Guitar Neck Size And Radius - Should You Even Care?
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- Опубліковано 27 лис 2024
- Every time I do a review video on guitars, I always get comments such as "I wouldn't buy that guitar the neck is too big" and "I only play guitars with a ..... radius". Personally, I have never not bought a guitar due to the size/ shape/ Radius of the fingerboard, the only thing I'm concerned about is how does it sound. In this video, I take a look at 4 very different neck sizes and radius guitars, a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Stratocaster, a Suhr Alt T, and a Reverend Gristlemaster and compare them. The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
Having smallish hands/fingers, neck size/profile and fretboard width/radius are my NUMBER ONE concern in considering a guitar. Sound does not matter, if the instrument is a pain to play. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't get it, and don't offer choices.
Same for me, and I wish I could have understand that way earlier!! By now I look after an 7.25 Rad and a more round neck like a c-shape.. I wish squier would offer that on their CV... The neck is the most important thing on the guitar
Agree with you. At least for a beginner, late in his life learner, neck profile is like a pair of shoes. If it doesn't fit, you'll have problems to learn. I have a Gretsch hollow body with a thin neck and it feels great but it's tad too wide. I bought a Squier 70's Classic Vibe and the neck is bulky, it makes a huge difference. As to radius, the Gretsch is flat and I can do barre without problems. The Squier is much rounder and I have "splonks" all the time. But learning on two different necks is a good exercise. Idally, what I'm looking for is a neck as thin as the Gretsch, flat as the Gretsch and as narrow as the Squier. The problems is that guitar stores have no stock anymore and ordering trying guitar through e-commerce is not an option.
I wonder how people play classical guitar then....totally flat fretboard and wide too....for all of them....
I’ve always wondered if there’s guitars with a shorter fretboard width that isn’t Soo wide to help people like me with smaller hands, because I look at some guitar players who got those long spindley fingers that makes it seem like a breeze to play because of the control they have over the neck and fretboard
The smallest I know is the Ibanez Hartcore, a nice semi hollow guitar. It was too small for my fingers.
@@DblakeDeathMetal89
to say neck size/shape doesn't matter sounds like complete nonsense to me
Agreed. Having learned on Epiphone and casinos, I feel weird playing vintage style fenders. Recently got a classic player 60 Strat with a 12” radius and it’s much more welcoming.
of course it is otherwise they’d all be the same I’ve wanted really flat boards for years but recently I got an esquire realizing the 42-56mm wide 9.5” radius doesn’t hinder my shredding for shit but chords high up are actually more possible I think this is why a flatter radius is usually on at least 1mm wider of a neck
Neck profile and overall thickness are the most important aspect aspect of a guitar for me. I don't understand why more guitar companies don't offer size options for players.
Absolutely. Playability comes first. Only then is sound even a consideration.
G&L offers several neck profiles. You have to order it from a G&L dealer.
Cause they want you to buy 10 guitars instead of 1
Pity hadnt seen this before impulse bought a Gibson SG standard T with a slim taper neck profile online , wasnt suitable at all like trying to play a violin or something 😂
There are plenty of neck shapes. Pick one and buy from the company that uses those necks on thier guitars. C, D, U shapes are abundant. Slim tapers, compound radius, neck thru, bolt on, glued on.. Mandolins, bass guitars, 12 string guitars, lures. There are plenty of options out there. You can buy a guitar body and put whatever neck you want on it for cheap(ish). It's all give and take. It might be perfect for rhythm but suck for arpeggios or vice versa. Find a happy medium and figure out which neck you like most. That's the best it's gonna get unless you know woodworking and have tools. Just play. Everyone can be better.
Neck is the most important thing in a guitar in terms of playability. There are huge differences. You can adapt to any, but that is not the point.
agree, he is full of shit, you can change pickups but not the neck on certain guitars
If you're unlucky enough to have arthritis in your hands at all, such as in the base of your thumb which is a common place to get it, or any other part of your hand for that matter, neck thickness makes a big difference. Particularly if you're trying to do Hendrix thumb over thebl top chords etc. I have one cheapo strat copy guitar that I bought on the internet without having the opportunity to try it out beforehand , and I soon realized I wouldn't even be able to play it because of the thickness of the neck. Fortunately it was only 85 bucks but still. That's 85 bucks I could have spent on something else.
Have you tried selling it and spending the $ on something else?
Thanks for sharing your views and doing the side by side comparisons. I respectfully disagree with your opinion on neck profiles tho. When I try out electric guitars, I won't even plug them in if the neck doesn't feel right. I could care less how they sound. For instance, you won't see me sporting a Les Paul despite loving it's sound and look (it's heavy AF too).
