Tribute neck profiles

[Ray Barbee Music]

When they first came out they were nicely thin like an early 90s or a #1a. I haven't played any made in the last few years, what are they like now? The same or did they change them?

[Philby]

I don't know about neck thickness, but I believe the fret board radius has changed from 9" on the early MIK models, to 12" almost across the board.

Craig will know. I imagine he'll be along shortly.

[Craig]

Check out the G&L Tribute Guitars page for the current specs of each model.
Most of the current models have the neck radius, neck nut width, and neck profile description.

The only Tribute model I know that has had a change in the neck profile is the Tribute Rampage Jerry Cantrell model. It changed this year when they moved
the production from China to Indonesia. It changed from a 13.75" radius fretboard to a 12" radius fretboard.

[Fumble fingers]

Craig , isn't this the Meduim C in the Fallout tribute topic ??

Dave's reply


I'd characterize the neck as #1b-ish. They tend to be a little shallower than the #1.


Thanks, Craig.

Dave

[Ray Barbee Music]

"medium C" is the guitar equivalent of "tastes like chicken".

Anybody have one and have a set of calipers handy?

[Craig]

"medium C" is the guitar equivalent of "tastes like chicken".

Anybody have one and have a set of calipers handy?

As Fumble Fingers pointed out, Dave characterizes the Medium C neck on the new Tribute Fallout as:

I'd characterize the neck as #1b-ish. They tend to be a little shallower than the #1.

Which model or models are you interested in? Not all Tribute models have the same size and shape neck.
Refer to my previous post which has the link to the current Tribute models page.

[Ray Barbee Music]

I guess I'd play one, except the local dealer doesn't carry them. oh well.

[Craig]

I guess I'd play one, except the local dealer doesn't carry them. oh well.

Which one are you considering?

[Ray Barbee Music]

I like the ASAT JR ii, the Ascari GT-90, Comanche, S-500, or ash bodied Legacy (can't stand basswood).

The real test would be to hold one in my hot little hand, but the Nashville G&L dealer only has USA models and those only with huge necks, so that leaves me out. I'm travelling next week though so maybe I'll be able to find a dealer that has a few to check out. Come to think of it, I should post and get recommendations for dealers to check out.

[Craig]

I like the ASAT JR ii, the Ascari GT-90, Comanche, S-500, or ash bodied Legacy (can't stand basswood).

The real test would be to hold one in my hot little hand, but the Nashville G&L dealer only has USA models and those only with huge necks, so that leaves me out. I'm travelling next week though so maybe I'll be able to find a dealer that has a few to check out. Come to think of it, I should post and get recommendations for dealers to check out.

Okay, then you are looking at two or possibly three different necks amongst those models.

The slimmest neck will be the Ascari GT-90 with a 1 11/15" nut width and 12" radius with a "Modern slim C" profile.
The other four models have the same neck nut width, radius, and profile, but with the ASAT JR II having a different headstock shape from the other three.
We know from Dave that the Medium C profile neck is similar to the US #1b neck. I'll ask Dave if there are any differences between the
ASAT JR II and the Comanche, S-500 and Legacy necks. I'll also ask him to characterize the Ascari GT-90 neck, too.

Stay tuned.

[Ray Barbee Music]

Thanks for the info. So the Ascari is actually a Fender type 1&11/16ths? Interesting. I sort of prefer the skinnier G&L 1&5/8ths, but it really depends on the shape. My Gibsons are skinny enough that the extra nut width doesn't bother me, but they also don't taper much wider as they go towards the body. Then again the Suhr "slim C" at 1.65" has a lot of shoulder, so even with the moniker "slim" and the front-back measurements to back it up, it comes across very similar to what Fender calls a "medium C" on the USA line, but with less of the "gets fatter below the fretboard" thing Fender has going on that I can't stand.

If I can find a dealer in my travelling next week that has some in stock, I'll take some caliper measurements and post them, along with some impressions about "shoulder' shape.

