Electric neck widths?-looking for narrow

[Marley]

Hi all,

Do you know who generally has smaller width necks such as Music Man?

They make my perfect sized neck in their Axis guitars which is 41.3mm at the nut and 55.6mm at the last fret but who else makes necks that small? It looks like most other MM necks are still the 41.3 at the nut but 56.9 at the last fret.

My PRS wide thin is 43mm at the nut and about 57mm at the last fret. It's just a tad too wide for me. I have a custom made strat style guitar with 41mm nut and 55 at the last fret and I love it. Just looking for something outside of the 3 single coils and was wondering if anyone else besides MM and GFS, who's neck is on my strat, make narrower necks like that?

Thanks!

[Steve DeRosa]

Fellow narrow-neck fan here...

Unfortunately, those early/mid-60's style necks are getting harder to find - more so for a mostly hollowbody/semi-hollow player like me; TMK there are still a few options left in a factory-made guitar:

• Pre-1995 Westerly (USA) Guilds had a 1-5/8" neck width - IME the '70s versions are less "cheeky" than later production;
• Most Gibson electrics from '65-66 through the early-70's boasted 1-9/16" to 1-5/8" flat-C necks - not exactly collectible due to the Norlin connection, but if you get a good one they're every bit as serviceable as their more expensive brethren, and you can always upgrade the electronics;
• While Strats and Teles command the big bucks, IME '70s Jazzmasters and Jaguars followed essentially the same general neck dimensions - and they're a whole lot cheaper;
• TMK Rickenbacker still lists a 1.63" neck as standard for most of their classic models - tone, however, is a matter of taste;
• G&L guitars can be ordered with their 1-5/8" "Slim-C" profile;
• Some of the Epiphone Elitist instruments have a Kalamazoo-style 1-5/8" neck - but good luck finding one;
• A few Ibanez solids claim a 1.61" neck - I recall that some of the Talman series had them, the others may be shred planks so be forewarned;
• I believe the Squier Classic Vibe guitars (I understand they've been discontinued) had 1-5/8" necks like their '60s forebears...

Hope this helps...

[clintj]

Check current specs, but I tried a Guild Starfire a couple of years ago that had a 1 5/8" nut width.

[perttime]

Fender Lead series from 1980s.
From wikipedia: "Neck width at nut 1.60 in (40.64 mm), plus applied finish thickness on 1981 models"

[Tone Gopher]

Check Rickenbacker guitars.

[Steel and wood]

My MIM Stratocaster's neck is slim enough. (Although it's well over 10 years old now). Like you, I'm partial to a slimmer neck.

[roylor4]

Yamaha Pacifica and G&L

[harpspitfire]

i got one guitar slightly narrower then 2-1/8 at heel- i doubt ill ever find a replacement neck for it without shaving one down

[muscmp]

possibly epi casino.

play music!

[FrankHudson]

I too thought Rickenbacker. Too narrow for me, but of course preferences vary.

At the other end of price spectrum, some of the lower-end Fender Squiers seem on the narrow side as well.

[Marley]

Thanks all. Good to see those options. It's amazing what one little MM can change.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by Marley

...It's amazing what one little MM can change.

There was a 1960's TV cigarette commercial that made the same claim (to the tune of "La Bamba") - "A silly millimeter longer..."

[Revy]

About 75% of G&L's are 1-5/8" wide nut with a 12" radius. Too narrow for my bologna fingers! G&L's are under rated and have unbelievable build quality! Could never find a used one with a wide neck.

[Marley]

I actually got a Music Man Axis Super Sport on Tuesday. I absolutely love it. I can easily see how some people would not like the neck on it due to size. It's no doubt smaller than average and definitely smaller than my PRS but that's what I wanted. We had band practice last night and I have to say it's the best tone I ever got in my life with the Axis SS running through my Yamaha THR100HD amp. And that neck feel so good.