2015 necks

[AlanH]

Hi All,

 

I'm tempted to buy a 2015 Gibson model (probably an LP, maybe an SG) but the only area of concern for me is the wider fingerboards. The problem I have is that there aren't any available for me to try locally.

 

I'm a rock, blues and metal player and my soloing style leans more towards thumb over the top rather than thumb planted behind the neck. I'm not one of these people with long, slender fingers or big hands but I do like the feel of Gibson necks and the overall playability of their guitars. Maybe, for my hand size, the shorter Gibson scale also helps. My two current Gibsons(SG Special Faded and LP 50's Tribute HB) both have fatter '50s necks and I find them very comfortable, if a little full in the hand. I used to have two Chinese Epi LPs which were a very comfy size for me being slightly less rounded in rear profile than my Gibsons but, to me, they played nowhere near as nice due to their cheaper woods and finishes. My MIK Epi Wildkat does have a fatter rear profile than the Epi LPs I used to own but it's a much nicer finished guitar with a better quality fingerboard so maybe that's what makes it feel nicer to play for me.

 

Of my 25.5" Scale "super strats" my MIJ Ibanez RG1570 Prestige has a wide, flat neck (that is finished with high level of precision) which I really like but, conversely, I just can't seem to get along with my equally nicely finished USA Production Charvel San Dimas. The Charvel does, like the Ibanez, have a relatively wide neck but it is not as flat as the Ibby in it's rear profile. I don't know whether it's the Charvel's combined neck profile and width, the all in one maple neck/fingerboard, the flattening compound radius board and/or the meatier frets that I can't get on with. The Charvel would inevitably have to be sold to make way for any new purchase but the fact that the USA production models were a limited run makes me desperately want to love it and hang on to it.

 

If I do go for a 2015 Gibson I'm leaning more towards a '60s neck profile model than a '50s just in case the latter might be a little too much in the hand for me. So.......since I can't get hold of these models myself, can owners of 2015 Gibson models with the wider fret boards and both '50s or '60s rear profiles fill me in on their experiences with the necks, particularly for their playing styles and hand sizes/types.

 

PS. I'm not concerned with the other features of 2015 models on this thread as I consider all of the rest to be "horses for courses" and I can read plenty about them on other threads.

 

Hope you can help.

 

Thanks in anticipation folks.

[slimt]

I think most folks are avoiding the flat back wider necks.... I know I would not buy one.. Gibson done a lot of stupid things over the past few years.... Robot tuners for e.g.: what a joke..

[scottpaine_69]

Hi All,

 

I'm tempted to buy a 2015 Gibson model (probably an LP, maybe an SG) but the only area of concern for me is the wider fingerboards. The problem I have is that there aren't any available for me to try locally.

 

I'm a rock, blues and metal player and my soloing style leans more towards thumb over the top rather than thumb planted behind the neck. I'm not one of these people with long, slender fingers or big hands but I do like the feel of Gibson necks and the overall playability of their guitars. Maybe, for my hand size, the shorter Gibson scale also helps. My two current Gibsons(SG Special Faded and LP 50's Tribute HB) both have fatter '50s necks and I find them very comfortable, if a little full in the hand. I used to have two Chinese Epi LPs which were a very comfy size for me being slightly less rounded in rear profile than my Gibsons but, to me, they played nowhere near as nice due to their cheaper woods and finishes. My MIK Epi Wildkat does have a fatter rear profile than the Epi LPs I used to own but it's a much nicer finished guitar with a better quality fingerboard so maybe that's what makes it feel nicer to play for me.

 

Of my 25.5" Scale "super strats" my MIJ Ibanez RG1570 Prestige has a wide, flat neck (that is finished with high level of precision) which I really like but, conversely, I just can't seem to get along with my equally nicely finished USA Production Charvel San Dimas. The Charvel does, like the Ibanez, have a relatively wide neck but it is not as flat as the Ibby in it's rear profile. I don't know whether it's the Charvel's combined neck profile and width, the all in one maple neck/fingerboard, the flattening compound radius board and/or the meatier frets that I can't get on with. The Charvel would inevitably have to be sold to make way for any new purchase but the fact that the USA production models were a limited run makes me desperately want to love it and hang on to it.

 

If I do go for a 2015 Gibson I'm leaning more towards a '60s neck profile model than a '50s just in case the latter might be a little too much in the hand for me. So.......since I can't get hold of these models myself, can owners of 2015 Gibson models with the wider fret boards and both '50s or '60s rear profiles fill me in on their experiences with the necks, particularly for their playing styles and hand sizes/types.

 

PS. I'm not concerned with the other features of 2015 models on this thread as I consider all of the rest to be "horses for courses" and I can read plenty about them on other threads.

 

Hope you can help.

 

Thanks in anticipation folks.

 

I have 3 Les Pauls, 1996 Gibson les Paul Studio loaded with active EMG 81/85's a 2012 ZW Bullseye custome plus Les Paul and a 2015 Gibson Les Paul Classic with the wider fretboard, G-Force tuners and the adjustible Zero-Fret Nut and It is now my go to number 1 guitar. I play metal but I was recently in a blues,southern rock and u hum Country band. The 2015 fit for everything with the coil splits and 15db boost it is an all around work horse of a guitar. I did get a titanium nut to replace the brass nut free from gibson. The g-force WORKS and if you don't like it just swap it out for regular tuners and sell the g-force on ebay for more than what you paid for the replacement tuneing keys. Now lets get to the wider neck, It felt a bit wierd at first but after a bit of playing I got use to it very quick. I'm able to play alot faster with the wider 2015 neck and that carried over to my other les pauls. so there isn't a huge change up if you do a guitar switch. The 2016 HP line has wider fretboards but the are still not as wide as the 2015 fretboards. I'm just not big on how the cut out the heel on the 2016 HP line. Back to the G-force. It's very handy when you are playing live or learning tunes. If one song is standard and the next is dropped down you just hit a button and your done. It's alot quicker than switching guitars mid set or during a lerning session. That's my thoughts on it. Hope my rambling helped...

