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7K views 30 replies 26 participants last post by  racerevlon 
#1 ·
Not sure when I played my 1st thin neck (wizard). But I remember thinking that it was the answer to my inability to play better. Over the years, after practicing alot more, and playing alot more guitars, I've found that the thickness of the neck does make a difference, but not so much as I would have thought. And it's not hard to overcome. When I go from a Prestige to something else like a tele or strat, there seems to be a neck issue, but temporary. When I go to GC to demo guitars, It's impossible to know that you can't play one well in just the few minutes you spend with each guitar. The first impression of the thin neck is, "Boy, I can fly around on this thing". But then after owning and spending a bunch of time with fatter necks, I think it doesn't really matter after all. Hand size would play an part I guess. But a quick search on youtube for "Classical" and "Shred" and you'll see most people NOT playing Ibanezes, yet still tearing it up.

Take this chick for instance, probably small hands, but fat neck on the guitar, and it's not a hindrance to her at all.

Some guy with a LP


And of course, if you haven't seen these 3 amazing guys, you need to check this out.


All playing NON wizard necks. I'm not saying I don't prefer my Prestige. I do, that why I put tele pups in it for the country band I play in. I just thought it could make an interesting discussion about thin neck impressions one way or the other.

Later, Darin
 
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#18 ·
Or age, lol :) When you are young and skinny, you prefer the thin neck, but as you get older and mature and get more portly, you begin to prefer the fatter necks. I've been really digging the newer prestige necks over the older Jem neck so I obvioulsy haven't reached the old stange yet:razz:

I don't guess the maturity part was never in question:lol:
 
#12 · (Edited)
You never really see a LP advertised with "Ultra fast big ole fat baseball bat neck".
But, you do see the SG advertised that way, er, or the reverse -- with super fast super slim neck -- (well, if not advertised, talked about that way anyhow. Disclaimer added only because I can't give a URL to some advertising.)

Also I'm pretty sure the LP has come with various necks over the years, there's not just one LP neck. Some are definitely slimmer than others.

I used to be hooked on the Super Wizard (RG520QS), but gradually, due to Jem7vwh and RG3120, I came to prefer a slightly fatter neck. This was largely due to fixing a noisy volume pot on the RG520QS, which, for some reason ended up affecting the tone of the guitar adversely, making my RG3120 the goto guitar for tone. Which, with playing, I think I've changed my taste to the point that I prefer the 3120 tone to even what the 520QS sounded like prior to the "fixing" of the volume pot. Still, if I knew for sure it would restore it to it's old sound, I'd replace the (ostensibly working) volume pot on the 520QS again.
 
#10 ·
Depends on whether or not I want to play fast. If I'm doing blues or chording (or other), I prefer my Fender Strat for it's tone. But, if I'm shredding, I love the feel of the JEM Prestige necks. The thing almost plays itself, it can shred so badly. I tried building the church on my strat, then went to a local guitar shop and played building the church on a JEM. The JEM was almost EFFORTLESS as compared to teh Strat.
 
#27 ·
Bingo.

Also worth mentioning, after a bout of RSI brought on by binge-practicing on a new RG520QS with bad playing posture where even in the worst of it, I could pick up my strat and play without TOO much pain, I did a lot of research on this and as it turns out it's sort of a known fact that thinner necks are, past a certian point, just bad for your hands on a purely mechanical level. It was to the point where Taylor guitars was contemplating adding a "thicker neck" option specifically tailored (heh) to guys who've had RSI issues in the past, as their necks are quite a bit thinner than is the norm for an acoustic and some players couldn't play them for that reason.
 
#16 ·
Well I would have to say that in my case I grew up learning on a wizard neck, so my hands grew up being comfortable with it. and Each time I play a thicker neck I feel the strain in my hands. And of course the more I play the thicker neck the more my hands adjust to playing it.

But just like anything designed to make life easier, wizard necks have a purpose and its purpose is to make it easier to play faster or get to the notes you want easier.

If you made the neck square instead of rounded, it would be harder to play (like impossible).

So I do think that thickness makes a difference.

Watching the flamenco guitarists, they have been playing fast licks like that for alot longer than electric guitarists have been around, So I wonder why shred guitar didn't come about earlier than it did in the 80's
 
#21 ·
I think it is more about the shape than the size. My first guitar was an old BC Rich and the neck on that is even smaller than a wizard, so it took me some adjustments as I got older. My thumb still cramps with fender shaped necks. Some fatter shaped necks feel nice though so yeah, it depends on the shape. :)
 
#23 ·
i can´t stand most les paul necks, but i don´t notice strats and teles having thicker necks, they feel pretty damn normal to me, and people tell me they have fat necks...

people said schecters had fat necks, but upon getting mine, i noticed it felt awesome, no fat neck, just good neck :p
 
#28 ·
Drew comments about RSI are interesting.

But once again it is an individual matter. I experimented severe left wrist tendonitis after using PRS and Gibson during about a year. And everything went well when I came back to Ibanez necks. So clearly, in my case, fatter necks caused my wrist pain.

In the end, I think the neck you will feel comfortable with, that will allow you to play with ease AND that will not hurt your hand just depends on the way you are built : )

I mean that we all have unique hands, with muscles anchored on bones in unique ways.
 
#30 ·
to me, it doesnt really matter... I can play the same on any neck... but the strings do make a difference, as the frets... higher frets feel better for me 'cos my fingers are not in touch to the fretboard... but that's it, I play the same in any guitar, but it just feel different.
 
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