Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi folks. i read alot of how the 2010's & 2011 necks are very thin. my 02/2011 seems abit wider at the nut with more of a D profile to the back of the neck and not as thin as the "mid 80's model" i once owned. is this the norm ??

Having recently borrowed a friend's '86 4003, I can safely say that you'll not find a new neck as thin, and unless you go back to the 60's, you won't find a 4001 neck quite that thin either.

LONNIE4003 wrote:Hi folks. i read alot of how the 2010's & 2011 necks are very thin. my 02/2011 seems abit wider at the nut with more of a D profile to the back of the neck and not as thin as the "mid 80's model" i once owned. is this the norm ??

Without numbers this is pretty hard to discuss.

My 2007 and 2008 basses have nearly the same width/taper profile although the 2008 is a bit slimmer toward the body, both starting at very close to 1 & 11/16'' and ending up at about 2 & 1/4'' (if I recall correctly); the 2008 has less girth or depth to the neck but I didn't measure that with anything, I just gripped and saw how much my fingers could wrap around.

By comparison my 2010 4003 starts at 1 & 5/8'' and similarly tapers out to a smaller number, something just above 2'' as I recall. The girth is about the same as my 2008 but is more "D"-shaped and less "C"-shaped based on the way it feels in my hand.

My 1976 4001FL is thinner than all of these as far as neck depth and is a smooth "C" shape, but the neck width is pretty similar to the 2010 4003.

My 4000 made in 1974 has a THIN, or should I say NARROW, neck. My 4001C64S with the one piece neck comes close. The two piece necks are wider.

An '86 Shadow was the only instrument I ever played that I thought had TOO THIN of a neck! But yeah, recents won't compare once you've been spoiled by good vintage examples.

jdogric12 wrote:An '86 Shadow was the only instrument I ever played that I thought had TOO THIN of a neck! But yeah, recents won't compare once you've been spoiled by good vintage examples.

Jason,

While I have not taken a tape to the neck of my Shadow, I'd say my 86 Shadow is very close to the circumference of my 2011 Jetglo. I was amazed and hooked by the Shadow's slim neck. It moved way up on my favorite list almost instantly.

Sepp

Shadows are pencil-necks not only front-to-back but also side-to-side. The nut is like 3 mm narrower than a standard 4003.