330 Neck Profile

[kelly]

or would this theory be assuming too much consistency ?

Yes.

I'd like to know when they started going to CNC machines, and if that covers the neck profiling...?

The last new 330 I bought was a small headstock 2007 model from the Musician's Friend blowout of 2009, and I sold it because it had a baseball bat for a neck....and this might even be within the CNC era, that I don't know.

With Rics, trying to generalize or pinpoint certain years for anything might just be excluding "the one" you've been looking for.

The only consistency is inconsistency.....and that's exactly what I love about them. Sometimes it's the hunt and chance that makes it worthwhile.

I had the exact same problem with my Musician's Friend 330 last year, and also sold it. I think mine was a 2009 model though.

[8mileshigher]

Warren -- how is your Rick shopping going ??

A RRF member here in L.A. has a 360-6 FG posted for sale on the Forum ... It's a 2008.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=395795
You might check with him about the size of the neck. I think 360s have more modest size necks than 330s.

[grazioso]

mid 60's to early 80's have thin neck and than late 1989 to sometimes in 1994 (and again after 2002-3 it is bit thinner on some models) it would be safe assumption that 91-92 330 would have thin lovable neck and decent price as well..

[360girl]

I agree with what's been said. After stupidly selling my '94, Jetglo 360 last year, seller's remorse hit me bigtime a month ago (so much so, that I just bought a 360 yesterday! ). Wanting to get another Ric, I decided to not only check out 360s, but 330s. I gave both a 2008 Mapleglo 330, and 2009 Mapleglo 360 a spin, at a local shop, that carries a fair amount of used Rics in its inventory. It was kind of weird in a way for me. The 2008 330, had a pretty chunky and clubby neck, while the 2009 had a slimmer neck profile that was very similar to Baby, my old '94 Jetglo 360. CNCs provide tons of consistency dimensionally, so I didn't know if it was really a case of 330s purposely having different neck profiles than 360s, a year to year variation in neck profiles, or a case of Rics being offered in different neck profiles. Either way, I preferred the 360s neck by far.

[electrofaro]

Between my 330 and 360 necks there's no difference noticeable to me.

Anyone actually measure the necks, they're really different?

[grazioso]

CNCs provide tons of consistency dimensionally, so I didn't know if it was really a case of 330s purposely having different neck profiles than 360s, a year to year variation in neck profiles, or a case of Rics being offered in different neck profiles. Either way, I preferred the 360s neck by far.

this would be reasonable thing to do - so the players can choose but it is not the case, there is some consistency in the neck profiles within short period of time so e.g. 90-94 necks are similar, all 360cw are similar etc...but there is quite a different profile between 1991 660/12tp and 660/12tp from 1994 and it is entirely different animal compared to 660/12 from 2000, 660/12 2004 and 660/12 2008 i can't describe later since i don't have one. there is huge difference between 1988 370/12rm and 1991 370/12rm, there is quite a difference between 1989 610/12 and 1995 610/12. there is HUGE difference between 90' 4001v63 and 2000 4001v63...

i am afraid that CNC is providing some consistency but when it comes to things like fine tuning the profile and good fret job it is good for nothing yet. it takes trial - error for player to find instrument to his taste. the only explanation for such a variation i could come up with is material requirements and fine tuning the formulas used with cnc. and my favorite one - " Range streamlined for faster deliveries"

[paologregorio]

CNC machines make the cuts, routs, and shapes, but remember that the guitars are still hand sanded by different individuals, and IIRC, the instructions are to sand to a degree of smoothness, not to specific dimensions, which could account for some variation in neck profiles/dimensions.

[scott_s]

CNC machines make the cuts, routs, and shapes, but remember that the guitars are still hand sanded by different individuals, and IIRC, the instructions are to sand to a degree of smoothness, not to specific dimensions, which could account for some variation in neck profiles/dimensions.

Aha! That must account for it. One would think that if it were up to the CNC machines themselves, the guitars would be perfect cookie-cutter copies of each other.

FWIW, the neck on my 2004 330 is about 0.92" thick around the first fret. If anyone has a 330JG with a thicker neck, I'll consider a trade! (I'm NOT a member of the thin-neck club.)

- Scott

[360girl]

CNCs provide tons of consistency dimensionally, so I didn't know if it was really a case of 330s purposely having different neck profiles than 360s, a year to year variation in neck profiles, or a case of Rics being offered in different neck profiles. Either way, I preferred the 360s neck by far.

this would be reasonable thing to do - so the players can choose but it is not the case, there is some consistency in the neck profiles within short period of time so e.g. 90-94 necks are similar, all 360cw are similar etc...but there is quite a different profile between 1991 660/12tp and 660/12tp from 1994 and it is entirely different animal compared to 660/12 from 2000, 660/12 2004 and 660/12 2008 i can't describe later since i don't have one. there is huge difference between 1988 370/12rm and 1991 370/12rm, there is quite a difference between 1989 610/12 and 1995 610/12. there is HUGE difference between 90' 4001v63 and 2000 4001v63...

i am afraid that CNC is providing some consistency but when it comes to things like fine tuning the profile and good fret job it is good for nothing yet. it takes trial - error for player to find instrument to his taste. the only explanation for such a variation i could come up with is material requirements and fine tuning the formulas used with cnc. and my favorite one - " Range streamlined for faster deliveries"

CNC machines make the cuts, routs, and shapes, but remember that the guitars are still hand sanded by different individuals, and IIRC, the instructions are to sand to a degree of smoothness, not to specific dimensions, which could account for some variation in neck profiles/dimensions.

Good points guys. Yeah, you're both right, final finish and setup, can have a profound effect upon the playing feel of a guitar, when you consider that both are done by hand.

[Full Cleveland]

Warren -- how is your Rick shopping going ??

A RRF member here in L.A. has a 360-6 FG posted for sale on the Forum ... It's a 2008.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=395795
You might check with him about the size of the neck. I think 360s have more modest size necks than 330s.

I have to sell my Gurian guitar first to finance the 330 purchase. I will be shopping for a 330-6, and I will want the thinner neck. I did play a 2009 and the neck was thin, like I like it. I may well end up with a 2009, depends what I find when I get the money to start shopping. My friend is coming into town in July and will most likely buy the Gurian at that time. Oh, the suspense!

[The_Running_Man]

Having gone through this neck profile thing 12 months ago with a Gibson 335 neck, 50's vs 60's profile, I eventually found out something rather interesting.
I spent ages measuring neck thicknesses at the 1st, 7th and 12th frets on loads of different makes of guitars, some with necks I liked and some with necks I didn't like and I found very little difference in thickness this was quite baffling. So what was the actual difference between the Gibson 50's type profile that I prefer the feel of and the 60's that I didn't like at all?
Turns out not to be the thickness of the neck measured from the fretboard to the back of the neck but the steepness or angle of the shoulder area just after the fretboard (see diagram).


So it's not quite as easily measurable as it first appears.
It took me a long time to find this out.
Hope it's of some help.

Cheers
TRM

[Pumpkinhead]

So it's not quite as easily measurable as it first appears.
It took me a long time to find this out.
Hope it's of some help.

Great post and I suppose one that supports the "you've really got to play the particular guitar" viewpoint as it's the degree of "V" or "C" (and suchlike) that makes a big difference to the feel, not just the actual depth measurement.

I'd love a Ricky but I've always been put off by the "broomstick" necks I keep reading about. The fact that there are some out there with slightly fuller profiles gives me some hope.