The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

View Poll Results: What REALLY matters to me (more practical)

Voters
49. You may not vote on this poll
  • Fret number

    1 2.04%
  • Neck profile

    44 89.80%
  • Scale length

    13 26.53%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Posts 1 to 19 of 19
  1. #1

    User Info Menu

    This is multiple choice. Myself, I'll pick number of frets and neck profile.


    I expect some useful results, so don't let me down.

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  3. #2

    User Info Menu

    None of them are really very important to me.

  4. #3

    User Info Menu

    How it feels in my hand. Smaller dimensions feel better.

    I like the radius to be around 12.

    I have a 9.5 that feels too round and a 14 or 16 (not sure which) which makes a few things harder to play.

    I prefer a trapeze tailpiece -- which affects the feel of the guitar.
    Last edited by rpjazzguitar; 01-31-2023 at 04:08 PM.

  5. #4

    User Info Menu

    Well if this isn't about necking I'm out...

  6. #5

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    Nut width is also an important parameter... and a lot of other considerations (straight/relief, fret size, etc.)
    Finding the perfect guitar for one's personal taste can be the quest of a lifetime!

  7. #6

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    To me, the most important thing about a guitar neck is what it's attached to.

  8. #7

    User Info Menu

    Of those choices, the least important to me is the number of frets. It's dusty up there!

  9. #8

    User Info Menu

    Ok, of these three I'll say neck profile. I like a bigger neck (but not ridiculously fat)

  10. #9

    User Info Menu

    I answered this on the other poll, but neck shape is the most important thing to me. The rest I can deal with.

  11. #10

    User Info Menu

    All is copacetic with me except 24 fret necks.

  12. #11

    User Info Menu

    I have 24 frets on my Yamaha bass and I like it.

  13. #12

    User Info Menu

    Neck profile and depth. Wrong size and profile and I start to have repetitive motion issues.

  14. #13

    User Info Menu

    I let body shape and pickup placement dictate how many frets. I like jumbo frets and thin neck. With a thick neck I can't get my fingers all the way around to the low E string easily and I never learned how to use my thumb on the low E.

  15. #14

    User Info Menu

    I think the feel of the neck is important. I hate plasticky finishes that are sticky to the touch. Most comfortable feeling necks I have are on my two Parkers.

  16. #15

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    There are many factors that go into a good neck for me. Of the three listed I would say that neck profile is more important than the other two. Ideally the 0.87" to 0.97" taper range (nut to 12th fret) hits my sweet spots. And I don't have large hands - pretty average size I suppose.

  17. #16

    User Info Menu

    Guitar players often have opinions on the neck and believe in statements like "the neck is the most important part", but -what does this actually mean?

    In two polls OP has tried to capture "what really matters". The suggested factors are
    part 1: Fret number, neck profile, scale length
    part 2: Board radius, fret size, nut width

    ...what if what really matters is something else?

    Vague comments about the "neck" usually comes from inexperienced players. It won't increase credibility, just expose where someone's at on the learning curve. OP looks for facts, respect.

    I certainly don't have all the answers, but this I know:

    Every player got opinions on playability and tone; what the guitar feels like in your hands and how it sounds. But here's the thing; An experienced player knows how to adjust the guitar to sound and feel the way he likes. Some things can be tweaked by turning a screw, some things require special tools.

    For simplicity, assume we narrow this topic down to a case of just turning adjustment screws and that any adjustment requiring special tools falls in the category of "uncomfortable neck"...We then realize that there are a gazillion guitars out there with "uncomfortable necks" just because no one never ever adjusted the nut...

    -What if the neck lacks a truss rod, or if the truss rod is not working? That neck would most likely not be very comfortable, just like any neck that's poorly adjusted. Most guitars out there are poorly adjusted, because the owner doesn't know how to and in many cases can't tell the difference.

    Assume a player with small hands, -would his hands hurt playing a fat neck? -Would a player with big hands have problems with a slim neck? Would a player with sausage fingers have problems with a narrow nut? -Would a player with a gorilla grip have problems with tall frets?...

    In the long run, the only thing that really matters is what we are used to and what we're not. Some guys are used to high action, some are used to low action, some are used to fat necks and others are used to slim necks. A player that is used to various neck shapes obviously has gained more experience in this regard. He won't be stopped by neck profile, but he will definitely see to that the guitar gets a proper setup. This includes, but is not limited to, making sure that the frets are leveled and crowned (which is super important when we want a "comfortable neck").

  18. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by JCat
    In two polls OP has tried to capture "what really matters". The suggested factors are
    part 1: Fret number, neck profile, scale length
    part 2: Board radius, fret size, nut width

    ...what if what really matters is something else?
    For clarification, my idea really was to arrive at some sort of relative appraisal of the various parameters we usually get to see on manufacturers' websites (assuming that they specify them for a reason, whatever this may be).

    These polls were rather spontaneous, so I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about them (as evidenced by the grammer in the titles plus the word "religious" in the other thread which, however, inadvertently seemed to make for a decent click bait).

    I was aware from the beginning that "neck profile" in this poll might be somewhat of a no-brainer, but I definitely wouldn't have expected a tally of 40 votes versus 1 vote for fret number. In the other thread, I got an impression was that while fret size did not get a lot of votes, everybody seemed to be TALKING about fret size. I found that to be funny.

    Anyway, most replies these threads have so far attracted made perfect sense to me. And a good setup (including a properly filed nut) certainly does go a long way in defining a comfortable neck. Taking a different approach to a poll, as suggested in the other thread by BigDaddyLoveHandles, would be overly complicated, I guess. Viewing the results at a glance, warts and all, is much more comfortable.

  19. #18

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by palindrome
    For clarification, my idea really was to arrive at some sort of relative appraisal of the various parameters we usually get to see on manufacturers' websites (assuming that they specify them for a reason, whatever this may be).

    These polls were rather spontaneous, so I didn't spend a lot of time thinking about them (as evidenced by the grammer in the titles plus the word "religious" in the other thread which, however, inadvertently seemed to make for a decent click bait).

    I was aware from the beginning that "neck profile" in this poll might be somewhat of a no-brainer, but I definitely wouldn't have expected a tally of 40 votes versus 1 vote for fret number. In the other thread, I got an impression was that while fret size did not get a lot of votes, everybody seemed to be TALKING about fret size. I found that to be funny.

    Anyway, most replies these threads have so far attracted made perfect sense to me. And a good setup (including a properly filed nut) certainly does go a long way in defining a comfortable neck. Taking a different approach to a poll, as suggested in the other thread by BigDaddyLoveHandles, would be overly complicated, I guess. Viewing the results at a glance, warts and all, is much more comfortable.
    Great,
    Yeah, lots of talking about fret size these days. So much in fact I did a poll here some time ago.
    Fret size is definitely one factor that adds to the overall impression of a neck, but this factor can't be judged in isolation. For example one has to factor in the overall height of the fretboard and effective neck angle and how these parameters affect setup. Remember that adjustability is the key to a "comfortable neck" and great playability. Stainless steel frets don't wear. That's great, but there's a flip side; Stainless steel is so hard and difficult to work on, so it's difficult to adjust SS-frets.
    For example: A guitar with a shallow (flat) neck angle may benefit from a taller fretboard. A guitar with a steep neck angle could benefit from a fallaway. A bolt on neck can be adjusted by sanding the neck pocket or adding a shim, but a set neck is what it is and if you don't like the outcome of the SS-refret, it's not easily corrected.

  20. #19

    User Info Menu

    I've got very big hands: so neck width is important for me. 1 3/4 is better than 1 11/16. Long scale is a little more space, so a little better.