Help needed deciding on neck contour

[shiner51]

Hi, I am new to this forum, and am looking to be an ASAT special owner soon. I have found a new ASAT special for sale by an online dealer and it is pretty much the standard model, which is fine with me, but I am unsure about the neck profile and how it may compare with what I know I like and don't like. The guitar in question has the #1 neck....Classic "C" with 12" radius. I have 2 Fender Road Worn 50s Teles and a Baja Tele and they all have thick chunky necks which are very comfortable to me. A little thinner would probably be ok. I have also owned a Tele with the modern "C" shape which I found to be way too thin and so uncomfortable that it caused numbness in my thumb. Needless to say , that Tele is gone for good. I am looking for comparisons and opinions as to whether the Classic "C" would be to my liking or would be too thin and more like a modern "C" that Fender is putting on so many of their guitars these days. If it helps, I wear a size large glove and have normal length fingers in relation to my palms. Thanks!

[suave eddie]

I presume from your post that you do not have a local G&L dealer where you can actually play one. I can understand how difficult it can be to buy a guitar without trying it--the neck shape is probably the most personal factor.

If you haven't seen this page, check it out: http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... guitar.asp

I don't have any personal experience with the current Fender neck shapes but did find some links online that shed some information--maybe you can do some comparisons with the specs.

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/ar ... 30183.html

http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=63203

When I placed my special order for an ASAT Classic I agonized for quite a while over which neck to specify. I was fortunate to be able to visit a couple of music stores and A/B at least a few different ones.

I was able to play a #1 and #2 side by side--the only difference being the fingerboard radius. My experience with this was that the flatter radius made the neck "feel" wider to me even though they were identical widths. I was also able to try a #1d "Modern V" which I also thought was very comfortable--a pretty subtle "V" shape.

From your desription I would steer clear of the 2b Heritage Vintage "C", which if I'm not mistaken is the closest to my original SC-1 which is a very "flat" feeling profile. My tastes have changed since I bought that guitar in the '80s and I now prefer a beefier neck. I love the feel of the Fender custom shop Nocaster baseball bat U shaped neck. I still haven't been able to try the G&L #1c Modern "U" but I think I would like it.

My hands are moderately large--wear a size large glove--8 inches from wrist to middle fingertip.
I finally went with the #1 neck on my special order. I find it very comfortable to play--not too narrow and not to wide.

I don't know how much help I've been but good luck finding what you want.

[shiner51]

Thanks for your input. Its encouraging to know that you like the #1 neck on your guitar, It turns out my wrist to fingertip is also 8". You are correct, the nearest G&L dealer is in Memphis, about 200 miles away. It might be worth a trip over there to try out some necks just to be sure. I have played some other Fender guitars with a standard C shape neck and they are fine.....its just the modern C that I can't tolerate, its like theres nothing behind the fingerboard to hold on to. It seems to have no taper at all and gives the illusion of the neck being thinner at the 12th fret than at the first. The online dealer has a return policy but charges a restocking fee, so I suppose I could take a chance and send it back if it doesn't work out. I don't know if I have the patience to wait on a special order

[suave eddie]

The Modern "C" you describe seems like the old '80s SC-1 neck I have--very flat and narrow from the back of the neck to the fingerboard.

The current #1 neck is significantly beefier than that, and the flatter radius for some reason gives the illusion that it is wider feeling. It is definitely something to grab onto.

[shiner51]

Thanks, I appreciate your help!

[LiquidSmoke]

I wish there were more that one G&L neck profile with a 1 3/4" nut. (I'd like a baseball bat, Nocaster neck profile) Anyone listening?

[MJ Slaughter]

Before driving 200 miles one way you could buy some calipers and measure your current guitar necks to see how they compare to the G&L specs.