I had a chance to play a 1b recently and, while it is skinny at the nut, it is medium by the 12th and explodes from there. It thickens up towards the heel like a double black diamond ski slope, going from something I am comfortable with down low to something I'm not comfortable with up high very quickly after about the 11th fret. The Tribute profile didn't used to be that way, in fact they reminded me a lot of my early 90s G&Ls (on which the 1a was based) than anything G&L was making in the US at that time. Hope they didn't drastically change them.

[Ray Barbee Music]

Played a used ASAT trib at GC today. Newer logo. Felt very much like a #1a, far more than a #1b, but I have no idea what year it was or how to date trib serial #s so not sure if they've changed it since then.

[Craig]

Played a used ASAT trib at GC today. Newer logo. Felt very much like a #1a, far more than a #1b, but I have no idea what year it was or how to date trib serial #s so not sure if they've changed it since then.

Build year and month are encoded in the Tribute models serial number. See: How do I determine an instrument's age?.

[Ray Barbee Music]

That would make it an 05. Didn't think they used the new logo back then. Still, that is a long time ago, necks may have changed.

[Ray Barbee Music]

Ordered an ASAT Junior ii over the weekend so I guess I'll find out soon enough.

[Craig]

I like the ASAT JR ii, the Ascari GT-90, Comanche, S-500, or ash bodied Legacy (can't stand basswood).

The real test would be to hold one in my hot little hand, but the Nashville G&L dealer only has USA models and those only with huge necks, so that leaves me out. I'm travelling next week though so maybe I'll be able to find a dealer that has a few to check out. Come to think of it, I should post and get recommendations for dealers to check out.

Okay, then you are looking at two or possibly three different necks amongst those models.

The slimmest neck will be the Ascari GT-90 with a 1 11/15" nut width and 12" radius with a "Modern slim C" profile.
The other four models have the same neck nut width, radius, and profile, but with the ASAT JR II having a different headstock shape from the other three.
We know from Dave that the Medium C profile neck is similar to the US #1b neck. I'll ask Dave if there are any differences between the
ASAT JR II and the Comanche, S-500 and Legacy necks. I'll also ask him to characterize the Ascari GT-90 neck, too.

Stay tuned.

Just heard back from Dave:

Hi Craig,

Yes, it's the same neck profile on those models bolt-on models. I measured an Ascari GT-90 and got 0.823" at the 1st fret and 0.893" at the 12th fret. Those figures put the 1st fret closer to a #1a and the 12th fret closer to a #1b. Still there's a shape difference. While the Ascari can and is called C shape, it does have a bit of a flatter midsection for that fast feel. It's not dramatic, but it's different and worth noting. Subjectively, I liken the Ascari neck to more of a Rampage/Superhawk feel.

Thanks, Craig.

Dave

Hope this helps.

[Ray Barbee Music]

I'll post some caliper measurements next Monday when it gets here.

[Ray Barbee Music]

Ok Tribute ASAT Junior II:

On the body side of the 1st and 12th frets, center neck front to back:
.79" and just a smidge under .89". This is fairly thick gloss to, so unfinished it is definitely in 1a territory at about .87".

Closer to a #1a than a #1b, within tolerance for a 1a actually, and reminds me of my early 90s G&Ls after which the 1a was patterned, and not the 1b I played recently. Good! The shoulder shape makes it feel a hair bigger than that would indicate, but nothing objectionable. Also, the nut width is not 1&5/8ths, it's about 1.65", exactly 42mm, same as a Mexi strat and wider than a USA G&L, at least wider than any of mine, which are 1&5/8" or a tad under.

I guess a lot of CnC machines are programmed for that 1.65", and some companies like Suhr have started calling that "vintage" width when it is definitely not, vintage width is a true 1&5/8". I hope G&L is still using the real 1&5/8" on the USA stuff. Doesn't seem like much but it is noticeable.