Multiple factors are involved with neck profiles, including scale length and neck finish. While you can play anything on any guitar (right on about adaptability), the right neck profile will inspire more creative playing. That's happened to me every time I've found the right guitar.
I'm very used to PRS necks with a 10 inch radius, and i love a nice low action for bending. So when building a neck for a Warmoth partscaster, I went for the 10-16 compound radius so I can have a similar feel with chords, but also can get the action lower without the fret buzz, made it with roasted maple and rosewood so it doesn't need a finish, and honestly it's the best neck I've EVER played. I recommend the Wolfgang neck profile if you like the best of both worlds.
For anyone who likes the bare neck feel, roasted maple is a no-brainer, because even though you pay extra for the material, its still cheaper than putting a finish on it.
What frets size/type did you use? Jumbo, stainless steel etc.
@@djb3545 I used jumbo stainless steel. They're definitely easier to bend with.
What nut width did you use with the Wolfgang? How substantial does it feel in the hand compared to say a standard fender C shape?
The nut is 1 11/16, which is great if you’re used to PRS necks. The cool thing about the Wolfgang profile is that it’s thick at the top and thin at the bottom so it’s comfortable to play chords, but also great for soloing. It does feel quite girthy, but but in a good way. not baseball bat thick.
They are all unique and "learning how to play that particular guitar" is great advice. I had a strat once that took me three years to fully explore.
It's funny. I am super picky about the necks on guitars. I have to feel like it was made for me the moment I pick it up, or I won't even play it. My idea is that the neck is really the only contact your skin has with the guitar. And your hand is the way to made the guitar sing. If your hand isn't comfortable, I don't think you will ever be the guitar player you can be. The whole tone argument...well, tone is in the fingers. Hands and fingers are comfortable, you'll be able to wring as much music out of the instrument as you can.
Cheers Humble Pundit, yeah some people are more particular, you make a good point. Thanks for your comment. All the best Paul.
tone is in the gear
I agree with you on that a neck has to feel comfortable in order for the guitar to be a consideration for purchase. However, I disagree with your declaration that "tone is in the fingers". Sure, comfort, along with style, knowledge and ability/dexterity, means that you'll be more able to get a little more out of your guitar but your tone is more a function of the amalgamation of your equipment.
@@TheStudioRats I like Jackson and Ibanez necks a lot more than Gibson and Fender necks.
Necks are the most important factor of a guitar's playability.
I am totally into neck specifics. I am always looking for certain things. For example I am in love with compound radius that goes from 10-14 or 12-14, I always prefer I flat radius instead of a more curvy. My Esp is a 12 inch radius and I feel so comfortable with it. Another very important aspect is the wood installed in the fingerboard I always go with rosewood because I love the sounds.The neck finish is very important for me, I totally hate the glossy one I prefer the satin one :)
Cheers Danny, have you tried a roasted maple neck? If not I highly recommend it. I’m like you, I prefer unfinished boards.
@@TheStudioRats yes I tried one a couple of months ago, it was a Charvel pro mod style II and I liked it a lot. Great feelings and superb smoothness :)
Is 12 a flat radius? I always thought 12 is the neutral radius. 😅😅😅
@hexaldecima6839 Yes it is and I like it, 14 and 16 inch are definitely more flat
makes sense if you like 10-14 that you’d also like 12 I’ve only heard of manufacturers doing 10-16 or 12-16 but I wonder if it’s possible for someone to do 7-flat like are there limitations do you have to have a certain amount of frets for that to be possible seems like Jackson and Carvin/kiesel popularized the compound radius
Best advice ever. Get a guitar you like the sound of and learn to play it. Don’t get hung up on the size. I’ve been going down that road with many aspects of the guitar. I don’t like this or that, need a different amp, new pedal.
Theoretically the biggest contribution a thick chunky neck is more sustain and resonance to the tone due to more energy from the strings going to the pickups. Thinner necks tends to flex and vibrate more, thus dissipating more of the string energies into the air as heat and less goes into the pickups.
However the most important criterion insofar as the profile is concerned to me is how comfortable it Feels in my hand. I prefer a medium thin neck with a more rounded profile and a slightly steeper width taper. Imagine a vintage LP chunky neck that has same thickness as a Strat neck with the narrow nut to the wider heel width of a Ibanez wizard. In effect I like a neck with a compound profile going from a narrow rounder neck at the nut to a flatter wider neck at the heel.
