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Are JS guitars the best for small hand players?

15K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  IamFastEddie 
#1 ·
Helo people! I have a question.... Joe & company put on JS guitar fender 9.5 type-o neck... Which is smaller than RG and JEM guitar.,.. I have 2 different guitars - RG 550 and Stratocaster....I find out that it is easier for me to play stratocaster cause I have smaller hands and even smaller fingers, and Rg's neck is killing me cause is soooooo wide.... So if I buy JS Ibanez, is it gonna neck fill in my hands like fenders?

One more question - If JS's neck similar as stratocaster's what kind neck is on Ibanez JS 100 (copy of js1000 or "low budget JS1000" ) ? Is it like on JS1000 or like in RG and GRG series (too wide, with big frets, and biiiig scale) ? Cuase JS 100 don't have dimarzio pick ups, don't have Edge tremolo, hardware is different, so I thought maybe there are also cheap neck from grg or low budget rg, cause maybe Satrianis neck profile is expensive to build ?

I like Ibanez trademark very much, but I can't play them standing , cause necks are toooo wide (joe also can't play one of his songs standing hahaha and I totally understand him, cause I can't play like virtuoso any fast and difficult song standing cause I don't have "big Steve Vai type of hand")

Joe can't play this song standing YT video:


Steve Vai describes his big hands - 10:58 LOL :


I watched video on YT and Angus Young said he can't play big chords like Clapton, cause he has also small hands, and he choose Gibson SG.... So should I buy also Gibson SG for my hands, or JS 100 type of neck would also help me playing standing without paina in fingers and hands?

Angus Young describe his small hands and how he choose SG 00:55:


Thank you very much for your answers and support ! ;)
 
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#2 ·
I would say that the JS1000 is more like a stratocaster in that it is C shaped. So compared to a RG wizard neck that are more flat,and some of them might also be on the wideside,the JS would be easier to play for you. The neck on the JS1000 just feels so much better then the one of JS100. But they got similar feel. Everything on the JS1000 is of better quality compared to the JS100. And if you would play both of them,you would feel it right away.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for quick answer.... I hope many of you will write your opinions...

Yes, I know everything on JS are worse, but what do you mean "necks are similar nut, but neck on js1000 feels so much better" ... What is better? Is js100 neck similar to js1000 neck or to rg's necks? And why js1000 feels better, I know the wood for neck is probably better, maybe better quality frest, maybe neck finish is better, but why is the feel better? Is there something I don't know?

p.s. What about Ibanez 440s, 450s 450r and etc guitars , are they also wiht small fender necks? I had information that old Ibanez 440s or 440r are Ibanez with the smallest necks (for smallest hands 8)
 
#4 ·
Well both necks are 25,5" and 250radius with same specs(JS/Prestige JS), so they almost feel the same, or almost as easy to play. But the frets on the 1000 is much better, smother,kinda rounder with no sharp edges. I don't think the 100 got the 6105. And finish is better of caurse, so i guess the sanding etc of the Prestige JS neck combined with better frets does make it feel better. The neck on the 1000 should be a exact laser made copy of joe's neck, and that could be a part of the different feel.
 
#5 ·
With regard to your hand size, radius affects playability but I'm not sure you should base your hand size concerns on that number. It's just how rounded the fretboard is, which can make chordwork more comfy at the expense of being able to get the ridiculously low action that shredders like to use (hence, Vai/shredders usually have flatter radius necks). At the nut, we're only talking 1mm difference in the width of the JS compared to the JEM/RG and while it varies a little more as you move up the neck, we're still just talking mm. While a few mm can go a long way in terms of comfort, it's probably not going to allow you to play something that your hand size struggles with. Work on stretching your fingers, maybe play with the guitar a bit higher slung while standing so that it's more close to the position it is in while sitting (not everyone needs to have it slung down around their knees).

What is this pain you're describing? Knowing the cause of the discomfort will determine if it's something a different neck will alleviate or if it's something in your playing you have to work around.
 
