Strat neck questions

[uriah1]

There are billions of terms for strat necks. (soft c, d, hard v shape)

I sort of like the old 60s mustangs, thin and flat. Rosewood fingerboard.

How do you identify that when looking for your next strat part build?

 

[Jakedog]

There are billions of terms for strat necks. (soft c, d, hard v shape)

I sort of like the old 60s mustangs, thin and flat. Rosewood fingerboard.

How do you identify that when looking for your next strat part build?

Based on the Mustangs I’ve played, I’d call it a thin C. I think they’re narrower as well. Maybe do a search and see what the nut width is, and look for a thin C with that width. Of course, it’s going to still feel kinda different with a 25.5” scale. The Mustang is 24”.

 

[Peegoo]

I have a '65 Mustang and it has a B neck, which is a fairly flat C shape. The best thing to do it get yourself a digital caliper and measure your favorite neck for width and depth at the nut, 5th fret, and 12th fret. And then communicate your wants to the vendor of your choice.

Fret height and fingerboard edge roll also greatly affect the feel of a neck, so consider those too.

 

[schmee]

Thin C
But once you know it's a C, Maybe the thickness at fret 1 and 12 are most useful.

 

[Ron C]

Fret height and fingerboard edge roll also greatly affect the feel of a neck, so consider those too.

Good point.

Another variable that I notice is the taper of the frets ends. A long shallow taper means less playing area for the outside strings, so you have to cut the nut with narrower string spacing (which I like on the wide side)

I found this out the hard way with my 2016 ES-335 and a Yamaha RGX A2 (I think that's the model). With their 1-11/16" nuts I needed considerably narrower spacing due to their longer fret end taper than my "narrower" Fender Classic and Vintera necks. Nothing a person can't get used to but it certainly impacts the feel in a way that the nut width specs don't tell.