Neck preference for guitar + bass -ists…

[Call Me Al]

For those that double on guitar and bass, do your neck preferences on one influence the other?

I was a bass player first, usually preferring thin necks. My main bass is a Jazz neck on a P bass.

Nowadays I play more guitar, and I slightly prefer the neck that is thicker and wider. the Jazz neck feels so thin! I’m debating on a P Neck, but it’s probably just the ol’ GAS flaring up!

I also play uke; never once thought the neck should be thicker or wider. In that case, it’s just a matter of it being a different instrument, different size.

 

[burntfrijoles]

I prefer thin necks on both my guitars and basses. The neck on my Players P bass is larger than I’d like but manageable. I’ve been tempted replace it with a Jazz bass neck.

 

[Call Me Al]

I prefer thin necks on both my guitars and basses. The neck on my Players P bass is larger than I’d like but manageable. I’ve been tempted replace it with a Jazz bass neck.

The Player and American Pro are 2 models of P bass that I find pretty comfy and could see owning. Pretty thin front to back and not that far from a Jazz.

I’ve demoed quite a few P basses lately, more and more I think I could handle it. Not so much that I’m outgrowing the Jazz but possibly becoming more adaptable from my time on different guitars.

I recognize string spacing is a factor. Even on my 1.5” Jazz the strings are further apart than my 1.692” Ibanez guitar. The shapes are different too; an octave span starting on low F is a bit more stretch on a bass than a guitar! The P bass difference is more noticeable on the lower 3 frets; up the neck it’s negligible.

 

[68Telebass]

Squire Jaguar long scale = P/J Jag body. Jazz neck with block inlays. It’s just a great player, and light(er) than some of my other basses.

I was a bass player first, usually preferring thin necks. My main bass is a Jazz neck on a P bass.

Nowadays I play more guitar, and I slightly prefer the neck that is thicker and wider. the Jazz neck feels so thin! I’m debating on a P Neck, but it’s probably just the ol’ GAS flaring up!

I also play uke; never once thought the neck should be thicker or wider. In that case, it’s just a matter of it being a different instrument, different size.

I also love!!! The baseball bat fullness of my avatar 68 Telecaster bass. Feels like…right..my first ”real” bass…

And I love Jo Grant, Dr. Who number Three (Venutian Karate!!) and Daleks.

This was a great read last week on holiday. Cape Cod for a week! Mother in law. But, I’ll take it!! Weather nice!

Cape Cod baseball!! (“Rounders”? To those across the Atlantic?). All college kids auditioning for the scouts.

 

[Call Me Al]

Squire Jaguar long scale = P/J Jag body. Jazz neck with block inlays. It’s just a great player, and light(er) than some of my other basses.
View attachment 997106

I also love!!! The baseball bat fullness of my avatar 68 Telecaster bass. Feels like…right..my first ”real” bass…
View attachment 997105
And I love Jo Grant, Dr. Who number Three (Venutian Karate!!) and Daleks.
View attachment 997107
This was a great read last week on holiday. Cape Cod for a week! Mother in law. But, I’ll take it!! Weather nice!

View attachment 997114
View attachment 997115
Cape Cod baseball!! (“Rounders”? To those across the Atlantic?). All college kids auditioning for the scouts.

Well that was a fun trip through your brain! cool purple orange btw!

 

[Killing Floor]

I have pretty large reach and I can palm a basketball with my oafish mitts. I absolutely prefer C type bass necks and C guitar necks. I tend to buy basses and guitars with that deeper roll. I still have an old Kramer from high school that I secretly love but I can’t play it really long because I feel like I have to make a fist, too thin. But everyone has different hands.

 

[Flip G]

My most comfortable guitar is my Taylor Big Baby. Then ... an Epiphone Dot, Squier Telecaster Standard, SG copy, Kramer Pacer Classic, and Ibanez Road Star Strat copy. I've had a Precision bass copy since the early 80s, but the bass I've connected with and found the most comfortable to play is an Epiphone Viola. I do play it with a pick, though, which I'm REALLY trying to do away with. Paul McCartney though ...

 

[tfarny]

For electric guitar I like 1 11/16, it's a nice balance of space and speed. Although my Eastman Casino-alike is 1 3/4 and it's really nice to play. For acoustic I always prefer 1 3/4 for the room to fingerstyle. I am always mixing open strings with fretted ones and a wider board makes it easy not to mute accidentally. For bass I've always preferred Jazz necks but the last few years I've been a P guy (I don't play it too much) just because I have a really nice one. It's fine.

So, yeah. I don't think one preference affects the others too much, it's more about what I'm doing on the instrument.

 

[Call Me Al]

For electric guitar I like 1 11/16, it's a nice balance of space and speed. Although my Eastman Casino-alike is 1 3/4 and it's really nice to play. For acoustic I always prefer 1 3/4 for the room to fingerstyle. I am always mixing open strings with fretted ones and a wider board makes it easy not to mute accidentally. For bass I've always preferred Jazz necks but the last few years I've been a P guy (I don't play it too much) just because I have a really nice one. It's fine.

So, yeah. I don't think one preference affects the others too much, it's more about what I'm doing on the instrument.

Good points here!

I prefer the wider of my electrics, and I think it’s because I play more accurately on it. On the tighter neck (Squier Tele) I have to be more careful about pick and finger placement, and feel a little less… free.

I realized I never measured my seagull acoustic. It’s got this funky V profile. I’ve had this guitar over a decade; but surprised to see it was 1.83”! Never really felt that big, but I don’t do much more than strum and sing with that one.

