Members Steadfastly Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Most guitar necks are 1 5/8" or 1 11/16" at the nut. What is interesting is the results of a poll asking which neck width do you prefer. The results (below) show that respondents preferred a wider neck rather than the narrower neck. Since most prefer a wider neck, I wonder why the manufacturers have not taken this into account when they make their guitar necks. It can't be because they have found the narrow neck to be easier to finger. All you have to do is watch a couple of classical guitarists with average size hands, who are playing on a 2" neck to realize this thought does not hold water. What do you think the reason is for this?Neck Width..........# Respondents........Average Narrow - 1 5/8" .............24...............16.22% Better - 1 11/16.............31...............20.95% Good - 1 3/4..................23...............15.54% Nice - 1 13/16................11................7.43% Wide - 1 7/8".................32...............21.62% Extra wide 2"................. 27...............18.24% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Where did the poll come from? I like a narrow neck myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Where did the poll come from? I like a narrow neck myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted December 29, 2012 Author Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Originally Posted by Grantus Where did the poll come from? I like a narrow neck myself. From your northern cousins. www.guitarscanada.com/forum.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted December 29, 2012 Author Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Originally Posted by Grantus Where did the poll come from? I like a narrow neck myself. From your northern cousins. www.guitarscanada.com/forum.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 This is something that has puzzled me too. I started out on a classical guitar for a few years, so I'm comfortable with wider necks. And on my electrics. I prefer wide necks. And on the guitar forums it seems like a lot of players prefer the wide necks. So why do the manufacturers not heed this? Tis a mystery. Unless, of course, sales figure show that narrow necks sell better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 This is something that has puzzled me too. I started out on a classical guitar for a few years, so I'm comfortable with wider necks. And on my electrics. I prefer wide necks. And on the guitar forums it seems like a lot of players prefer the wide necks. So why do the manufacturers not heed this? Tis a mystery. Unless, of course, sales figure show that narrow necks sell better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members w00dsy Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 i'd love a wider neck, i've been thinking of building a Warmoth with a 1 7/8 neck for a while but never got around to it, yet. I have fat fingers so chording is difficult to do cleanly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members w00dsy Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 i'd love a wider neck, i've been thinking of building a Warmoth with a 1 7/8 neck for a while but never got around to it, yet. I have fat fingers so chording is difficult to do cleanly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 I prefer 1 3/4" as I find it suits my hands and makes swapping between electric, acoustic steel, and classical easier. I feel really cramped on my Strat, which is 1 5/8, and my Yamaha FG450SA acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 I prefer 1 3/4" as I find it suits my hands and makes swapping between electric, acoustic steel, and classical easier. I feel really cramped on my Strat, which is 1 5/8, and my Yamaha FG450SA acoustic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Tradition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Tradition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the_gunslinger Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 I like wider necks myself. I feel that my technique is cleaner when I have that extra space between the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the_gunslinger Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 I like wider necks myself. I feel that my technique is cleaner when I have that extra space between the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Originally Posted by w00dsy i'd love a wider neck, i've been thinking of building a Warmoth with a 1 7/8 neck for a while but never got around to it, yet. I have fat fingers so chording is difficult to do cleanly. I have a Warmoth Fatback neck on a Strat, and i love the girth, but i would like it to be a tad wider. might order a fatback or round-back with a wide nut for my Telecaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted December 29, 2012 Members Share Posted December 29, 2012 Originally Posted by w00dsy i'd love a wider neck, i've been thinking of building a Warmoth with a 1 7/8 neck for a while but never got around to it, yet. I have fat fingers so chording is difficult to do cleanly. I have a Warmoth Fatback neck on a Strat, and i love the girth, but i would like it to be a tad wider. might order a fatback or round-back with a wide nut for my Telecaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members w00dsy Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 these guys do guitars with 1 7/8 necks http://zarleywideneckguitars.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members w00dsy Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 these guys do guitars with 1 7/8 necks http://zarleywideneckguitars.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 Originally Posted by DaleH Tradition As an acoustic slide player I prefer a wide (1-3/4) flat (20-24 inch radius) neck, but when I built my Les Paul copy I followed tradition. Next time..... However, to use your classical analogy, they have very formal left hand position with the thumb squarely in the middle of the back of the neck and would never think of fretting the low E with their thumb.The other arguement is that narrower necks also have narrower spacing at the bridge which allows you to move around quicker with a pick. If you play finger style (as I do) wider spacing at the bridge allows you to get your thumb and fingers down between the strings (back to your classical analogy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 Originally Posted by DaleH Tradition As an acoustic slide player I prefer a wide (1-3/4) flat (20-24 inch radius) neck, but when I built my Les Paul copy I followed tradition. Next time..... However, to use your classical analogy, they have very formal left hand position with the thumb squarely in the middle of the back of the neck and would never think of fretting the low E with their thumb.The other arguement is that narrower necks also have narrower spacing at the bridge which allows you to move around quicker with a pick. If you play finger style (as I do) wider spacing at the bridge allows you to get your thumb and fingers down between the strings (back to your classical analogy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fhh Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 But it doesn't show that most people prefer wide, it's more of a tie. 52.7% prefer the 3 narrower options, 47.2% prefer the 3 wider options. If you only look at the 2 extreme options on each side, 37.2% narrow vs 39.9% wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fhh Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 But it doesn't show that most people prefer wide, it's more of a tie. 52.7% prefer the 3 narrower options, 47.2% prefer the 3 wider options. If you only look at the 2 extreme options on each side, 37.2% narrow vs 39.9% wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Crusher Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 NARROW! I love the narrow neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Crusher Posted December 30, 2012 Members Share Posted December 30, 2012 NARROW! I love the narrow neck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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