Whats the single most important part on your guitar?

[TeleToTheRain]

I know we'll get the Captain Obvious snarky comments on this one, but at the risk of all that, I venture forward.

For me it has to be the neck. While pickups, etc. are extremely important, I have come to realize that I drastically prefer fat necks (big V boatneck to be exact) and it contributes the most to me liking my guitar, not cramping up, etc.

What is "it" for you? if anything...

[Toto'sDad]

I used to like fat necks, now not so much, but I agree if the neck don't suit you, there's not much you can do to change that. Well on a Tele or Strat you could change the neck, but it's easier to tell if you going to like it if it's already on a guitar.

[StratBluesRock]

If I'm building a partscaster that I want to be really nice, I spring for a nice neck. So I'd say the neck.

[B.G.]

Another vote for neck(including frets)

[TeleTown]

The neck for me as well. Big fat chunky with 6105 or 6100 wire, and a smooth back side. I seam to do my best work with a tele rigged up this way. Skinny neck teles and i just dont get along.

[keeffan]

Neck here too. Gotta fill my palm and needs vintage to medium jumbo frets for me. Any bigger and I feel like I'm playing railroad tracks. I would have kept my Road Worn if it weren't for those 6105's. I'n not crazy about vintage radii though, although my new FSR is a 7.25.

[trev333]

the sound..... I reckon when it all boils down to it.....

doesn't matter how playable they are or what they look like... if they sound like crap you're not going to play it that much... over another guitar that sounds better (for what you play)..

I've got different Fender profile necks here from blade thin to fatC, regC , V... with different fret radii... they all feel good....

the guitars I like the sound of the most, get the most house play....;)

a blade thin and a regC.. atm...neckwise.

[StratBluesRock]

Originally Posted by StratBluesRock

If I'm building a partscaster that I want to be really nice, I spring for a nice neck. So I'd say the neck.

My favorites are thick necks (1" or just under, C shape) with 6100 size frets.

[fezz parka]

Whats the single most important part on your guitar?

The strings. It's awfully quiet without them.

[refin]

My personal connection WITH the guitar,touch and feel..........if it speaks without being forced,if it shakes hands with my musical vision and finishes my sentences for me,it is a keeper.

[Toto'sDad]

Fezz, they always say tone is in the fingers, but I think you might be hard pressed to pull much tone out of a Tele without any strings, well, maybe if you had the right pickups.

[trev333]

I could do a click track with my fingernail on my microphonic neck PU cover.....sans strings.... ;)

a tele drum... tappity tap tap... add some delaywhaaback and slapfeedstortion...

numetal \m/

[TeleToTheRain]

Wow, didn't expect this, but guess a lot of us think along the same lines.

Mr. Parka, if it had to be anyone I'm glad it was you sir! Haha ; )

[macatt]

Originally Posted by refin

My personal connection WITH the guitar,touch and feel..........if it speaks without being forced,if it shakes hands with my musical vision and finishes my sentences for me,it is a keeper.

THIS.
Very well put.

S Mac

[Lunchie]

I would agree with neck... At least for me its a lot easier to replace the electronics then it is to make a neck playable.

[bettyseldest]

It has to be the fingers, it don't matter what the neck shape mine don't work all that well, if only I could upgrade them.

[terrybellcountr]

Me, obviosly. Without player, no tone, or?????

[Boondocks]

To me, I just need the 'comfort vibes' every time I take her into my arms. Plug her in, and even before the first tones has reached my ears I know what it's gonna sound like. Just like the expectations you have when you can identify the smell of a well known burger, no matter where you are in the whole world, they smell and taste the same.
The feeling your hands transmit to the 'office area' creates comfort. For me, this boils down to the love of the whole instrument - even if there are matters constantly in the need for adjustment. Almost every part of a guitar is interchangeable but the feeling of playing comfort is no 'spare part'. Playing comfort cannot be separated into bits and pieces. It's far too many things, with great importance, that stick together. However, I can well understand that many players refer to the neck being the most important feature on a guitar but to me it isn't one thing only.
For instance, when I was younger and still live gigging, I always thought I couldn't play without my favourite picks. Loads of them so I wouldn't be standing 'naked' and not being able to do my part properly! At those times I didn't bother about anything else, because I was already 'safe' with my two guitars. My mind was 'locked on' the most insignificant, cheapest and unimportant part of my equipment.

[vanguard]

boobs.

wait. . .what?

[Seasicksailor]

I seem to be able to adjust to different necks quite easily. None of my guitars have the same type of neck and I find them all (almost) equally comfortable to play. Perhaps this is because of my playing style/ability... that is a neck won't make a difference in terms of me playing 20 notes in half a second or 560ms. It takes me around half an hour to play 20 notes anyway. :-P

The most important thing for me is a good fret job.