Which Basses have slimmer necks?

[dostoyevsky]

I play a Peavey Zodiac which is 1 1/2 inch at the nut and which is the perfect shape for me. I have another ministar bass but don't play it often because it's thicker and I have woman hands so it's more difficult.

I'm not actually looking to buy at the moment but I would like to know which basses I would actually be able to play when I'm drooling over gear porn. One day I'd like to own a Musicman Stingray and a Rickenbacker 4003... what are the necks like on these and are they super heavy? What about other basses... which have the slimmest neck profiles?

Edited August 1, 2009 by dostoyevsky

[YouMa]

Usually its jazz basses i find but there are others,the geddy lee jazz is very thin necked.

[BarnacleBob]

I am always harping on about my Status T-bass (active jazz clone) has a neck like a toothpick!
One sold on e-Bay recently 350 quid!!


BB

[PauBass]

[quote name='YouMa' post='557747' date='Aug 1 2009, 01:08 PM']...the geddy lee jazz is very thin necked.[/quote]

+1 I think the Geddy Lee is the bass with the thinnest neck I've ever seen, it's a shaved down jazz bass neck...very comfortable and easy to play.

Edited August 1, 2009 by PauBass

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='dostoyevsky' post='557742' date='Aug 1 2009, 12:58 PM']One day I'd like to own a Musicman Stingray and a Rickenbacker 4003... what are the necks like on these and are they super heavy?[/quote]

The Ricky neck is different from what you expect. It's actually not very slim at the nut (one & five eighths compared to one & a half for a Jazz) but the strings are far more nearly parallel than on a Jazz so the two necks are about the same width at the 12th fret.

All that results in the string spacing for your right hand being far narrower on a Ricky, leaving the impression that's it's a narrow neck.

[simon1964]

[quote name='dostoyevsky' post='557742' date='Aug 1 2009, 12:58 PM']I'm not actually looking to buy at the moment but I would like to know which basses I would actually be able to play when I'm drooling over gear porn. One day I'd like to own a Musicman Stingray and a Rickenbacker 4003... what are the necks like on these and are they super heavy? What about other basses... which have the slimmest neck profiles?[/quote]

My Stingray's neck isn't particularly slim. Very comfy though. As per previous posts, Rickenbacker necks are quite an unusual profile, but again very comfy IMO.

The sliimest neck I've played by far is the Ibanez SR series. PErsonally, I find them too thin, but if you want a slim neck they're as slim as it gets.

Edited August 1, 2009 by simon1964

[Awesomerobobitches]

[quote name='simon1964' post='557836' date='Aug 1 2009, 03:09 PM']The sliimest neck I've played by far is the Ibanez SR series. PErsonally, I find them too thin, but if you want a slim neck they're as slim as it gets.[/quote]

I have an Ibanez BTB, and it's neck is disturbingly thin, and I love it. :wub:

[spongebob]

Rickenbacker 4003 necks actually vary from year to year.

Some are slimmer, others are like baseball bats.

However, you'll never ever find a Ric neck as slim as a jazz. If you have got small hands, I'd go for a Geddy as well.

I'm a Ric 4004 man (bassball), but tend to use the Ged a lot for gigs.

Also, consider the Fender Jaguar. I've just got one, and it's superb - and a thin neck.

[4000]

[quote name='spongebob' post='557885' date='Aug 1 2009, 04:30 PM']Rickenbacker 4003 necks actually vary from year to year.

Some are slimmer, others are like baseball bats.

However, you'll never ever find a Ric neck as slim as a jazz. If you have got small hands, I'd go for a Geddy as well.[/quote]

Depends what you mean by slimmer. I don't think Jazz bass necks are at all slim; in fact one of the things I don't generally like about Jazzes is the necks, which I consider uncomfortable and usually quite big (in fact I actually find P Bass necks generally more comfortable.). Jazzes are slim at the nut, but I don't spend that much time down there so that makes little difference to me.

I think most Ric necks are much slimmer, because they're the same width all the way up, give or take. [i]That's[/i] what I consider slim, because I do a lot more playing from the fifth fret up than the fifth fret down. So first I think you have to define what you mean by slim. Slim necks, I think a typical Ric 4000 series (excepting some of the 4003s with the bigger necks which feel more P Bass like), Alembic, Ibanez SR, Pedulla, stuff like that, although I'm aware that others think the Jazz is the epitome of slim (nothing above the fifth fret ). My old Warwick Dolphin Pro II bolt-on had a very slim neck, as does my current Sei 4.

I'd try a few basses and see what you think, as it's all down to personal perception. FWIW, my mate has a Stingray and the neck, although quite hefty, is very comfortable. You will probably find individual examples of many basses (historically at least) vary both in neck size and in weight. My Ric 4001 is 8.5lbs, so not heavy at all, but my first CS weighed about 11. Same goes for Stingrays, my mate's is about 9lbs, but I've played much heavier ones.