For radius, I prefer flatter radius overall, but I DO like a bit more curvature at the nut. So far the compound radii sweet spot for me seems to be 10-14" on Strats and other F-Scaled (25.5") guitars and 12-16" on LPs and other G-Scaled (24.75") guitars.
Btw, I have US Men's size Small hands.
I own a blond 1983 62 reissue American strat. When I first purchased it the radius was so curved and bad I couldn't bend notes on the higher frets without it fuzzing out on me, it was very uncomfortable to play. I took the guitar to accent music store and the technician told me I don't know how you can play this guitar. He flatten the radius and used jumbo fret wire and the difference was AMAZING, it played like a dream. He told me that of all the strats he played and worked on, mine was the best strat he ever played and heard. Everyone that has played my guitar has told me the same thing. Radius can make a big difference.
You sound like the kind of guy that believes everything a stripper would tell him.."your my favorite customer" 😂
It matters. I’ve had 9.5, 12, and currently 7.25 on my road worn strat. The Gibson definitely gets preferred for speed work, and the strat for its tonal variety, chording, and well, its sheer beauty and heritage, but you do notice on the upper register, even with narrow talls.
I just went and measured the necks of all six of my electric guitars. They range from vintage guitars from 1968 to my newest from 2023, and they all have vastly different feeling necks. One feels like a baseball bat, and at the other end of the extreme, one feels almost like a child sized guitar. The shocking thing is that when you measure the thickness back to front, and the width side to side at the first fret, most of the necks are almost identical measurements. Two of them are around 2mm thinner from to back than the rest, and one of those two is about 3mm narrower at the first fret than the rest. But the rest are within a mm of each others measurements despite all feeling like incredibly different sizes in my hand. I’d say that that makes an argument that other factors of the shape make the biggest difference. One guitar has rolled edges and a soft V shaped back and it’s the most comfortable guitar in my hand. But the one that feels like a baseball bat in my hand is the same exact thickness and only slightly wider than that comfortable V shaped one. The one that feels like a child sized neck is only a couple of mm narrower and is the same thickness as the “thin U” neck on my Gretsch, but the Gretsch doesn’t feel even close to that tiny in my hands. My 335 style guitar has almost the same width and thickness measurements as my Telecaster, but it is a D compared to the Tele’s C, and it feels like it’s significantly wider and deeper. So I’d say the biggest differences in how a neck feels is determined much more by the shape of the shoulders and whether the edges are rolled or not, than the neck thickness or radius.
My 2 cent novel: The less one knows the better. The more one knows, the more complicated this gets and the better you play, the more you expect from your instrument. Overall technique that’s possible on any guitar depends on the level of player who is able or not to get used to anything and the size of their hands. But what really matters is the radius and the neck shape, because a 7.25” neck can be a pita to properly bend - especially on XV. fret on the b and e strings. If you want a b3 or even a 3 that can be an issue for a successful setup with a comfortable string action. Is it possible? Absolutely. Can it be a pita? You bet. There’s a reason why Fender went from 7.25” to 9.5”. It’s easier to setup for modern playing styles. Back in the 50s people didn’t play like people played in the 80s. All the greats performed wide bends on vintage radius guitars but idk about their setups. A tech can make a board flatter/change the radius so maybe some of them did that to their guitars? I have three 7.25” guitars, where one was a real pita to set up (61 Strat C shape neck 7.25” radius).
Good to know: a professional luthier can change any fretboard radius and even make a compound one in a matter of a few hours. They can also reshape the neck from a C to a whatever. Should that be done? Idk 😅 the more you know the more complicated it gets. But neck shape and radius definitely matter far as preferred playing style and size of hands goes to be comfortable and professionally set up. Rest is in the hands. Play more guitar 🎸
Yes you should care.
What are the differences? im 3 weeks in playing guitar which fretboard size is best for Steve vai and malmsteen type stuff also Metallica 😬 curved or flat ? wish u a great day
At the end !!! All my concerns about radiuses have been blewn away. Thank you !!!
Read the comments... it's actually the opposite of the video! I disagree that the neck shape doesn't matter.
First and foremost, your videos are stellar. Great content and very useful. I think scale length has more of an effect on feel and playability , than radius and thickness of a neck. Also, width. I had a Rickenbacker 330/12 that was always a chore to play because it had a very narrow fretboard. I sold it and bought a 660/12 and it was night and day because the 660 has an much wider and thicker neck. My 2 cents. Keep them awesome videos coming.
Cheers Joey, I completely agree those narrow Ricky necks are a chore.
