Guitar Neck Question

[truckgoodbar]

Can anybody tell me, if the width of a Martin 000 guitar neck differs as you go up the neck if the string spacing at the saddle is either 2 5/16 or 2 1/4? Thanks in advance.

[Stevien]

Yes. The neck gradually gets wider as you go up the neck.
Steve

[brencat]

Originally Posted by Stevien

Yes. The neck gradually gets wider as you go up the neck.
Steve

No he's asking a very specific question, as in 'is the width of the neck at the 12th fret on a Martin 00-18v or 000-28EC (which have 2 1/4" string spacing) the same as the 12th fret neck width of something like a 000-28 Custom Authentic which has 2 5/16" string spacing?'

Based on a quick recall of specs, I believe all of these necks are 2 1/4" wide at the 12th fret. The taper should be the same since you're talking a short scale 000 with 1 3/4 nuts. But even if they were slightly different, the PROFILE of the neck is going to have a greater impact on whether your hand actually likes it or not.

[truckgoodbar]

So, does it follow that Martin would use the same neck on a 000, with let's say a mod V profile, with the two different saddle spacings? Hope that makes sense.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by truckgoodbar

So, does it follow that Martin would use the same neck on a 000, with let's say a mod V profile, with the two different saddle spacings? Hope that makes sense.

Martin is not like Taylor where the neck is standardized. Martin's necks are radically different across the various models and lines they have.

As just one example, the mod-v neck on the 000-28EC Clapton is, in my opinion, the pointiest v neck in Martin's entire catalogue. That one has 1 3/4 nut with 2 1/4 string spacing. Meanwhile, the mod-v neck on the 000-28 Custom Authentic is more of a medium-C to full C over the entire length, and that one is 1 3/4 nut with 2 5/16 string spacing.

The discontinued 000-18GE from years past was 1 3/4 nut with 2 5/16 spacing but had a mod-v neck that was a soft v in 1st position transitioning to a full C in the upper frets.

Continuing this, my old 2005 Martin D-28 Marquis had a fairly pointy mod-v neck. Long scale neck with 1 3/4 nut and 2 5/16 spacing. My current D-28 Custom Authentic Aged neck is a medium C to full C, and my D-18 Authentic 1937 is a full C to really full C. Same scale/nut/string spacing as the Marquis.

We could do this all day -- as you can see, Martin mod-v necks vary a LOT. The only way you're going to know if you like a certain Martin neck is to find an example of the guitar you're considering.

[truckgoodbar]

Hey man, I get it. I appreciate your expertise and info. You're right, you've got to go out and try various necks for yourself on the model you're after. Thanks for you're input.

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by brencat

Martin is not like Taylor where the neck is standardized. Martin's necks are radically different across the various models and lines they have.

As just one example, the mod-v neck on the 000-28EC Clapton is, in my opinion, the pointiest v neck in Martin's entire catalogue. That one has 1 3/4 nut with 2 1/4 string spacing. Meanwhile, the mod-v neck on the 000-28 Custom Authentic is more of a medium-C to full C over the entire length, and that one is 1 3/4 nut with 2 5/16 string spacing.

The discontinued 000-18GE from years past was 1 3/4 nut with 2 5/16 spacing but had a mod-v neck that was a soft v in 1st position transitioning to a full C in the upper frets.

Continuing this, my old 2005 Martin D-28 Marquis had a fairly pointy mod-v neck. Long scale neck with 1 3/4 nut and 2 5/16 spacing. My current D-28 Custom Authentic Aged neck is a medium C to full C, and my D-18 Authentic 1937 is a full C to really full C. Same scale/nut/string spacing as the Marquis.

We could do this all day -- as you can see, Martin mod-v necks vary a LOT. The only way you're going to know if you like a certain Martin neck is to find an example of the guitar you're considering.

Although Brendan is correct, I don’t know if I’d say “radically”. I never met a ModV I didn’t like. The standard series is finished by hand so are slightly different. The others are all recreations of specific guitars from back in the day when they were completely built by hand and depended on the builder. Martin is weird in that way to copy one exact guitar rather than the general “gestalt”. Back in 1937, there were supposedly 7 men shaping necks and one of the seven built very large necks. I don’t know if that’s actual or folklore. I have 2 1937s (00/000) and a 1936 (000) and the 1937s close, but the 1936 is more like the 000-18GE which was supposed to be copied from a 1937.

For example, the OM-28A is 2 5/16” at the saddle where all OMs were 2 3/8”, but the particular one they copied was somehow a touch narrower.

But anyway, yes, a 2 1/4” and a 2 5/16” saddle will both be 2 1/4” at the 14th fret.

[warfrat73]

Probably also worth pointing out that the string spacing at the saddle on the current standard 000 models is neither 2 1/4 nor 2 5/16, but rather, 2 5/32".

(Since that original question was a touch unclear)

[zombywoof]

One of the reasons I never became a Martin fanboy is back in the day they were not what I would call generous with neck and string spacing at the bridge specs. But neither were Gibsons or Guilds. In fact, the comfiest guitars I could get my hands on in terms of those specs were probably Harmonys.

I do realize that these days you can get Martins with a more generous nut width and string spacing at the bridge. But I have also yet to find one with a neck where baby has enough back to put me in my comfort zone. Then again, my favorite guitars in terms of feel have a 1 3/4 to 1 7/8" nut, a neck carve with a depth of .93" to something just over 1.0" at the 1st fret and a 2 3/8" string spacing at the bridge.

[Rumblefish]

Maury’s blog helped get me get a general understanding of Martin necks. https://www.maurysmusic.com/maury_s_...in_neck_shapes

I played a 000-28 Modern Deluxe during a factory visit last week and it was the first Martin neck that I truly loved. The combination of the fretboard taper, string spacing and the asymmetrical profile was perfect for my tastes.