Edited August 1, 2009 by 4000

[BassBunny]

Before anyone else comes up with it, Sandberg....

[Tait]

[quote name='4000' post='557905' date='Aug 1 2009, 04:56 PM']Depends what you mean by slimmer. I don't think Jazz bass necks are at all slim; in fact one of the things I don't generally like about Jazzes is the necks, which I consider uncomfortable and usually quite big (in fact I actually find P Bass necks generally more comfortable.). Jazzes are slim at the nut, but I don't spend that much time down there so that makes little difference to me.

I think most Ric necks are much slimmer, because they're the same width all the way up, give or take. [i]That's[/i] what I consider slim, because I do a lot more playing from the fifth fret up than the fifth fret down. So first I think you have to define what you mean by slim. Slim necks, I think a typical Ric 4000 series (excepting some of the 4003s with the bigger necks which feel more P Bass like), Alembic, Ibanez SR, Pedulla, stuff like that, although I'm aware that others think the Jazz is the epitome of slim (nothing above the fifth fret ). My old Warwick Dolphin Pro II bolt-on had a very slim neck, as does my current Sei 4.

I'd try a few basses and see what you think, as it's all down to personal perception. FWIW, my mate has a Stingray and the neck, although quite hefty, is very comfortable. You will probably find individual examples of many basses (historically at least) vary both in neck size and in weight. My Ric 4001 is 8.5lbs, so not heavy at all, but my first CS weighed about 11. Same goes for Stingrays, my mate's is about 9lbs, but I've played much heavier ones.[/quote]

+1

i love the neck on my SR500 (definatly the slimmest i've ever played) so its not that i don't like slim necks, but i hate jazz necks because they start off thin and get fat fast. i don't like that at all. i like precision necks, fairly fat all along, or necks like my SR500 that are slim all the way.

[Born 2B Mild]

Yep, you should check out the Ibanez SR500. I've a SR505 and that seems slimmer than a typical 4-string neck.

[Fraktal]

The neck of a Ibanez SR 505 is VERY thin, though they are prone to neck problems. After I purchased the first SR 505 in my city, some bassist friends ordered them at the local shop after checking mine and they still havent received them. 2 basses arrived, but both had twisted necks. The shop guys obviously sent them back as faulty to the Ibanez distributor.

It could be that I was very lucky to get one with perfect neck, or that they were too unlucky. Either way, its not the first time I hear people complaining about Ibanez quality control and difficulties to find a flawless SR. Its a killer bass for the money, lightweight, comfortable, pretty looking woods, bartolini electronics... but check the neck extensively before purchasing one.

[YouMa]

Id go with a fender jazz over an ibanez anyday. Its all down to taste really i suppose,ill agree about jazz necks but i dont want to be overcrowded higher up. Plus fender have class,ibanez make good quality guitars though.

Edited August 2, 2009 by YouMa

[Cat Burrito]

Adding to what YouMa said, the 70s Precision basses had thinner necks so the Squiers VM series often have slim necks on the P-bass models. Mine feels like my old 75RI Jazz that I sold a few years ago. I'm plus one on a Jazz too btw

[Marvin]

just bought an ibanez sr and the neck is very thin. Haven't got the best hands for playing so find it the most comfortable bass i've owned.

[Plux_the_Duck]

Ibanez sr for sure - really thin and comfortable neck

[fede162162]

if you want easy playability don´t look only at slim necks, but also asymetrical necks! Some necks could be thick but give you the slim feeling because of that. I prefer this solution because the quantity of wood in the neck affects the deepness of the sound.

Unfortunately there are no many basses wich have this solution adopted. One of these is, for istance, the Tobias Growler.

Re 62 jazz basses have a great neck as well..

[Jobiebass]

+1 on the Geddy Lee. Jazz's are thinner then P's in general, and the Geddy is a slimmed down version of the Jazz.

The strinray has a similer nut width (or the same) as a fender P, so if you want a musicman and want a slimmer neck go for a sterling, (not stirling for ernieball or whatever the cheap range is cause you can prob find a 2nd hand musicman version for the same price as the cheeper ones new) the sterling doesnt have as much growl as the 'ray though imho

[jamesf]

My (SGC Nanyo) Bass Collection SB300 has a superbly thin neck, and is incredibly comfortable. In comparison the neck of my stingray seems quite thick, but with a very comfortable profile and wide string spacing. I have quite short fingers and find the bass collection to be very fast, but I'm more accurate on the stingray.

[fatgoogle]

Most ibanez necks are really thin and fast, faster than a jazz neck neck, especially the SR series.