It's the same with tennis racquets. Some can play with almost anything while others are very particular about all the specs.
Thank you for this well thought out video. I see videos on neck thicknesses always turn into a fingerboard radius and neck thickness video. IMO the same amount of importance should not be given to both of these topics. Neck thickness is way more important for playing comfort and hand position. That becomes really important if your just learning or older.
I think the width of the nut and the spacing of the strings is more confusing than the shape of the neck. As always your video is stunning!
Cheers Hugues.
I agree! I recently bought a Warmoth 1 7/8" wide neck for a strat build. My arthritic semi-fat fingers love it! I don't have near the issues with string buzz bc my fingers won't bend enough at the knuckle.
I guess I can only speak for myself but necks absolutely make a huge difference for me. With smaller hands and shorter fingers, I can tell you theres absolutely a difference in comfort and playability for me between different neck profiles
100% agree
I have arthritis in my hands. I've had to sell an Ibanez and a PRS because the necks were a little too thin and my left hand always hurt after playing them. I was bummed about both because they were great guitars but... you gotta do what you gotta do.
I heard that boron citrate can heal arthritis
Good video, though it should be titled "Electric Guitar Neck Size" ! You can go nuts trying to figure out neck shape, width, nut width . . . for me a medium everything works well. I wouldn't want a Fender 7.25" or a 14" radius. I have a CS Strat with a 9.5" and a LP with a 12", both M.J. frets, very comfy. I have an old LP Special with a fat neck but it was cheap & well used but love it (up to the 12th fret) ! Tried an SG with a thin 1961 neck and it cramped my hands. My 1960 LP re-issue is perfect for me. Always a good idea to try different sizes at a store, though.
Thanks Paul. I have recently had total left hand jam up on stage playing bass on a higher end Ibanez. Maybe just not playing enough in those 3 weeks I had off. Will def try my Fender Jazz for hand comfort even though it weights a ton
Anyone with small hands/fingers knows it's almost impossible to find a high-quality acoustic with a suitably narrow-nut fretboard, an adequate radius, and a playable neck. The manufacturers are ignoring a huge market.
Love the way Martin's sound, particularly the D35 but such a bear to play its completely unenjoyable
Takamine does a decent job making thinner necks. Almost like lead acoustic.
I have small hands.I have 2 super fat necks, I can play them fine. For leads it’s nice, for basic rhythm thin necks are better.Easier to,just strum ur major, minor chords by the nut.
If you got a guitar and you really like the way it feels and the way it plays it's not a bad idea to know the specs for several reasons
I cut off the pads of my finger tips on my left hand around 11 years old in an accident. It always caused me issues playing. I stopped playing for about a decade, and I came back. People told me before I quit, and when I came back, "you want a thicker neck", then some also suggested 7 strings(which I wanted to play a 7 string mainly anyways when I came back, and I definitely do now), but they all said "thicker necks", not explaining to me what I needed wasn't a thicker neck truly, but a wider neck, with a wider radius. My Strandbergs are amazing with the 20" radius(I was thinking of getting a PRS Mark Halcomb, but I probably won't now, but that also is 20" radius). I also love my Ormsby's, which are 16" radius I believe. I really prefer to have 12" at the minimum(I can do less, even 7.5", but I do not like it, even without my finger pad issue, I just don't like that small of a radius), and I like a 12-16" compound when I can get one.
I have a Player's Series Strat I got, I've put less than 10 hours on the thing, and I got it out the back of a Guitar Center, brand new in box. I just don't like the small Radius. I got it as an HSS and it sounds fine, even without a pup swap, I got locking tuners even that I threw on there so far. But now Harley Benton has their ST-moderns out, and I plan on getting one of those. 12-16" compound radius sells me, plus the stainless steel frets, with balled ends! Locking tuners. The Trem might not be as good as the newer fender trem, but it's still great from all I've heard, and if the pups don't impress me enough, I can throw over the Fender ones until I get some aftermarkets to replace it. Radius matters so much to me.
Hello,
Great Video. Answered a lot of questions. All of the guitars sounded great, which leads me to my next question. What Amp or Amp + setup are you using in this video? Also were there any pedals used?
Thx
ElectricEddie 😎
For the first 10 years of my guitar playing, i wpuld just play and not worry about specs. I just played.
But now that I'm playing very technical progressive music and practive 5 hours a day, ive realized that specs matter a lot to me.
Playing a 16 radius fretboard is so much easier to sweep pick vs 12 and below. I notice the small movements over practing over hours on end on the same technique.
