52RI neck....

furrfurrfurr · August 15th, 2006, 10:01 PM

Does the neck size vary on the 52RI's. My understanding is that it is a U-shaped neck, but can some u-necks be more or less meaty than others? if i played three different ones could they all feel somewhat different?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

thank you.

moonshiner · August 15th, 2006, 11:31 PM

Yes... most necks are shaped by hand to a degree... shape will not be exact from neck to neck...

furrfurrfurr · August 15th, 2006, 11:55 PM

let me ask you this: is the 52RI neck known to have a larger profile than other teles? (for example, the SRV strat is designed to have a larger neck than many other strats. 50's Les Pauls have a fatter/wider neck than 60's.)

Are there any specific design elements that make a 52 neck a 52 neck???

thanks

Dacious · August 16th, 2006, 12:05 AM

Fender themselves on the AV 52RI have used at least three profiles over the years.

The MIJ versions may have even more. The way it is usually described is U-shaped. Couple with the 7.5" radius board it is quite thick from the fretboard to the skunk stripe.

Some Japanese versions of the TL52 I've seen are a soft V somewhat similar to a 57 Strat/Tele. Still quite chunky.

My 2006 52RI has a very similar profile to my 69RI and to MIM 70's I've played. The MIM 50's has an even bigger, rounder neck.

furrfurrfurr · August 16th, 2006, 12:06 AM

i've managed to find several "perfect" tele necks for my hands, but it never seems to be on a 52. And I want one SO bad.

Dacious · August 16th, 2006, 12:18 AM

Fender themselves on the AV 52RI have used at least three profiles over the years.

The MIJ versions may have even more. The way it is usually described is U-shaped. Couple with the 7.5" radius board it is quite thick from the fretboard to the skunk stripe.

Some Japanese versions of the TL52 I've seen are a soft V somewhat similar to a 57 Strat/Tele. Still quite chunky.

My 2006 52RI has a very similar profile to my 69RI and to MIM 70's I've played. The MIM 50's has an even bigger, rounder neck.

Arlo · August 16th, 2006, 12:20 AM

I actually played a 52RI tonight and it had a D shaped very flat and thin profile. It seemed almost like my MIJ tele. I was shocked as I thought that the 52 had a chunky U neck.

That has been a real issue for me as far as buying one outright. I want the neck like the one I played tonight. I wonder if it was a MIJ??

Bill · August 16th, 2006, 02:25 AM

They redid the neck profile several years ago. So my '96 is definitely U shaped. It has nearly straight sides, but is not terribly deep. I think when they redid it they changed the model number, so the old version was something like 1303 and the new one something like 0202. Somebody knowledgeable can give you the proper codes and the date the neck profile changed. Or it may be that you can look this up with the search function on this forum.

Mark Davis · August 16th, 2006, 01:51 PM

82-98 1303 model had a thinner neck profile in 98 when they changhed to the 0202 model a thicker neck was one of the changes.

Every MIM 50's Classic I have played has the perfect neck size for me the 52ri is too thin for my tastes.

Telemarkman · August 16th, 2006, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Every MIM 50's Classic I have played has the perfect neck size for me the 52ri is too thin for my tastes.

I have a 2004 MIM 50s Classic and a 2004 AV52RI, and the 52RI clearly has the biggest neck of the two - also the depth at the nut.
(Oh yeah, I've measured them properly !) The 52RI neck also has more shoulder - what I would call a "U" neck, while the 50s Classic is almost a soft "V" at the first fret, gradually changing to a "C" at around 5th fret, but thinner than the 52RI overall. (It's a fat "C" though, not the modern flat "C".)

I refuse to believe that my guitars are THAT unique. I thought the 52RI in fact was supposed to have a fatter neck than the 50s Classic - at least from '98/'99 to present day.

BLACKCAT69 · August 16th, 2006, 05:40 PM

The neck on my CIJ is too big for my liking. I'd have to say it's a U. It's the guitar on the right (obviously). My partscaster has an Allparts V neck with the same radius and the difference is night and day.

Mark Davis · August 16th, 2006, 05:53 PM

My 98 50's Classics were .880 at the nut and .950 at the 12th fret.
The 1988 52ri I had was .820 at the nut and .880 at the 12th fret.

Telemarkman · August 16th, 2006, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

My 98 50's Classics were .880 at the nut and .950 at the 12th fret.
The 1988 52ri I had was .820 at the nut and .880 at the 12th fret.

I don't doubt that, but you know as well as I that Fender changed the specs of the 52RI, especially the neck, in '98/'99.

The newer 52RI necks are generally much bigger than the ones from the 80s and 90s, and if you buy a new 52RI and a 50s Classic, the 52RI neck in most cases will be the largest.

I never said it was always like that, though.

Mark Davis · August 16th, 2006, 06:38 PM

I agree 100% the newer 52ri's are bigger necks than the older ones they do vary quite a bit tho as there is no standard measurment.

Next time I visit the local GC I will measure a couple and see wnat they are.

Telemarkman · August 16th, 2006, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

Next time I visit the local GC I will measure a couple and see wnat they are.

That would be interesting, but remember that even if the 50s neck can be of the same depth, the 52RI neck usually has more shoulders, and feels clubbier in your hand.

But as with the originals, there will always be variations, I guess.