[rocketman]

I practice using mostly my MIM Strat, which has a very thin neck. Even though I'm "used" to it, I prefer the thicker necks of my Les Pauls. I really can't explain why though. I haven't played a 2015 neck but now you piqued my interest, so I'll check them out.

[StRanger7032]

My hands are smaller and I had no issue with the 2015 neck. I got used to it within an hour or so and didn't even notice it after that. Mine was an LP Deluxe.

[quapman]

As much as I respect the opinions of all on this forum I would still want to play it myself before

I made any such decision.

I'm a touchy feely kinda guy and I like to fondle my guitars before I buy them.

But that's just me.

[deeman]

 

PS. I'm not concerned with the other features of 2015 models on this thread as I consider all of the rest to be "horses for courses" and I can read plenty about them on other threads.

 

Hope you can help.

 

Thanks in anticipation folks.

 

 

I think most folks are avoiding the flat back wider necks.... I know I would not buy one.. Gibson done a lot of stupid things over the past few years.... Robot tuners for e.g.: what a joke..

 

You knew it would happen.

 

I have not had the opportunity to play any 2015 gibsons but I am in agreement with fondling frank above and would also want to try it out first. Do you not have any dealers within a reasonable radius?

[Tman]

I've played them and they really aren't that big of a difference. I have smallish hands and my favorite profile is the 60s slim taper. The 2015 wider neck feels just fine and didn't strike me as a bad thing playing wise.

[merciful-evans]

I absolutely love the wider necks of the Nasville 2015s.

 

In fact the main reason I bought one is because I learned that Gibson were dropping the feature and going back to trad narrow necks. I wanted one while they were still available. I had already played a large number of them during 2015.

 

Of course in time the HP (high performance) 2016 were announced also, but these are only slightly wider, being 0.05" wider instead of the 2015's 0.10".

 

 

 

Elsewhere on the forum I commented that the feel of the 2015 necks was akin to Jackson Soloist guitars. Another contributor agreed with the comparison.

 

Like you I had always used my thumb 'over the top' to assist with chords etc. You can still do this. My hands are not large, nor are my fingers very long.

 

I think the difference can be difficult to get used to. Truth to tell, it took me quite a while to get used to the regular Gibson trad necks, but I can use both now without problems. Most of my 45 years of playing has been on 25.5 scale wider necked instruments.

 

I do have a trad neck Gibson also, an ES339, and an Epi Casino. So I can change between these different sized necks fairly easily now.

I would strongly suggest though, that before gigging, you stick to the type of neck you intend to use for a couple of days exclusively.

 

I like to solo, and for me the wider neck is preferable when making a quick dash up or down the fingerboard. Sometimes I have pushed an E string right off the edge when doing this on a trad neck (embarrassing!). The wider neck also provides more confidence when adding vibrato to an E string.

 

If doing mostly chord work, the wider necks probably offer no advantage.

[AlanH]

You knew it would happen.

 

I have not had the opportunity to play any 2015 gibsons but I am in agreement with fondling frank above and would also want to try it out first. Do you not have any dealers within a reasonable radius?

 

Sadly, I'd have to make a 300 mile round trip to get at one so I'm more inclined to mail order and return if not satisfied. Obviously it's not ideal so I'd like as many first hand opinions on the 2015 rounded and slim taper necks (for hand sizes and playing styles) as I can get a la Scotty V, ST Ranger, T-man and Merciful-evans posts above.

[Searcy]

The 2015 necks are the most comfortable Gibson necks I have ever played. There was no "adjustment time" for me. In fact the first time I played one it was more comfortable for me to play. I also have no issue going back and forth between my 2015 SG and any of my other guitars or basses.

 

That said, the internet has declared the 2015 neck "an unplayable aircraft carrier deck" so you may not like it at all.

 

 

 

[JayinLA]

Yup,

 

Most certainly a big difference. I like the '58 quite possibly the Cubbiest of all the neck profiles. It just suits me better and learning to play on a vinyl classical guitar, I suppose that would make sense for me. However the 2015's have a cupped neck that tapers to the hand, so its a little more ergonomic, and it plays that way. The 60's is definately what you would like best based on the examples you gave. If you don't live close to a real guitar shop, sometimes if you have a trusted friend who has access to the guitars, might get you going in the right direction.

[SteveFord]

They left a large(ish) area between the E strings and the side of the neck so they're different, all right. It looks like that was their solution to having the nuts cut incorrectly; instead of moving the strings a bit closer together they made the neck wider.

I'd imagine I could adapt to it but they're not like any other Gibson necks.

You'll have to try one and see for yourself, maybe you'll love it, maybe it won't be your cup of tea.

I'm in the aircraft carrier camp but that's just me.

[Tim Plains]

My work is a two minute walk from a Gibson dealer. I go all the time during lunch and spend a fair bit of time playing all the in stock Gibsons there. I tried to like the 2015 necks, I really did, but they are unplayable aircraft carrier decks for me.