Also, wider flatboards are easier to chord for me, while my smaller neck can make getting to the next string a bit faster, even if its a microsecond, but i can habe my fingers bunched up when i try to play 10+ chord progressions.
Now if your just jamming for an hour, none of it matters if your skilled and your playing on your guitar, you'll get the job done im sure. But its a feel for sure
I played a Les Paul most of my life and could never get the hang of bending strings properly. Now I play a Strat and it’s almost effortless for me. The difference is night and day 🤷♂️
The first thing I consider is what does the neck feel like in my hand.. Pickups are important.. but I can get around them with pedals and EQ…
What I need to know is… “Where can I go to feel the different shapes… without buying a bunch of guitars..?!
Thanks for the vid.!👍🏼
I would imagine going to your local guitar store in checking out what they have would be a good start
it comes down to player comfort and for me that is flat compound radius fretboard and neck like Jackson and Ibanez guitars have for fast playing. Thick necks good for bending and so forth.
people need to learn adaptation there’s plenty of pros that use both fender and Gibson style guitars but generally the latter will have a wider neck therefore a flatter radius it wouldn’t make sense to have a 41mm flat nut or 7” radius 50mm wide it’s a pretty big jump though since the typical radius of the top two guitar companies vary way more than their usual widths
For someone who has small hands and quite chubby fingers, a modern C neck profile is a lifesaver if I can get a neck with .80 on the 1st fret and .85 or .087 on the 12th fret with C shape or Thin U shape it's the perfect profile for my hands
The intro proved guitars don’t matter. The player does 😂🌹
Sorry ... it matters to me and makes a HUGE difference to my playing comfort ... there are certain necks that just do not sit easily in my hands - nor do the frets agree with me. If you're one of those people that can ride any Bike and it feels good ... great and more power to you. Not me ...
Agreed with this. Only until UA-cam did I even really think about it hah. For the most part the different necks were just different. Didn't really matter why because the guitars were all a little different. I think it's only really a big deal if you are getting a custom shop piece because of course you'd want the guitar to squeeze out every possible thing you'd want. Otherwise within 10 or so minutes I don't even think about the neck.
Completely agree cheers Roger That.
Fantastic video. I thought my 9-14” compound radius tele neck was the bees knees.
Then I stumbled into a Vintera with a 7.25” radius with small vintage frets.
I intended to play it for a few days to see how bad it used to be and then pass it on.
😳
It’s so much better. How have I let everyone convince me that this doesn’t work? It’s amazing!
Bending works perfectly fine too.
I find that I can comfortably play any neck with just a little acclimation but the old school radius and frets feel best.
I’m at the point where if a fender has 9.5 radius I won’t even consider it. 7.25 is so amazing. People saying you can’t bend must have never had a decent set up.
Great video! Could you also do set up of different guitars? Like neck, action, height, saddle heights etc. Would love to see how you do/prefer it! 🔥🤘
Cheers Suho, that’s a great idea for a video thanks!
Cool tone, what were you plugged into?
Great video Paul. My 2 favourite feeling guitars are a Fender American Original Tele with a fat neck and an old Suhr Classic S with the Reb Beach neck profile and it is really thin. I cant get on with wide/flat plus the visibility of the side dots is a question I always have when buying something.
Cheers Jeff, you’ve just reminded me of the Reb Beach Ibanez. I always wanted one of them.
Wow! Im thankful Im glad i stumbled to this video. Very informative and very good perspective in guitar choices and playing.
On 7.5 radius you after have higher action because notes fade out so your wrong
You should play the guitar you like of course. But the point is whether your specific hands feel better in one neck or another. I have a Fender, a Squier and a Gibson and I find more comfortable the Fender neck for my hands. The radius is 9.5 satin maple with medium jumbo nickel frets. I am wonder if I would like compound radius or 7.25 radius since it seems my hands prefer more curved necks. My only concern is about bendings since I like huge bendings.
Neck diameter etc... is extremely important to people with smaller hands. As a man with small hands i do NOT enjoy playing certain guitars that shall remain nameless due to the size of their necks. This is one reason I refuse to buy a guitar online. If I can't play it first, then I won't buy it.
what are you playing through to get that amazing sound?
Thanks for the Clarity
What are your thoughts on nut/neck width? I've got a 42mm 'Road Worn' Telecaster Deluxe and I find my daughter's 43mm Tele much nicer to play as I mute strings less and the strings feel noticeably less cluttered... I'm quite a beginner at this so my own skill is the main factor here, but just wondering how much of a thing it is to someone good at guitar like you.