#7 ·
Yes a good thing is always to go try the guitars out you're thinking of. But sometimes it might be impossible to get hold of them. But even tho the JS neck is kinda fat,thick, compared to a wizard neck, it's still a fast neck. Sometimes the width is a factor,and frets. Not sure exactly how small your hands are?and not sure how the wizard is killing you?. If you're interested in a JS100 let me know.
 
#8 ·
Well, my hands are juuuust too small....Like childrens... Especially fingers are short...

And what about JS100, is it different like JS or it is just the same as RG wizard necks?

What about those new S470 guitars ? They are cheap and have zero point tremolo which is good for tuning problems,,,,,I could sell my rg550 and buy new s470 one and put fred/paf pro. But I think S470 have also wizard neck like for ex rg350.... Hm... But it has a smaller and light body....So my logic is , maybe neck is also smaller LOL
 
#18 ·
Well, my hands are juuuust too small....Like childrens... Especially fingers are short...

And what about JS100, is it different like JS or it is just the same as RG wizard necks?

What about those new S470 guitars ? They are cheap and have zero point tremolo which is good for tuning problems,,,,,I could sell my rg550 and buy new s470 one and put fred/paf pro. But I think S470 have also wizard neck like for ex rg350.... Hm... But it has a smaller and light body....So my logic is , maybe neck is also smaller LOL
I know I'm late to the show here, but I would just echo what others have said and just play the guitars and see which feels right to you. Since I learned on a classical and play everything from mandolins to extended length 7 strings I haven't thought much about hand size. I have several RGs including a 470 and I have an S470. My 9 year old daughter has really small hands and plays all of my guitars except for my 7's. Yeah, she can't do chord voicings that I can, but I can't do ones that Vai does, either. So, again, find a guitar that works for you and that you will play.
 
#9 ·
JS100 and JS1000 have similar necks,they are fat compared to the wizard but not as wide,well that have been said. rg350 have got a wizard 2 neck and that neck is more c shaped and might infact be esier for you to play. If you got small hands/fingers i guess playing a thin and wide neck could be a problem for you. So go and try the RG350, you might like it. S470 have wizard necks, depending on year they have different wizard necks i think. Why not try a jp6(or jp6 by sterling) out,might work fine for small hands.
 
#11 ·
No no, guys, I tried rg350 and thats the worst kind of neck for me....Only because of that I didn't bought rg350 in the past..... But I bougth rg550, but situation is pretty much the same - neck is tooo wide and thats major problem for me. So no wide, but neck could be fat or thin, thats not important so much for me, only what I want is that spaces between strings are little, not big spaces, cause neck will be wide. So js100 neck is like js100 - fat and not wide? Great! I think that will be better for me than rg550 cause I also like very much neck from Squier Classic vibe '50 - people are complaining neck is so small and thin, like for children, but for me its perfect....I wish js 100 or js1000 could have that profile necks.... (9.5)
 
#16 ·
If you can find a square heel S series from the late 80's or early 90's, that would be ideal. I have small hands too. I own a number of S series with different necks and the later Prestige necks from 2009 and up are definitely wider and thicker than the older stuff. I find my FGM400 the easiest to play, followed closely by an S1620 and then by an S5470 which has the larger Wizzard Prestige neck. All are AANJ but the first two have small frets. They still have a flat radius but the width of the board isn't as great as the latest Prestige guitars and it does make a difference.

In terms of fretting comfort for bends, I prefer the newer Wizzard Prestige necks as they have larger frets. So do some of the standard S540 series guitars from the mid 90's. I still find it easier to chord on the original Wizzard necks which is counter intuitive as there's less "meat" on the back to dig your thumb in. I also have a Les Paul with a 50's neck that's nice and fat (not the biggest 50's but it's no SG) and I'm fine on it as well.
 
#17 ·
You should really check out the Ernie Ball Music Man Luke before you get hung up on the Ibanez - the Luke has a very narrow fretboard that is too narrow for my hands but may suit yours and the guitar plays and sounds fantastic - the Axis also has a fairly narrow board but not as narrow as the Luke and the neck is fatter.
 
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