I’ve also played a bit of double bass, and have this Dean acoustic with a real baseball bat of a neck. I can play basic 1-5 thumpin’, but for Sir Duke or a 3 hour gig, I really want that Jazz neck!

 

[mgreene]

For those that double on guitar and bass, do your neck preferences on one influence the other?

I started on bass but it is more about scale length for me. The Gibson guitar scale (24 3/4") makes my fingers feel like they are in jail.

OTHO, I have come to appreciate a DANO 30" scale bass because it sounds good and is easy to play.

 

[Call Me Al]

I started on bass but it is more about scale length for me. The Gibson guitar scale (24 3/4") makes my fingers feel like they are in jail.

OTHO, I have come to appreciate a DANO 30" scale bass because it sounds good and is easy to play.

Yeah scale matters too! Starting on bass, 34” just feels “right” to me. Never felt comfortable on a shorty. My Ibanez is a Gibson-style (339?) but I never really notice much difference between that and my Tele (apart from the width.)

While we’re at it, radius will also be a factor. I think all my fender/squiers are 9.5”, while me Peavey and Ibanez guitars and basses are much flatter, all ~12-15” I believe. Never really developed a strong preference, one over another; but I know it contributes to the overall feel and how I connect (or don’t) with that neck.

 

[radiocaster]

For bass I like them as thin and narrow as possible, with the nut width even less than 1.5" if possible. The super thin Vox necks are awesome.

For guitar, as thick as possible, a nut width of 1.75" seems like a dream, although I don't think I've ever played one.

And despite all that, the string spacing still ends up wider on the bass.

 

[Call Me Al]

For bass I like them as thin and narrow as possible, with the nut width even less than 1.5" if possible. The super thin Vox necks are awesome.

For guitar, as thick as possible, a nut width of 1.75" seems like a dream, although I don't think I've ever played one.

And despite all that, the string spacing still ends up wider on the bass.

Out of all the details, I think string spacing is most important for me

 

[radiocaster]

Out of all the details, I think string spacing is most important for me

I never owned a long scale bass, but someone I know had a Peavey with a narrow Jazz Bass type nut, and I found it pretty easy to play. On the other hand, Rickenbackers are pure hell.

I've also tried an electric stand-up, very hard. Not sure the nut is wide, but the scale length is extremely long.

 

[Maguchi]

For those that double on guitar and bass, do your neck preferences on one influence the other?

I was a bass player first, usually preferring thin necks. My main bass is a Jazz neck on a P bass.

Nowadays I play more guitar, and I slightly prefer the neck that is thicker and wider. the Jazz neck feels so thin! I’m debating on a P Neck, but it’s probably just the ol’ GAS flaring up!

I also play uke; never once thought the neck should be thicker or wider. In that case, it’s just a matter of it being a different instrument, different size.

On bass, I prefer a thinner front to back and less wide neck like a Jazz Bass neck. On guitar I like a chunkier neck like a '59 LP neck shape. Not sure why, probly has something to do with just single string lines on bass and no chords or bending like we do on guitar.

 

[TheMicster]

70's U shape for Bass.
Now starting to like u shape for guitar.

 

[Call Me Al]

Follow up on my neck profile debate:

I ended up buying a Yamaha TRBX 174, with a 40mm nut and a profile slightly beefier than most of the Fender modern C necks. (U maybe?) Super comfy! I really liked the Ibanez TMB100 neck (thicker than Fender Player P and wider than the Yamaha) I would have gotten it but balance on a strap was not at all where I like it (plus some QC issues that bugged me.) I also played a G&L L2K- way out of budget and not the pickups I wanted; but the neck (1 3/4” nut, slim profile) was surprisingly playable. Kinda what I remember 1 5/8” nuts feeling like 2 years ago.

So I think In conclusion, I’m branching out to play more variety in neck profiles, and I likes what I likes!

Oh and NBD! In the basement jam area. Im finding this bridge-pickup Peavey super fun to play, and sounds great through the vox tube amp!

 

[alex1fly]

I tend to enjoy small C style necks on anything. If there's too much shoulder on the neck (where my fretting thumb goes) then I have trouble feeling comfortable on them.

Not all C styles are created equal though. I always advocate for folks trying instruments before buying rather than shopping based on specs. Fewer selection, sure, but its made a world of difference for me getting good fits with my instruments especially the neck.

 

[brookdalebill]

I prefer substantial guitar necks, and slimmer bass necks.
I like a rounded, and fairly deep D shape on both set neck and bolt-on guitar necks.
1 3/4 inch width is ideal.
The Fender Jazz bass neck, with a rosewood fingerboard is ideal for me.
I actually dislike the wider/flatter classic 62 P bass neck profile.

 

[Call Me Al]

I tend to enjoy small C style necks on anything. If there's too much shoulder on the neck (where my fretting thumb goes) then I have trouble feeling comfortable on them.

Not all C styles are created equal though. I always advocate for folks trying instruments before buying rather than shopping based on specs. Fewer selection, sure, but its made a world of difference for me getting good fits with my instruments especially the neck.

Oh yeah. I prefer to try first. Neck profile, weight, balance, mojo- all best to test first hand. Though I found when building parts basses it was super helpful to know the profile I could expect from a certain manufacturer and model.

I prefer substantial guitar necks, and slimmer bass necks.
I like a rounded, and fairly deep D shape on both set neck and bolt-on guitar necks.
1 3/4 inch width is ideal.
The Fender Jazz bass neck, with a rosewood fingerboard is ideal for me.
I actually dislike the wider/flatter classic 62 P bass neck profile.

This seems to be a common response, both here, and I posted this Q in a bass forum too. My guess is similar string spacing is a big factor