This is a smart video to make!! I’ve been thinking about this subject a bunch lately… I’m a newer player (a year or so) and I’ve had full blown GAS since last December, I’ve accumulated prob 20 guitars or so and I’ve thinned it down to a dozen or so… all types of guitars w all kinds of necks and I like them all!! I have strats w 7.5 and 9.5 radius that I can play w ease then grab my les Paul’s w 12” radius and yea it feels and plays different but I’ve learned to love the differences !!! I’m not smart enough or skilled enough to say anything smart here but I’m glad I’m not a rookie w the mindset that I’ve gotta have this or that … a real player should be able to adapt to any guitar and any style of playing and love it all !! 🤘🏼🎶
Manufacturers record neck depth measurements with the strings off.
For me, I trade off playing electric and acoustic, so having a 12” radius made the most sense because most acoustics use a 12” radius C shaped neck. I finally found a Strat with the same radius and similar carve shape. Now it doesn’t feel so different when swapping guitars.
Good tip!
Agree one should be able to play any type of neck and radius.
The best neck I've ever played is on my Gibson EXP 83 (Like James Hetfield's two white Gibson Explorers that he used in the mid to late 80s) , I'm assuming the radius is 12" and it's fairly small I think, but it's still got some "roundness" to it, so it sits comfortably in my hand when I play. Sound-wise, I'll always be a Strat guy but that Gibby neck is hard to beat. Same with a Les Paul G0 I used to own. Very comfortable to palm & play. I regret selling that one.
Never really paid much attention to fretboard radius, my first guitar (A mexican strat) has a 9.5" radius, never had a problem with it, I've played vintage strat necks as well (7.25" radius and vintage fretwire) , never had a problem with them either 🤣(neither did the GOAT Hendrix 🤣). As long as it fits nicely in my hand, I couldn't really care less about the specs of the neck tbh.
Based on the claims you’re making, You’re fortunate enough not to have wrist issues and trigger finger. I just purchased a Heritage guitar with a C shaped extremely fat neck and I arm fatigue after 15 minutes of playing. I either need to send it back or may have the neck sanded down I don’t care if it loses value
Scale length combined with width makes a big difference to overall playing and comfort.
Many players who have small or large hands or who have injuries care quite a bit about neck size and shape!
Also a 7.25” feels waaaaaay different on a C shape than on a soft V. It’s crazy. And I can tolerate a 12” on a modern C but not on a V, that’s just weird flat on a Strat anyway. Compound say from 9.5 or 10 to 12” up the neck can be quite okay. If you wanna know what feels right for you do yo research on brand model year and then try as many as you can that suits your size of hands and playing style requirements the best. And expect your taste to change 😆 This is becoming a real problem for me and don’t get me started on all the rest…. #guitarmentalproblems
Do you prefer 7.25 on the soft V over 7.25 on a C? I'm looking at buying a soft V with 7.25 radius and just curious as I've always had C shaped necks and 9.5 radius.
@@ashleympg My fave is 9.5 on a modern C. But I own all kinds of guitars and honestly it’s all habit. 7.25 can pose a challenge far as the setup goes but that’s only if you have high demands such as bends on treble strings past fret XII- totally possible (although med jumbos help). But yeah, try it and have an open mind. All depends on the size of your hands, the demands you have and your flexibility. Not an easy answer sorry if it doesn’t make any sense lol
@@SixStringJoy thank you!
Very interesting topic Paul. Personally I don’t mind what radius of fretboard or neck profile I use. It’s interesting that Gibson always say their fretboards have a 12” radius but every Gibson I have ever owned range from between 9.5 to 11” radius never 12”. You didn’t go into a great detail about neck shape which is where in my opinion the true difference comes into play. Perhaps that’s a different topic further down the line. I know on a set of callipers like you did my 57 tele is deeper than a Gibson 58 or 59 neck the main difference being the 57 tele has a very pronounced Vee profile neck therefore, less bulk towards the outer edge, great for getting the thumb over the top technique. It feels very skinny despite being deep at the same time.
Cheers John, interesting about the Gibson radius. Yes agreed, I need to do the neck profile vid. Thanks as always P
@@TheStudioRats I’m sure Gibson just say 12” Radius Paul because that is what a tune-o-matic bridge comes in as standard on in 12” radius hence why I feel often people experience issues with Gibsons. Great choice of subject matter to do a video on. Keep them coming Paul 👍
Could someone just tell me how much of a difference I would notice going from a 14 to a 12 radius,I can't really find that answer. I've gone to playing Jackson's with a compound radius to a Kramer Pacer which has a 14 the whole way down. Now I've kinda gotten used to it, but it is harder playing certain chords. Well ,I'm interested in another pacer,only this one has a 12 inch radius on it. Now these guitars have Floyd's on them and I'm not even gonna begin to ask about that other than i know a Floyd can either come in a 10 or a 12 depending on weather it has shims under the saddles.
