Guitar Fundi Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 What would advantages or disadvantages be for a Gibson J45 or SJ with a slimmer neck profile and one with a big baseball bat "C" profile? I'm not interest in tonal, but strictly how it affects your neck hand. Reason I ask... I have certain hand disabilities/challenges and I'm thinking that the thicker neck would support my hand more and keep me from having to squeeze so much and reduce pain and fatigue. I am ready to drop $2500-3000 on a the right guitar and am just trying to get as many educated opinions as possible before I get the thicker neck or a contemporary standard shape neck. I know it would be best to play both for awhile but I don't have access to any thicker necked guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 With necks you are talking about both nut width and depth/thickness and profile( a U, hard or soft V, C, or roundback neck). A neck can have a wide nut but a shallow carve. Others may have a slimmer nut but a deeper neck carve. There are no advantages or disadvantages. It is all about feel which is personal taste. I also have hand issues and do find the fatter the neck the happier I am. Does not mean that you will though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modoc_333 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I agree with you. If you just let you hand fall naturally into a half closed curve, it is fairly open... similarly to holding a large neck. It doesn't fall closed with your thumb close to your fingertips like it would with a skinny neck. You really don't see too many very skinny necks before kids started playing more guitar in the 1960s. Because they were made for grown men's hands. I think many adults have gotten used to slim necks because they started on one as a kid. Their hands grew as they got older, but they kept buying the same neck profile. Just a theory. Personally I like bigger necks. My fingers aren't crazy long but I have large palms and the bugger neck fills them out better. I can play anything round or V though. I just hate any neck thay feels flat down the center in the back. Makes me almost cramp. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I have a good cross section of nut widths and neck shapes. For over 30 years I only played two electrics. One was a slim neck and the other a modern C. My first decent acoustic was a Taylor and their necks are a nice transition from the electrics. As I got older and started having hand problems, I stated searching for the perfect neck shape for my hand. I've found out that if I do not limit myself to one shape and exercise my hands, the arthritis in a couple of my knuckles does not play that much of a factor and I can pick up anything and play it. I do feel that you get a tonal benefit from the larger thicker necks. I maneuver around them okay but do not have a prayer of wrapping my thumb around them for playing the bass notes. The Deep/Sharp vee is the most comfortable for me. The hand just fits it perfectly and takes less pressure to play but I loose the thumb. The round or modern C is the most versatile for me. My electric slim necks feel strange to me nowadays. As mentioned by others, it's a combination of neck shape (some vary differently as they go down the board), the nut width and the width as it goes down the board and your playing style. Maybe you do not wrap the thumb. Maybe you do not go past the fifth fret. Maybe you do not barre chords. I know you said you do not have access to a variety but you should try to make it to a guitar show or even a homecoming to get exposed to more options. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I find the skinny necks more comfortable these days. Am really enjoying the 1965 J-50 that I got a few months ago. Seems like I can play it longer without getting cramps in my hand. By comparison, the neck on my 2008 J-50 seems huge, and takes some re-adjusting. I still enjoy playing it too, but spend more time with the skinny neck guitar. I understand that you don't have access to guitars for testing, but I don't think our opinions will help you very much. You really need to decide this for yourself, we are all different. If you are purchasing a guitar by mail order, be certain that they have a very liberal return/exchange policy so you can spend some time deciding whether the neck suits you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 . There's a lot to consider when the neck shape and dimensions are a concern. There's the nut width and the width at the body joint. There's the shape of the neck profile and tapering of the shoulders - sometimes the problem's not so much the neck shape as how much wood is tapered off the shoulders. And there's the thickness at the nut and the body joint. On top of all that there's the variation between individual necks of the same design. That's quite a few variables. It's good to ask opinions, but as it's been mentioned, you really should find a place where you can sample a variety of necks . . . so you can decide what combination gives you the best comfort and playability. