Fatback Contour

[markesquire]

I've never played one and can't find one before ordering. What are your experiences? I've heard rave reviews, and the thin neck on my AVRI 62' is too thin. However, I'm afraid that the fatback could be a bit TOO much!

[old_picker]

you'll never go back

[ljomar]

I have a Fatback on one of mine, and although I have rather small hands I find it very comfortable and easy to play. It took a little time to get used to, but compared to the standard thin profile (Warmoth) I like the Fatback a lot better.

[KokoTele]

Buying a neck is like buying shoes. You gotta find the style that fits you, because what you find comfortable might not be what others find comfortable.

I would try to find a guitar like this to play before you order it. For some people it's the greatest thing ever, but others never get used to it.

The GE Smith and Nocaster models have a similar profile. See if you can find one of those to play and test out.

[markesquire]

Anybody find it too much?

[PJ]

Warmoth's '59 Roundback is a good compromise. It's more like the nice C-Profiles of the 60s & 70s. Maybe .9" vs. 1.0" or something close.

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by eryque

Buying a neck is like buying shoes. You gotta find the style that fits you, because what you find comfortable might not be what others find comfortable.

I would try to find a guitar like this to play before you order it. For some people it's the greatest thing ever, but others never get used to it.

The GE Smith and Nocaster models have a similar profile. See if you can find one of those to play and test out.

Excellent Real World Advice...That's what I would do in your situation.

[KokoTele]

Originally Posted by markesquire

Anybody find it too much?

I know many people who just cannot stand the Fatback contour I have on my Tele.

Something I realized after purchasing that neck: the size of the frets also affects the way the neck feels. A super huge jumbo fret makes a neck feel bigger than one with the same contour as one with small frets. It's like the difference between wearing thick or thin socks when you try on shoes.

Keep that in mind if you're changing fret sizes too.

[boris bubbanov]

So, put on some thick socks and go try a MIM Classic Player Baja. If that is almost big enough, the Fatback or Boatneck section neck is for you. If you can find a No-Caster to play, that's basically the same as the Fatback. I have no opinion on the GE because I don't have the seat-time on a GE.

You can always buy the Fatback unfinished and take a wee bit off until it is .93 tapering up to .97 at the twelfth, then finish the neck. Or you can order the neck just so from USA Custom Guitar.

Respectfully, I find the 59 Roundback, while bigger than the AV62 - if the AV62 is currently too small the 59 Roundback might be just big enough, or maybe not quite big enough. Not big enough for my liking.

[Ricky D.]

Originally Posted by eryque

Buying a neck is like buying shoes. You gotta find the style that fits you, because what you find comfortable might not be what others find comfortable.

I would try to find a guitar like this to play before you order it. For some people it's the greatest thing ever, but others never get used to it.

The GE Smith and Nocaster models have a similar profile. See if you can find one of those to play and test out.

+1 on that. But more: that neck won't "break in" like a shoe. More like a steel toe shoe

[pgk]

Anybody find it too much?

it's almost big enough for me, and i've got medium sized hands. seriously. it's damn near perfect (and if it were 1 5/8" at the nut it would be). if you're a fan of "huge" necks it's a really great time to be a guitarist. i put huge in quotes because a classical guitar has a bigger/wider/flatter neck than this by comparison. most folks are used to a tiny profile, but my hands cramp up after a couple of sets. it's all that dead air back there that bugs me. i want my palm filled up because i found that i get a lot more control and am far more comfortable. there's no going back for me.

i'll tell ya, it is So nice to have options like this now available. as opposed to the bad old days, when you were stuck with whatever fender felt like doling out. i really struggled with that for a couple of decades because they were scared to offer anything over a medium C. for me, when i hand my guitar to someone and they go "what are you, nuts?" i know that's just about big enough for me! to each their own, as always

[boris bubbanov]

Originally Posted by pgk

when i hand my guitar to someone and they go "what are you, nuts?" i know that's just about big enough for me! to each their own, as always

It is my secret weapon, to avoid be humiliated by all the young nimble fingered guys. Nothing humbles like a guy picking up YOUR guitar and really setting things on fire.

Problem is, more and more folks are switching to the big necks and then I really won't have anywhere to hide.

[woodman]

my last fatback, i shaved a little off the finger side (similar to what bubba said above) and got it just about perfect. my current axe has the USACG asymmetrical profile, which is the same principle. love it!

[markesquire]

I started making a "dream guitar spec list" that included a USACG fatback neck with 6105 fretwire since I wanted something bigger than my 62 AVRI and couldn't try a lot of necks out where I live and everybody raved about the fatbacks. My wife asked if I'd email the list to her "just for fun" and she's been dropping lots of hints that she may have gotten me the stuff!!!! That's awesome, but if she did, I'll have a pre-finished (non-shave-able) fatback neck with 6105 frets and just wandered whether it would be too much.

[telechucker]

I'm another "big" neck convert. I've got a "boat" neck on a guitar that I built up from Warmoth parts, a Nocaster, a Baja, and a Tomkins custom (that was originally made for Redd Volkaert) and I love them all. Just nice to have a bit more "meat" in the hands. I find playing a standard size neck feels a bit odd now. And, just for the record, I have fairly small hands too. Regards.

[KokoTele]

Originally Posted by markesquire

I started making a "dream guitar spec list" that included a USACG fatback neck with 6105 fretwire since I wanted something bigger than my 62 AVRI and couldn't try a lot of necks out where I live and everybody raved about the fatbacks. My wife asked if I'd email the list to her "just for fun" and she's been dropping lots of hints that she may have gotten me the stuff!!!! That's awesome, but if she did, I'll have a pre-finished (non-shave-able) fatback neck with 6105 frets and just wandered whether it would be too much.

That's totally awesome. If you like big necks and you like big frets, you'll love it. Big frets do take some getting used to, but with the right touch they're really great.

[mellecaster]

Here's a 1" Musikraft to whet your appetite

[pgk]

Here's a 1" Musikraft to whet your appetite

flawounds? cool

[mellecaster]

Originally Posted by pgk

Here's a 1" Musikraft to whet your appetite

flawounds? cool

Yep...I used to have it Set-up w/ .013--.054 Flats and down a whole step to D, but never really used it much...but it sounded kinda neat......

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by eryque

Something I realized after purchasing that neck: the size of the frets also affects the way the neck feels. A super huge jumbo fret makes a neck feel bigger than one with the same contour as one with small frets. It's like the difference between wearing thick or thin socks when you try on shoes.

So true, and that didn't dawn on me until I got a Highway One!