neck thickness on late model full width inlay basses

[gearhed289]

A friend of mine is interested in a 4003 with the full width inlays. Are the necks consistently thin or thick on these? She's a pretty small girl, so it's gotta be thin for her hands. Thanks guys!

[ken_j]

My bass playing friend and I were just at the guitar store today. There were two new ("09) 4003s in stock. Both had somewhat thick necks. I didn't notice the week of the build though, possibly before the 2 piece necks. These were Mid and JG so there was no way to tell by looking.

[s4001]

It seems to me that the new basses have the chunky neck. The 07 -08 seemed to have the thinner profile.

[cassius987]

Here's my best understanding:

2000 to pre-2006: mid-thickness, less than a P Bass
2006-2008: increasingly thinner each year (I have a couple of these and love their tone, clear and warm with articulate highs and a big bottom end)
Jan-April 2009: thick neck, comparable to a P Bass (I have one of these and love its tone, clear and deep with focused low-mids and a bright punch)
May 2009 to present: thinner than 2008, according to Ben Hall

I'd aim for a very new bass or a 2008.

[VRICKY63]

Remember "thin" is front to back not nut width. I have an 08 and it is not small hands friendly. Wide as my 64 P !

[rickenbrother]

Rick, if you don't mind me asking, how do you hold you left hand when you play your bass?

[VRICKY63]

Joey. That's hard to describe. I guess a combination of thumb in the middle back of the neck and thumb around the back of the neck depending on being up or down the fingerboard. I've mentioned before the loss of rotation in my left wrist from a motorcycle accident. I was a fat neck player for about 40 years. P basses,Dingwall,Zon,4004 etc. Now I need narrow necks to be comfortable. I had my 08 4003 converted to a 5 string to make it more comfortable for me. The thin back to front 4003 neck is very nice but like I said quite wide. 1.75" at the nut.

[jps]

...I was a fat neck player for about 40 years. P basses,Dingwall,Zon,4004 etc......

Hmm, I wouldn't consider Zons as having fat necks.

[rickenbrother]

Joey. That's hard to describe. I guess a combination of thumb in the middle back of the neck and thumb around the back of the neck depending on being up or down the fingerboard. I've mentioned before the loss of rotation in my left wrist from a motorcycle accident. I was a fat neck player for about 40 years. P basses,Dingwall,Zon,4004 etc. Now I need narrow necks to be comfortable. I had my 08 4003 converted to a 5 string to make it more comfortable for me. The thin back to front 4003 neck is very nice but like I said quite wide. 1.75" at the nut.

Sounds like you hold your hand correctly. Some minor changes to how you you hold your hand might help, but if you've lost some movement in your wrist, I guess it would be hard for you to change or even for anyone who is not working closely with you to suggest how you could change.

[gearhed289]

Thanks for the input. We might be taking a field trip to Chicago Music Exchange (trying, not buying!) this week. They have at least one there.

[rickaddict]

Thanks for the input. We might be taking a field trip to Chicago Music Exchange (trying, not buying!) this week. They have at least one there.

Say "hi" to 'em from Ted, Marc, Dave, and I. It's been over two years since I set foot in the place, and I'm guessing the same goes for the other three.

[VRICKY63]

...I was a fat neck player for about 40 years. P basses,Dingwall,Zon,4004 etc......

Hmm, I wouldn't consider Zons as having fat necks.

You are correct Jeff. Zon necks are very fast. Mine was a 5 string fretless. Too wide after my crash.

[gearhed289]

Thanks for the input. We might be taking a field trip to Chicago Music Exchange (trying, not buying!) this week. They have at least one there.

Say "hi" to 'em from Ted, Marc, Dave, and I. It's been over two years since I set foot in the place, and I'm guessing the same goes for the other three.

AHH! The DCM incident, right? Forgot about that.

[rickaddict]

Forgot about that.

Not I (obviously!)

[jps]

...I was a fat neck player for about 40 years. P basses,Dingwall,Zon,4004 etc......

Hmm, I wouldn't consider Zons as having fat necks.

You are correct Jeff. Zon necks are very fast. Mine was a 5 string fretless. Too wide after my crash.

All of my Zons have been 5 strings; I sold the Sonus Special as I did not like the pickups on it. The necks are 1 7/8" at the nut so they are average for a 5 string neck but thin front to back. The 4 string necks are Jazz-like in general. Ibanez makes very narrow 5 string necks, something to consider for your needs.