Ibanez came out with those flat necks that I guess are good for shredding but Icould never play a gig with one of them. I need a round neck to get my thumb on top, for string bending and pull offs. surprised that you didn't address this.
I think the board width is THE major consideration from an ergonomic perspective and depth and radius not so much…taller frets overcome radius impacts…
The PRS radius is my favorite , i play a lot of classical guitar and switching from classical to fender type radius always felt weird to my hands, while with Gibson i always felt their bodies very uncomfortable. I also have a MIM 52 reissue telecaster and love its baseball type neck.
Hey man. I'm looking into a PRS. The thing is I'm an Ibanez, Schecter guy when it comes to neck comfort. But really want a PRS so wondering if their 10" radius will hold back lead and shred type playing.
@@ehsanhaq155 Im in a similar predicament. Did you take the leap to a PRS and did it work out fine?
@@Dante-qy9tu didn't end up buying Prs mate. Bought a Fujigen Les Paul. Crazy good guitar.
But I will buy a USA PRS soon. Played a few this time around, they're good. I want a single cut for my collection
I always tell people who are saying that this and that neck is necessary, that we are not born to play any instrument, we learn to use whatever neck and proof of that are violin players, my fingers are thicker than the neck of violin.
And that doesn't stop them to play circles around us in many cases.
Thats a great comment.
Here, this is an excellent example: the wrong (or right, depending on the needs..) setup leads to the flat sound of the dynamics, the distinctive characteristics of each type of instrument/guitar: You can easily see how when you change guitar you don't there is no change of sound, of accent, of dynamics, nothing.. The flattening of the signal that doesn't catch any difference between a humbucker and a single-coils, between a feather and a hammer.. Nothing.. It's always the same..! ;
EACH INSTRUMENT EACH EFFECT HAS ITS OWN PREROGATIVES AND PROFILES, THERE IS NOTHING MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN ROUSCING TO ENHANCE YOUR OWN PREROGATIVE, YOUR PROFILE! .. :)
Dang. Nice Greg Cock signature. I've wanted one of those for a while, but really shouldn't add another guitar to my lineup.
6:57 this is what makes me nervous about buying guitars online before trying.
im looking at american vintage II strat, its vintage style and I hope I get a good one with modern prod techniques
Great vid Paul!
Thanks mate.
i read that if you use thick guitar strings on thinn neck, neck couldnt be able to held the pressure and explode
To my ear a thicker neck looses some air of the string, but gains some meat. For a Strat I like a fat C neck; 22mm. at first fret 23 at the twelve fret. I go for a thinner neck for the faster stuff, because of tone, not technique, though that helps as well. Your measuring is actually good, because both the height of the frets and the string height is included, which vary quite a lot ;-) The more years you play the easier it is to transition between necks IMO.
Nice tips!
I've got a guitar that's slightly smaller than the average one, the neck is shorter and the body is a little smaller. is that bad or does it not matter?
Very informative video! As a fairly new guitar player, I'm trying to figure out what works best for me. At this point, I am enjoying my Gibson Les Paul Custom with a 12" radius. The 24.75 inch scale also seems to work for me. I have two other guitars with 25.5 inch scales and it's a bit more of a stretch for my hand. Thanks again!
What are some guitars that have thin width necks like on the lower frets so it’s easier for people with smaller hands to control and play faster? Because I don’t know where to even start to look for guitars like that. I’m trying to find one with thin width that’s c shaped and smaller than the average nut width because I really think the guitars I have are holding me back
Music man
All you need to know about neck radius is that SRV, Hendrix and Beck all made their bones on 7.25".
Radius does Matter, especially the old school 7.25 radius, IT FRETS OUT..
I have 3 with 7.25 radius and they have low action and don't fret out.
I've also set up several with low action and they don't fret out.
i got a new strat with a modern c 12.5 radius very diffrent for first couple of day your hand position changes slightly playing stylle affected feels very odd at first from a 7.25.
I now know at 51 that the guitar I buy and still got have 42,5-43 mm width ! Never less....
Does the neck/fret size choice have anything to do with the height of the player, in terms of hand size?
No it’s just a preference, some people like a big neck big frets, other different.
After playing a 7.25 radius for 5 years straight. It’s uncomfortable to play larger radius.
