Shallow or Chunky necks, what's your preference

[Guest MoJo]

I've always gone for slender, Fender Jazz type necks, but I recently played a Vintage V4 Tony Bulter signature model which had a chunky neck (deep rather than wide) neck. Although it was noticably thicker than my BB414, it didn't feel uncomfortable and didn't hinder my playing. Is there anyone who prefers a thick, chunky neck (half a baseball bat)?

Edited April 5, 2016 by MoJo

[TheGreek]

I prefer a slim neck - I've had two Wals which I sold because I couldn't get on with the neck profile..

[EssentialTension]

I have thin neck on my Lakland Decade, fatter neck on my Fender Precision, even fatter neck on my Takamine, and even fatter neck on my upright.

I am not that bothered. I just play as best as I can.

[Skol303]

My playing isn't at a level where the neck makes a [i]huge[/i] different to me; I'm quite comfortable (or more like blissfully ignorant!) no matter what the neck profile is

That said, if pushed I'd probably say that I prefer thin (as in shallow) necks rather than chunky, with very little radius (i.e. flat). That combination seems to feel most comfortable to me, but it's not a deal-breaker.

[Cato]

Slim, even though I've got pretty big hands, I just find it that much more comfortable when everything's within effortless reach.

I also like muting the e string with my thumb over the neck (more comfortable on a slimmer neck), which I used to think was a bad/lazy habit, until I saw Stu Hamm doing it on an intstructional video. I now think of it as 'advanced technique'.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Cato

[lowhand_mike]

i'm more ove a slim neck type being that i have a couple of ibanez SR's though i have previously owned a Stingray and was comfortable on that too

[Damonjames]

Slim all the way. I prefer a neck that is shallow front to back, and narrower string spacing. I prefer Jazz in a fender and can comfortable play a stingray 5, but find it uncomfortable to play a precision or a jazz 5 with 19mm spacing.
I tried an upright in a store once and played it for about 10 seconds! But I do have tiny hands!!!

[KevB]

Chunky neck? No , I'm just big boned. Or it's a thyroid problem.

[Coilte]

I have two G&L basses....an L2000 ( 1.75" at the nut ) and a SB2 which has a jazz neck. While I am happy enough playing both, invariably I find myself drawn towards the narrower neck.

[sunburstjazz1967]

Six months on upright and they all feel small.

[Number6]

I have a Jazz and a P and a really slim short scale.....oh and a 5 string. In all honesty i have no real preference and after quarter of an hours warm up seem to adapt to them.

[neepheid]

Preference for chunky necks here. Not too thin please, and by thin I mean overall mass. I can deal with the narrow nut if there's a decent chunk of wood back to front.

[colgraff]

It's probably not PC to say that I like my necks to be Size 0.....

[CamdenRob]

I don't have a problem with any profile, or a preference really... it doesn't take long to get used to a change. I find tight string spacing a bit of an issue, but other than that I can swap between neck profiles and not really notice the difference.

Edited April 4, 2016 by CamdenRob

[tauzero]

Not so bothered about width but I far prefer shallow necks.

[spyder]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1459780684' post='3019525']
Not so bothered about width but I far prefer shallow necks.
[/quote]

+1
My P is 45MM but shallow and it plays great.

[Roger2611]

As others, not bothered by chunky or slim necks I will happily play either, but give me a bass with a sharp edge where the fretboard meets the neck and it will be out the door in no time (for some reason every Fender 50's Classic P Bass I have played other than the one in my avatar seems to have had that sharp edge yet the Roadworn's don't)

[LewisK1975]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1459777115' post='3019474']
Preference for chunky necks here. Not too thin please, and by thin I mean overall mass. I can deal with the narrow nut if there's a decent chunk of wood back to front.
[/quote]

Same Here. My '75 jazz is a standard 1.5" nut but is nice and deep front to back ('U' shape I believe) and sits in my hand really nicely..

[gapiro]

Yeah, I'm really not bothered about the width of a neck (ie string spacing) but in terms of how thick they are - I can't stand anything too thin - I find it makes my hand cramp up after 30 minutes or so!

[Paul S]

My ideal width at the nut is 38mm, although all my favourite basses seem to be 40mm. I struggle with anything much over 41mm. Depth doesn't matter so much to me.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1459777115' post='3019474']
Preference for chunky necks here. Not too thin please, and by thin I mean overall mass. I can deal with the narrow nut if there's a decent chunk of wood back to front.
[/quote]

Same for me.

[bassbiscuits]

I can cope with thick or thin really, but I think a big thick handful of a neck actually sounds better than a dead skinny one.

Within reason obviously.

But I don't really get on with wide (rather than thick) necks - those early 50s P bass fretboards are too much of a stretch for me.

[Guest MoJo]

[quote name='gapiro' timestamp='1459785734' post='3019606']
Yeah, I'm really not bothered about the width of a neck (ie string spacing) but in terms of how thick they are - I can't stand anything too thin - I find it makes my hand cramp up after 30 minutes or so!
[/quote]

I think this is what I'm finding with my recently acquired TRBX504. The neck is one of the shallowest I've played on and I don't feel as comfortable on it as I do on the deeper BB414 neck

[Moos3h]

[quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1459775190' post='3019440']
Six months on upright and they all feel small.
[/quote]

You could go hug a tree and itd still feel like a Geddy Lee Jazz after playing some uprights!

Cap well and truly doffed.

[Rich]

Definitely skinny for me. I have stupid stubby little fingers.