Guitars with Thin Necks

[guitarcat46]

Which guitars have thin profile necks? I used to have an Ibanez S series

guitar a long time ago, and remembered that was pretty thin. I'm considering

getting an Ibanez RGA42FM which has a Wizard III neck.

 

How would a Strat neck compare in thickness? Which other brands

should I check out?

 

I'm mainly interested in thin profile necks, because I've been having

pain in my wrist lately. It's more likely from playing keyboard in my spare time,

but the thickness of my Les Paul neck isn't helping. Maybe I should even consider

something with a shorter scale?

[ashasha]

RG's are really thin. Soloists are a bit thin as well, but not quite as thin.

 

Now for me I had to get rid of both because the necks were TOO thin and caused pain in my hands. Plenty of other people have complained about the same thing. I also think that the radius (curve of the fretboard) has a lot to do with it. If you chord a lot a nice small radius feels better, if you do a lot of shreddy solos a lot of people like bigger/flatter radius'd necks.

[Crunchtime]

Had a Jackson RR24. Neck felt like a popsicle stick to me.

[guitarcat46]

Thanks for your responses. I guess since I play a Les Paul regularly, that anything else will probably seem thinner!

 

I actually had my heart set on a Strat, or Tele at first. I like the hard-tail bridge on the Tele, but the contour of the Strat body. I'd actually love a Tele, but I'm thinking that the body will dig in my arm like my Les Paul does?

 

I guess I could always block the trem on a Strat. The only hardtail Strat I see these

days that Fender still makes is the Robert Cray model. I've read though that not having the trem, makes it sound a bit different.

[mrbrown49]

 

Thanks for your responses. I guess since I play a Les Paul regularly, that anything else will probably seem thinner! I actually had my heart set on a Strat, or Tele at first. I like the hard-tail bridge on the Tele, but the contour of the Strat body. I'd actually love a Tele, but I'm thinking that the body will dig in my arm like my Les Paul does? I guess I could always block the trem on a Strat. The only hardtail Strat I see these days that Fender still makes is the Robert Cray model. I've read though that not having the trem, makes it sound a bit different.

 

 

You could always block the strat trem, or build a parts tele from warmoth and order the body with an arm contour.

[JoeBoy]

Hofner

[dmc69]

Hard tail strat?

How about a Hello Kitty strat? (I'm guilty, I have one haha)

Joking aside, Tom Delonge strats come to mind. Maybe you'll have better luck in the states finding a used one. It's almost impossible to find one up in Canada.

[guitarcat46]

Has anyone played the Fender Lonestar Strat? I've had my eye on that one.

Yes, I like traditional single-coil Strats, but I'm thinking the Lonestar might be a better choice for me right now. That way I could pretty much cover any genre of music.

[guitarcat46]

Hard tail strat? How about a Hello Kitty strat? (I'm guilty, I have one haha) Joking aside, Tom Delonge strats come to mind. Maybe you'll have better luck in the states finding a used one. It's almost impossible to find one up in Canada.

 

I actually see Delonge, and Cray bodies on eBay from time to time. However, I'm not a fan of building a partscaster.

I'll see what's available used.

 

However, even though I'm not a fan of the tremolo. I can see instances of where I might use it.

Perhaps, for a Setzer styled version of Sleepwalk, or something like that.

[truckdub]

 

Has anyone played the Fender Lonestar Strat? I've had my eye on that one. Yes, I like traditional single-coil Strats, but I'm thinking the Lonestar might be a better choice for me right now. That way I could pretty much cover any genre of music.

 

 

I have a MIM Lonestar. If you are looking for a think neck I think you will like it. The pickups are a SD Pearly Gates + in the bridge and Texas Special single coils in the Neck and middle. The neck is, I think, a modern C. The combo of thinner neck and relatively narrow fretboard doesn't work for me. Becomes pretty uncomfortable for me to play after just a few minutes. Thinner neck plus wider fretboard works for me, such as on my Charvel and Jackson. I have no complaints about the tone of this guitar. It is very versatile and sounds very good. But ymmv. Try out a couple for yourself.

