .840" at the 1st fret and .930" at the 9th fret.

"Vintage Now" = .845" at the 1st fret and .960" at the 9th fret.

Vintage neck = .845" at the 1st fret and 1.020" at the 9th fret.

[DetroitBlues]

On 3/21/2020 at 12:03 AM, gary0214 said:

The number one factor to me in adding a new guitar to my collection is the neck.  I can't do a 60s neck.  I can't do a Heritage standard neck.  I have a 535 which I ordered with a big neck, but now the custom orders are more expensive than they used to be.  

I bet if a Heritage dealer asked for a special run of guitars with big 50s style necks, they'd be a hit!

I've asked for the very same thing, more than once.

I had the idea of a 50's and 60's neck profile option a few years ago.  

Now Gibbons has run with the idea and I think its a good one.

I had to special order my 535, .900" at the 1st and 1.00" at the 12th because I like the larger necks too.

I've only run across a handful of Heritages with large necks, but was never in a position to buy one.

I really appreciate sellers that include neck specs on their guitars.  (Best one to date is Trogoly's Guitar Show in my opinion)

[Kuz]

21 hours ago, DetroitBlues said:

I've asked for the very same thing, more than once.

I had the idea of a 50's and 60's neck profile option a few years ago.  

Now Gibbons has run with the idea and I think its a good one.

I had to special order my 535, .900" at the 1st and 1.00" at the 12th because I like the larger necks too.

I've only run across a handful of Heritages with large necks, but was never in a position to buy one.

I really appreciate sellers that include neck specs on their guitars.  (Best one to date is Trogoly's Guitar Show in my opinion)

.900" at 1st and 1.00" at the 12th is pretty much what Gibbons uses for their R9 (1959 LP) neck shape.  SO I guess I wouldn't consider that neck to be baseball bat '52-'56 neck shape.