Will post more once I do a setup on it.

[Ray Barbee Music]

And then again, the tribute Comanche I got tonight (which unfortunately is going back due to a truss rod issue...what is it about G&Ls and weak rods? Thought they fixed that issue with the new rods......) is a solid .925" at the 12th. I guess the tributes vary quite a bit.

[Craig]

And then again, the tribute Comanche I got tonight (which unfortunately is going back due to a truss rod issue...what is it about G&Ls and weak rods? Thought they fixed that issue with the new rods......) is a solid .925" at the 12th. I guess the tributes vary quite a bit.

I am not aware of a truss rod issue on either the Tribute or US models. Yours is the first Tribute I have heard of, which had a truss rod issue. What exactly is the problem
with truss rod on this Tribute Comanche?

You really need to tone down your conjectures based upon such a small sample, in this case a sample of one.

[Ray Barbee Music]

The sample for the truss rod issue is probably more like 50, but relates mostly to the older bi-cut necks. I've seen more G&Ls with weak rods than any other brand, primarily a lot of the older style rods they used before the mid '00s. I'm not sure the rod is really to blame since I have a handful personally that are all thin necks and have lived happily with 13-62 ga. strings and 180 or so lbs of string tension for years. My conjecture is that those necks don't respond well to thermal stress, and I'm careful not to subject my guitars to that. A lot of guitars get left out in the car overnight after a gig or on hot days and both. Usually that doesn't cause an issue, but when it does, it's like heat-treating for a back-bowed neck but the back bow isn't there. The result is that the neck won't straighten out for anything but very light strings (9s or 10s) if at all.

That issues has become so pervasive on those older necks that I've about given up on trying to find a good one because literally every one of the last 5 I've seen has had that issue. That isn't to say there aren't any good ones out there, mine are proof there are, but a lot of them simply haven't stood the test of time. If you play on 9s you won't care. If you play on heavier strings, the neck can never be set for proper relief. I used to see that issue 10 years ago but only on maybe 10-20% of them, now it seems much more pervasive as time goes on.

In the last 3 weeks, that Trib Comanche is the 2nd G&L I've seen with that issue. The other one was a 2010 USA Legacy. Both were new or minty and didn't look like they'd been stressed, but hard to say. I know the back story on why they switched to the new rods and the people involved who told it to me personally probably don't want me to repeat it here. I thought that would fix the issue with the weak necks but maybe not. The 2010 Legacy would not straigten out with 10s. The Comanche would just barely straighten out with 10s, but I had to use a trick to get it there. This trick works about 75% of the time when people bring me guitars where the truss rod works but won't get the neck straight. You loosen the strings, put hard backbow pressure on the neck manually, and tighten the rod as tight as you can get it, then tighten the strings back up. The idea is that you aren't asking the rod to do the work, just hold the shape, and when you tighten the strings back up hopefully you have the right relief or are a little back bowed and can back the rod off a bit so you have some room for seasonal adjustments.

Not saying that all of them have that issue, but I'm surprised to have seen 2 newer ones in 3 weeks that do.

About 95% of the guitars I've worked on or owned, hundreds if not into the 4 digits, can live happily with 13s or 14s. 98% or so can live happily with 12s. Only 1% or less have an issue where, with a non-broken truss rod, the neck will not straighten up enough for proper relief with light strings.

[Ray Barbee Music]

Tribute Ascari GT-90: .89" 12th fret, body side. Feels larger than you'd guess for that measurement due to the shoulder shape and the 1&11/16" nut width. Feels not unlike the Ibanez "Ultra" neck.

[Ray Barbee Music]

'08 Tribute Comanche: .81" 1st fret, .91" 12th fret, 42.8mm nut width. Less shoulder bulk makes the .91 feel as thin or thinner than the .89" ASAT Jr. & Ascari, which feel quite different from each other as well.

Quite a difference in shape/feel between all 4 of those examples, which is a bit surprising.