Current Neck Thickness

[ricosound]

There does not seem to be a "standard" that has been flushed out on this forum. As with the recent thread on the "cocked" G tuners of late - some are and some are not. Seems some late-model necks are thick and some are thin. If 80-90% is CNC'd the 10-20% hand finishing does not seem to acount for the variation noted.

[cassius987]

Do you mean to say the variation in your mind exceeds 20%, or that you think it is definitely not explained by hand finishing? (confused)

For what it's worth, my data is extremely limited as I've only been collecting it for a little while, but the coefficient of variation on the neck thickness at both the first and 12th frets is 5-6% in both cases. (My sample size on weight is larger and the CV is <3%.) So it's worth recognizing that it is within these relatively small changes that we find such a hot topic of neck "thickness". Perhaps our hands really are that acutely sensitive to differences in profile (I tend to think it's true, as I get an immediate sense of each bass as I pick it up like a handshake) and there's also the possibility we are imagining some of it, but I don't put a lot of stock in that as in my case I find it's hard to pre-bias yourself like you can with tone.

[wings012345]

My 2013 has the fattest neck I've ever played. Fatter than my P bass's fatter than the 2 ricks i have owned in the past. Love the bass, but the neck is not comfortable for me. Being Left handed I don't get the chance to "try out" new basses often. At least when I buy a jazz bass new or from 20 years ago I know what I'm getting.

[ricosound]

Do you mean to say the variation in your mind exceeds 20%, or that you think it is definitely not explained by hand finishing? (confused)

For what it's worth, my data is extremely limited as I've only been collecting it for a little while, but the coefficient of variation on the neck thickness at both the first and 12th frets is 5-6% in both cases. (My sample size on weight is larger and the CV is <3%.) So it's worth recognizing that it is within these relatively small changes that we find such a hot topic of neck "thickness". Perhaps our hands really are that acutely sensitive to differences in profile (I tend to think it's true, as I get an immediate sense of each bass as I pick it up like a handshake) and there's also the possibility we are imagining some of it, but I don't put a lot of stock in that as in my case I find it's hard to pre-bias yourself like you can with tone.

Sorry I was referencing Rhys's previous post that anacdotally (sp?) mentioned CNC getting you 80-90% there. I should have quoted him yet my reply was general to the topic and not specific to his post. I have no way of knowing how RIC machines or QC's its neck dimensions, however my 2012 4003 is thick as a brick. I don't like it but I spent all my 'GAS' savings on it so I am trying to make it work. Some have mentioned necks from this same period as thinner so that is why I felt comfortable in stating there seems to be variation, again I have no data to support.

My 2013 has the fattest neck I've ever played. Fatter than my P bass's fatter than the 2 ricks i have owned in the past. Love the bass, but the neck is not comfortable for me. Being Left handed I don't get the chance to "try out" new basses often. At least when I buy a jazz bass new or from 20 years ago I know what I'm getting.

I've stated previously my 2012 is huge. I had a slab body P-bass that had a club neck and this rivaled it

[cassius987]

Sorry I was referencing Rhys's previous post that anacdotally (sp?) mentioned CNC getting you 80-90% there. I should have quoted him yet my reply was general to the topic and not specific to his post. I have no way of knowing how RIC machines or QC's its neck dimensions, however my 2012 4003 is thick as a brick. I don't like it but I spent all my 'GAS' savings on it so I am trying to make it work. Some have mentioned necks from this same period as thinner so that is why I felt comfortable in stating there seems to be variation, again I have no data to support.

Yeah, that's me you were intending to quote, I just wasn't sure what you meant exactly. I have to stand by the idea that CNC probably does the bulk of the profiling but we players, due to acute sensitivity to variation (notice how small the CV is, <6%, in spite of small sample size), can feel small changes as bigger differences than they would appear to be. So the last 10-20% of profiling I am suggesting is done by humans can introduce more than enough variation for us to notice it and be pleasantly surprised or rather unhappy. For reference, the range of neck depth values is only about .1'' in my data set. That's really isn't that huge, though of course this data set is only the newest model years.

I don't know what Fender does to automate bass neck profiling, but I will say that in general I don't notice massive changes in neck profile from bass to bass. Particularly the shape but also the depth. Lately however, the Jazz necks feel a little thicker perhaps? That is a good thing in my book, they are way too skinny to begin with for my hands.

[ricosound]

Yeah a Jazz is a Jazz, or so it seems. Actually my Thunderbird is skinnier still. Just looking at it makes me think the headstock is going to break off. I think the perception with the Rick necks is in the profile variation, as previously mentioned - C vs D. If CNC roughs it out ( 80-90%) and the rest is hand finished on a belt sander even the 0.1" variation you mention would be huge and account for the C vs D profile shape noted. The D being just a swipe more on the belt sander I think the nut width and slotting are probably pretty consistant and from videos I've seen, measured against a gauge during setup.

[cassius987]

Yeah a Jazz is a Jazz, or so it seems. Actually my Thunderbird is skinnier still. Just looking at it makes me think the headstock is going to break off. I think the perception with the Rick necks is in the profile variation, as previously mentioned - C vs D. If CNC roughs it out ( 80-90%) and the rest is hand finished on a belt sander even the 0.1" variation you mention would be huge and account for the C vs D profile shape noted. The D being just a swipe more on the belt sander I think the nut width and slotting are probably pretty consistant and from videos I've seen, measured against a gauge during setup.

We already agree on that :

The "D" profile to "C" profile transition just about had to be CNC-derived, since it requires a certain amount of mass to be left behind on the neck.

[woodyng]

Yeah a Jazz is a Jazz, or so it seems. Actually my Thunderbird is skinnier still. Just looking at it makes me think the headstock is going to break off.

Unfortunately,that happens to a lot of them! I was so uncomfortable with just the idea of that happening to my Epiphone Embassy, that I sold it. (Probably my biggest mistake ever ,but it did bring $$$ )

[rikk]

Had to chime in a somewhat old three. The 2014 bass has a HUGE neck. Similar to my 2008 4004. Not sure I like it because it's making me "think" more when i play. Maybe I can get used to it. If not it may be up for sale.

[Gilmourisgod]

I wonder if the chunkier 4003 neck profile has anything to do with getting more wood under the TRC? That's a weak point on any guitar, and doubly so with a double trussrod design. The other weak spot always seemed to be the "bathtub" for the neck pickup, never understood why they made it so much wider and deeper than necessary to house the pickup. Are they still routing them so deep? I played a very beat-up 77' Jetglo in a guitar store in Boston a couple weeks ago, it had the thinner "C" shaped neck profile I remember, and it felt really light too. It's amazing how much variation there has been over the years, surprised it hasn't settled out more post-CNC. I imagine there's a bit of stock loss to hand sanding after CNC, but that shouldn't account for much difference on the neck profile.