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Old 09-30-2008, 10:25 AM
Ken C Ken C is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Though a bred, born, and imprinted Texan, I live in the sw corner of Southern Mississippi.
Posts: 789
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Mike, that is an interesting question and it could be altered a little to include lounge chairs, bar stools, and perhaps even shoes.

I remember when Martin had a pretty pronounced "D" so it was close to a "V" and I was hearing about people buying new Martins and having the necks shaved during a set up.

There were fewer choices then.

And I heard a similar thing about the pre-1970 Yamahas, only people were just living with them...or using the shape as an excuse for slow learning. <g>

I have ended up with every shape neck there is and here is my take on it.

If I have not been playing for a while and I want to get the left hand and fingers back in shape, I always reach for the same guitars. Each has a great big handful of mahogany and a fellow has to really want to play them to manage them. There are times when it simply feels good to fill up the hand with half-baseball bat of that wood.

I have Gibsons with a rather shallow "D" and that feels good anytime the fingers are more loose.

I have flat back necks that are nice when the action is low and there is finger picking going on and I need a lighter touch. This is not for vigorous, post-6-pack strumming.

The 12-string Framus has a flat, wide neck. Wow! A fellow really has to want to play it to enjoy it.

First, do a little on-line research to learn the terms so when you find one you like, you can transfer that information to someone else.

I believe that playing style, setup, string gauge, even the type of music, is all involved in picking a neck shape...maybe even less so than hand shape.

I remember when a budding horn player told me that he could never play trumpet because his lips were not real thin like Harry James or Ray Anthony. (Who? -- There is a point to this.)

I pointed out that Louie Armstrong didn't have thin lips and he played OK.

And the other night, I was admiring Keb Mo's hands. What a reach! What beautiful fingers! And he was playing a small guitar with a rather narrow neck.

But I remembered pudgy, stubby fingers on Andres Segovia, and he plays guitar OK. And his guitars are sorta' big with wide necks.

So the hand shape might not be that important when chosing a neck shape. Or width.

I babble...sorry...

Ken C.
__________________
Martin 000-15S
E-Guitar "Ken-Trapsion"
Dean Playmate
Gibson J-45 Rosewood
Gibson J-50 Mahogany
G-40 Maccaferri arch top (3 ea.)
Kay Catalina arch top w/DeArmond floating p.u.
Harmony arch top
Silvertone (Kay) flat top
Framus 12-string
Harmony tenor arch top
Gakki Yamaha FG-140
DeArmond arch top
And 14 misc.ukes.
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