[WRGKMC]

I have a Rickenbacker and the neck is fairly thin. I also picked up an Afinity Tele and the thing is real slim. After refretting it with super jumbos, It filled it out a bit. I like slim necks if they're faiely wide. If the strings are too crowded it makes it hard to pick individual strings or finger some chords. i have a different playing technique then most though. i use my thumb on the back of the neck when playing leads and barre chords. I dont wrap my thumb around a neck like most. That technique comes from playing a long scale bass and having to spider your fingers long distances to reach the frets.

 

I can play fatter necks of course. I may loose a littel speed with certain types of music but its really all just mind vs hand training.

[unworthy]

 

You could always block the strat trem, or build a parts tele from warmoth and order the body with an arm contour.

 

 

Or just take a belt sander to the body a la Mr. Beck.

[HighSpeedSpoon]

At one point, PRS made thin and thick carve necks. -- Don't know if they still do, but you could check.

[guitarcat46]

You know, there is a Youtube video of G.E. Smith talking about his signature Telecaster when it was released.

He tells such a nice story about the Telecaster history, and what went into the design of his Tele (Using ideas

from the original Fender lap-steels.)

 

Anyway, I've always wanted a Tele. I'm just worried about the body becoming uncomfortable to play

after a while. I'd probably get used to it, considering I currently play a Les Paul.

 

You guys will laugh, but when I was a bit younger I had major G.A.S. I owned a Fender '62 Strat

reissue, and was totally bored with it. I didn't care for the gloss neck, and the tremolo didn't

do much for me.

 

I've never owned a Tele, so maybe I should try a few. A Classic Vibe would probably do for now.

That way I'd still have a thinner profile neck over the Les Paul, and still have a hardtail bridge.

[Brian Krashpad]

The old Peavey T-60's have fairly thin necks. Not enough to bug me, but I've seen some who dislike thin necks complain about them here.

 

[R00PE]

my jackson slsmg has a thin neck too..my favorite guitar by far

[guitarcat46]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

 

It's clear to me that I don't know what I want yet. I started the thread with ideas of getting an Ibanez, and ended it with the idea of getting a Telecaster. I'll just have to play a bunch of different guitars, and make a decision.

 

I do have a question though. I'm sure that my current wrist pain is temporary.

However, does the scale of the guitar, radius, etc., effect the tension of area where your picking hand is? I've often heard that short scale guitars are easier to play, but I'm wondering on 22 vs. 24 fret guitars.

 

I'm just trying to make sure my life as a guitar player is a long one. Which means that you won't see me hacking at 12 gauge strings any time soon! Also, I love my Les Paul, but you know how chunky those necks are.

[Guitar Heel]

Also check out Hagstrom. Super thin necks, and a great bang for the buck.

[mrbrown49]

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! It's clear to me that I don't know what I want yet. I started the thread with ideas of getting an Ibanez, and ended it with the idea of getting a Telecaster. I'll just have to play a bunch of different guitars, and make a decision. I do have a question though. I'm sure that my current wrist pain is temporary. However, does the scale of the guitar, radius, etc., effect the tension of area where your picking hand is? I've often heard that short scale guitars are easier to play, but I'm wondering on 22 vs. 24 fret guitars. I'm just trying to make sure my life as a guitar player is a long one. Which means that you won't see me hacking at 12 gauge strings any time soon! Also, I love my Les Paul, but you know how chunky those necks are.

 

 

Depends on your hand size as to what scale you find most comfortable. I have small hands but find the fender scale just fine, and I like gibby and shorter scales as well. The things that really affect comfort for me is the fretboard radius, fretsize, and the neck contour.

 

For me I like a fatter neck with a flatter radius. I find my hands are in a more comfortable position that way. You want your fingers and palm gently arched, envision lightly gripping a tennis ball. Find a neck that puts your hand in that position.

[Argh! Zombies!]

I have Jems and RGs that are 20 mm, I think, at the first fret. They are indeed thin. My 540P, though, Satriani's first Ibanez, is an absurd 17 mm.

 

I prefer a lot more meat on there nowadays, so they live in their coffins, but I just wanted to give you some numbers to base things off. Warmoth does offer one of the Ibanez Wizard profiles, so you could be able to make what you wanted (Strat, Tele etc.) with a very thin neck without it looking like a shredster.

[jtr654]

Mosrite's have the thinnest I've ever owned.

[DFB]

Carvin makes some thin necks.And they play great.My DC 127 had one of the best necks on any guitar I played.