I have small , fat , fingers for the most part...Playing acoustic and flat picking....
Yes, I can still play pretty much any guitar you put in my hands ...but... I like , and need , that thin neck , or I will fatigue my hand a lot quicker... and not be able to reach a 5 fret spread near a fast , nor as clean... so I take thickness as well as radius very seriously...
Can a play any guitar that's handed to me in a pinch. Yes. But will I like it ? ...No. would I buy a chunky neck ? Well , I own a chunky neck Telecaster... It's for sale...
Words of wisdom: Personally I love a chunky neck, but personally, I like a thin neck. It doesn't bother me.
I got a 50s soft V 7.25 radius neck and wired a nice bod up to go with it , and just feels bloody odd and can't get used to it lead wise , the radius thing doesn't really matter to me , it's more that wedge I can't get used to, normal sized hands but feels too big for them lol I'm adamant I'll get used to it as it sounds great
All about the NECK . The sound is changeable on any electric guitar (Pickups, Electronics, saddles, nut. a whole new body on fenders !) . The feel of the neck is not. ITS all about feel with any instrument beginner to expert. You can not make an instrument that feels wrong ever sound great. Radius ,thickness .fret size ALL affect intonation !. Without that its over before it is plugged in. Relic guitars are torn up on the neck to simulate what happened to vintage guitars before we figured out the frets were way too small.
Well, you're right about the neck being all about what feels comfortable to you but not about the ability or inability to change the feel of the neck. Any guitar builder will tell you that the feel of any neck can be changed just like the the overall sound (via pickups/wiring/hardware) can be changed. I do this all the time, the only practical limit is the prospect of making a fingerboard/neck wider and/or thicker, Also, all other things being equal. the fret size, fingerboard radius and neck thickness shouldn't really have an impact on intonation. If the frets are crowned properly, the nut and bridge/saddle heights are correct and the truss rod is optimally adjusted, intonation is no different from one guitar to another
i own a strat elite usa c shape neck 9.5 radius and i really wanna buy 59 custom shop strat but neck is large C and still 9.5 radius but wonder how big diffrence between .
Great video thanks
Thank you for putting this into contxt!
If you pick the thing up & it plays good for you then that is right. If it feels strained then move on. Humans are excellent at getting used to things ... but for sure you'll pick up a guitar one day and you will know it's just right for you. Even a cheapie can feel far better than an expensive (sometimes).
I don’t agree completely. I tried an Eric Clapton strat once and because I don’t have plans to ever carve a canoe out of that neck, i had to send it back.
I only play a thin chunky u shaped c with a compound 6.5 to 11.5 radius.
Hi Paul. Love the vids. Personally, 60s LP is about the thickest I like. Can I play u-shaped Tele’s, sure. Do I prefer C and D shaped necks, HELL YEAH. I like 9.5” strats for chords, but for leads, definitely 12” minimum. Will I play vice versa? HELL YEAH. Cheers!
Cheers David.
I wished you used an Ibanez guitar, that guitar has very thin neck but very wide like 43m at the nut.
The only guitar i have ever owned where the neck took some getting used to is an music man cutlass rs. The neck on music man guitars in general run a bit narrower and thinner. I really prefer a thicker neck in a les Paul width at the nut.
Cheers Jamnmcc
Short fingers wanting to play Hendrix style, I have to have a 9.25 modern c shape, and even with that it’s still somewhat difficult.
@@juru6887a 7.25 soft V would be better？
It's something and nothing. But I would still say that anyone who is even slightly curious should try guitars with different nut widths and neck radii.
I have small hands and want to play more with the left thumb but 2 things are required - thin neck and rounded edges. The rounded edges are also relevant and important if the fingerboard is flat in order to do lots of bar chords at the head end. However I think a careful DIY can to the trick here although the fret ends will stand out a bit more
clarifying. thanks!
Anytime
Thank you sir 🙏
U must be using active pickups to get the sound.
For radius i play some stuff differently with 7.25
For neck crave tho i have my own favourite (musicman cutlass, ibanez az). Definitely I'm more comfortable with usual fender stuff but it's not like i find any other stuff that difficult to play.
I still till today hated ibanez wide flat skinny wizard neck tho.
Hey Red, yeah love the AZ necks.
@@TheStudioRats I can't play faster on those but my playing sure is the cleanest on it.
Tho i play mostly on fender japan heritage 50s tele now.
What to do I'm mostly a tele guy
7.25 is way better than any other neck when U bend U lift up and over where is flat neck U are lifting against all the other stings like head on and alot better feel for playing