Rusty · August 16th, 2006, 10:41 PM

my 52ri neck is my absolute favorite ever and it is extremely similar to all my other teles...but there are big differences from guitar to guitar. most of my guitars (vintage and newer) have a U shaped neck, but those newer 52ri/mim50's necks i've played in stores feel like there's a slight V in there to me in comparison to the other U shapes i own/have played. in fact, a friend of mine has a 52ri tele that has more of a V to it than any 57ri strat i've ever played...weird. my 52 doesn't have much V to it...it's more like a fat late 60's feel to me.

the U shape neck to me feels slightly different on other current fender models. the burton U shape feels like it's got big shoulders as does the 69 ri. the story goes that they copied burton's old 69 paisley neck for the signature series. from all the 52's i've played, mine is the exception so far and really feels like my other guitars with the U...no V

mark davis...my 2006 52ri measures exactly like your MIM...as does my burton prototype, my 1969 tele, and a friend of mine's 69ri tele. i only measured them out of curiosity about 6 months ago. i bought those of mine cause they felt great to me...now i guess i know why

August 15th, 2006, 10:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
furrfurrfurr Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South of Heaven Posts: 2,441	52RI neck.... Does the neck size vary on the 52RI's. My understanding is that it is a U-shaped neck, but can some u-necks be more or less meaty than others? if i played three different ones could they all feel somewhat different? any help would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

August 15th, 2006, 11:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
moonshiner Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Milyucky, Whiskonsin Posts: 2,169	Yes... most necks are shaped by hand to a degree... shape will not be exact from neck to neck... __________________ "Everyone's got to be something... Me? I'm stupid... It's all I ever wanted to be... Shock me again!"

August 16th, 2006, 12:05 AM	#4 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,612 35 Photos	Fender themselves on the AV 52RI have used at least three profiles over the years. The MIJ versions may have even more. The way it is usually described is U-shaped. Couple with the 7.5" radius board it is quite thick from the fretboard to the skunk stripe. Some Japanese versions of the TL52 I've seen are a soft V somewhat similar to a 57 Strat/Tele. Still quite chunky. My 2006 52RI has a very similar profile to my 69RI and to MIM 70's I've played. The MIM 50's has an even bigger, rounder neck. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

August 16th, 2006, 12:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,612 35 Photos	Fender themselves on the AV 52RI have used at least three profiles over the years. The MIJ versions may have even more. The way it is usually described is U-shaped. Couple with the 7.5" radius board it is quite thick from the fretboard to the skunk stripe. Some Japanese versions of the TL52 I've seen are a soft V somewhat similar to a 57 Strat/Tele. Still quite chunky. My 2006 52RI has a very similar profile to my 69RI and to MIM 70's I've played. The MIM 50's has an even bigger, rounder neck. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

August 16th, 2006, 12:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
Arlo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Maine [in a van down by the river] Age: 50 Posts: 2,326	I actually played a 52RI tonight and it had a D shaped very flat and thin profile. It seemed almost like my MIJ tele. I was shocked as I thought that the 52 had a chunky U neck. That has been a real issue for me as far as buying one outright. I want the neck like the one I played tonight. I wonder if it was a MIJ?? __________________ My music? It is free for my friends.

August 15th, 2006, 11:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
furrfurrfurr Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South of Heaven Posts: 2,441	let me ask you this: is the 52RI neck known to have a larger profile than other teles? (for example, the SRV strat is designed to have a larger neck than many other strats. 50's Les Pauls have a fatter/wider neck than 60's.) Are there any specific design elements that make a 52 neck a 52 neck??? thanks

August 16th, 2006, 12:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
furrfurrfurr Friend of Leo's Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South of Heaven Posts: 2,441	i've managed to find several "perfect" tele necks for my hands, but it never seems to be on a 52. And I want one SO bad.

August 16th, 2006, 02:25 AM	#8 (permalink)
Bill Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 2,654 58 Photos	They redid the neck profile several years ago. So my '96 is definitely U shaped. It has nearly straight sides, but is not terribly deep. I think when they redid it they changed the model number, so the old version was something like 1303 and the new one something like 0202. Somebody knowledgeable can give you the proper codes and the date the neck profile changed. Or it may be that you can look this up with the search function on this forum. __________________ B i l l B a e c k A journal of our year in London

August 16th, 2006, 01:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,745	82-98 1303 model had a thinner neck profile in 98 when they changhed to the 0202 model a thicker neck was one of the changes. Every MIM 50's Classic I have played has the perfect neck size for me the 52ri is too thin for my tastes. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

August 16th, 2006, 05:53 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,745	My 98 50's Classics were .880 at the nut and .950 at the 12th fret. The 1988 52ri I had was .820 at the nut and .880 at the 12th fret. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

August 16th, 2006, 06:38 PM	#14 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,745	I agree 100% the newer 52ri's are bigger necks than the older ones they do vary quite a bit tho as there is no standard measurment. Next time I visit the local GC I will measure a couple and see wnat they are. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

August 16th, 2006, 10:41 PM	#16 (permalink)
Rusty Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 338 24 Photos	U...with some V my 52ri neck is my absolute favorite ever and it is extremely similar to all my other teles...but there are big differences from guitar to guitar. most of my guitars (vintage and newer) have a U shaped neck, but those newer 52ri/mim50's necks i've played in stores feel like there's a slight V in there to me in comparison to the other U shapes i own/have played. in fact, a friend of mine has a 52ri tele that has more of a V to it than any 57ri strat i've ever played...weird. my 52 doesn't have much V to it...it's more like a fat late 60's feel to me. the U shape neck to me feels slightly different on other current fender models. the burton U shape feels like it's got big shoulders as does the 69 ri. the story goes that they copied burton's old 69 paisley neck for the signature series. from all the 52's i've played, mine is the exception so far and really feels like my other guitars with the U...no V mark davis...my 2006 52ri measures exactly like your MIM...as does my burton prototype, my 1969 tele, and a friend of mine's 69ri tele. i only measured them out of curiosity about 6 months ago. i bought those of mine cause they felt great to me...now i guess i know why __________________ Take it easy, Rusty www.myspace.com/1rusty www.rustyanderson.net