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 As I got older and started having hand problems, I stated searching for the perfect neck shape for my hand. I've found out that if I do not limit myself to one shape and exercise my hands, the arthritis in a couple of my knuckles does not play that much of a factor and I can pick up anything and play it. Well, Dave, I have seen some flimsy excuses for owning multiple guitars on these very pages, but that one is a beauty!!! Though I do think there is something in what you are saying - I have a smallish cross section of types myself, and I do like to swap around, getting crampy on the skinny neck and a nice stretch on something like my National Tricone. BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Well, Dave, I have seen some flimsy excuses for owning multiple guitars on these very pages, but that one is a beauty!!! BluesKing777. I'm getting so good at it, I'm starting to believe it myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 You really don't see too many very skinny necks before kids started playing more guitar in the 1960s. Because they were made for grown men's hands. I would argue the rise of the skinny butt neck on acoustics in the 1960s had more to do with the increasing popularity and sales of electric guitars than with builders worrying about their instruments fitting into smaller hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phelonious Ponk Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 I would argue the rise of the skinny butt neck on acoustics in the 1960s had more to do with the increasing popularity and sales of electric guitars than with builders worrying about their instruments fitting into smaller hands. I would argue that the rise of skinny necks in the 1960s had more to do with the popularity of skinny necks in the 1960s. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 GFundi, I think it sort of depends. I hate answers like that, but in this case it may be the only one. For starters - it depends upon your hands actual disability/ability. For example, how much range of motion and flexibility you have. And how much improvement is possible with therapy - including playing. I don't think 10 minutes each with 5 different guitars will help you much. If you can find different neck shapes and beg, borrow or rent them for a couple of weeks - you might be better able to judge for yourself. The hand is an insanely complex tool and, like with many problems, sometimes you can play with pain, sometimes you can get better, but sometimes you can aggravate the problem. Playing is such an important part of my life - I'd get some medical advice if I had an issue. G'Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Fundi Posted May 15, 2015 Author Share Posted May 15, 2015 As I got older and started having hand problems, I stated searching for the perfect neck shape for my hand. I've found out that if I do not limit myself to one shape and exercise my hands, the arthritis in a couple of my knuckles does not play that much of a factor and I can pick up anything and play it. This is the best answer for me I think... just need a lot of different neck shapes ;-) I have actually kept guitars with different nut width and neck shapes just to challenge my hand, but now I know I should have more and think of it as Physical Therapy too! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 This is the best answer for me I think... just need a lot of different neck shapes ;-) I have actually kept guitars with different nut width and neck shapes just to challenge my hand, but now I know I should have more and think of it as Physical Therapy too! ;-) GF - I think you may have stumbled upon something potentially quite useful here. Please let us know if you find out that guitars may qualify as tax-deductible physical therapy medical expenses. I have a few empty slots in my rack that I'd love to fill if we find out that guitar acquisitions are tax-deductible. Wow... would that be cool or what? Neck shapes - I prefer the rather full C profile on my 57 J-50, next the baseball bat neck on the Legend, then the 1.72 on the J-45 TV. I do not easily get along with necks smaller than 1 11/16 - and most of those I find myself tuning down so that I can capo up to 1st or 2nd fret to effectively widen the fretboard, but ofr most cony - I really like that 50s "C" profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Fundi Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 You can get Therapy Dogs & Therapy Cats paid for by insurance why not Therapy Guitars ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 As already stated above, neck preference is a highly personal issue - still with exceptions one can used to a bit of everything. I prefer 1-11/16 and wider and like a slim C-shape (plus low action). Not seldom do I sand a neck to perfection, which in many cases is a matter of very little - 35 strokes will do. Other times I go harder in and fx reduce the bulge on a modified V. That of course only happens with keepers. The general philosophy is that necks shouldn't be something you think about and climbing up'n'down the frets must not feel like 'work'. So difficult and crucial things happen there all the time and to reach symbiosis, the player needs all the help he/she can get. To repeat, a very individual matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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