Wide nut Tele?

[oldgoatguitars]

Without boring you with all the history, suffice it to say I've been playing 1 3/4" or wider nut acoustics for decades. I've always been a huge Tele admirer and had a few come through my shop when I was a dealer. Mostly in trades as I focused primarily on vintage Martin and Gibson acoustics. I just love the tones you can get out of these guitars. So, I recently bought a MIM example with a maple neck. I've really enjoyed messing around with it through a tube amp I have. Love some of the tones, but the 1 5/8" nut is not cutting it for me. I would love to find a 1 3/4" nut or even 1 11/16", but it doesn't appear they exist unless you go through the Custom Shop. But, this is new territory for me, so I defer to the experts here on this board. Thanks for any suggestions in advance. I've already checked out the Warmouth option, so I know about that.

 

[drf64]

Welcome, Old Goat! I really can’t think of a better option than to replace the neck on your MIM with a Warmoth or maybe another manufacturer. Warmoth makes great parts. You might want to have a luthier set it up for you.

 

[Blues Twanger]

You can order a G&L ASAT with a neck called the Classic C Wide with a 1-3/4" nut.

 

[Rattfink]

I had a Warmoth neck that had a 1 3/4” nut, and was a boatneck. I could do one or the other, but not both, so I sold it. I really enjoyed the string spacing though since I mostly play fingerstyle. I’d buy another neck from Warmoth in a heartbeat, top notch quality and great options.

 

[Rattfink]

Other options may be Musikraft or https://usacustomguitars.com/?page_id=1321. Never tried either, but you asked for options.

 

[Rattfink]

Oh! And Parklane, I have one of his too, and it’s great.

 

[John C]

While MIMs are the 1.650" any of the "modern-spec" USA Fenders are 1 11/16" wide at the nut; so these progressions of models have that nut width:

• American Standard (1987-2000), American Series (2000-2007), American Standard (restored name, 2008-2016), American Professional (2016-2020, and American Professional II (2020-present)
• American Deluxe (v1 1998-2003), American Deluxe (v2 2004-2009), American Deluxe (v3 2010-2015), American Elite (2016-2019), American Ultra (2019-present), American Ultra Luxe (2021-present)
• Highway 1 (v1 2002-mid 2006), Highway 1 (v2 mid-2006-2011), American Special (2010-2018), American Performer (Dec 2018-present)

Plus the 1983-84 Standard and Elite models were in-between 1 11/16" and 1 3/4" - more like 1.700" nut width - but they have kind of odd specs.

Otherwise to get 1 3/4" nut width you'll be looking at a custom-order G&L or getting a replacement neck. For what it's worth if the 1 11/16" nut width will work G&L's "standard neck shape" has been their "Modern Classic" which is 1 11/16" wide since mid 2015; it is found on all of G&L's "Fullerton Deluxe" series (which has no options other than the color/fingerboard wood/pickguard color combinations) and is the default neck for a custom order G&L - meaning you would have to spec a different neck; if you don't spec a different neck you get the "Modern Classic" neck.

 

[nojazzhere]

Without boring you with all the history, suffice it to say I've been playing 1 3/4" or wider nut acoustics for decades. I've always been a huge Tele admirer and had a few come through my shop when I was a dealer. Mostly in trades as I focused primarily on vintage Martin and Gibson acoustics. I just love the tones you can get out of these guitars. So, I recently bought a MIM example with a maple neck. I've really enjoyed messing around with it through a tube amp I have. Love some of the tones, but the 1 5/8" nut is not cutting it for me. I would love to find a 1 3/4" nut or even 1 11/16", but it doesn't appear they exist unless you go through the Custom Shop. But, this is new territory for me, so I defer to the experts here on this board. Thanks for any suggestions in advance. I've already checked out the Warmouth option, so I know about that.

Both of my Warmoth conversion necks (for Telecaster) are 1 11/16" wide at nut. That's the widest you can get on a "standard" order. To go wider requires "custom" order, at additional cost. I love mine.

 

[brookdalebill]

Howdy and welcome!
I believe Hamer USA made a model with the wider 1 3/4 inch width.
This was 20 years ago.
Larrivée made a model also.
I think the model was called a Bakersfield, their Tele style.
It’s US made, too, about 15 years ago.
Maybe Reverb has some listed.
G&L also offer the width on their ASAT models, as an upcharge option.
I had a Legacy (Strat) type years ago with an ebony fretboard and 1 3/4 inch nut width.
Good luck!

 

[Maguchi]

Without boring you with all the history, suffice it to say I've been playing 1 3/4" or wider nut acoustics for decades. I've always been a huge Tele admirer and had a few come through my shop when I was a dealer. Mostly in trades as I focused primarily on vintage Martin and Gibson acoustics. I just love the tones you can get out of these guitars. So, I recently bought a MIM example with a maple neck. I've really enjoyed messing around with it through a tube amp I have. Love some of the tones, but the 1 5/8" nut is not cutting it for me. I would love to find a 1 3/4" nut or even 1 11/16", but it doesn't appear they exist unless you go through the Custom Shop. But, this is new territory for me, so I defer to the experts here on this board. Thanks for any suggestions in advance. I've already checked out the Warmouth option, so I know about that.

I've lurked on these threads and aftermarket parts suppliers hard copy catalogs and internet catalogs for decades. And so far, Warmoth is the only one I've seen that has a replacement neck with a 1 3/4" nut. I learned on classical guitar and later fingerpicking folk music, so I get the ! 3/4" nut thing.

https://warmoth.com/guitar-neck-nut-width

 

[jaxjaxon]

I would hazard to guess if you put a wider neck on your guitar then other problems could happen bridge might not allow the spacing be like you will want down near the higher frets 14th on down, the strings might not line up over the poles correctly.

 

[John C]

Howdy and welcome!
I believe Hamer USA made a model with the wider 1 3/4 inch width.
This was 20 years ago.
Larrivée made a model also.
I think the model was called a Bakersfield, their Tele style.
It’s US made, too, about 15 years ago.
Maybe Reverb has some listed.
G&L also offer the width on their ASAT models, as an upcharge option.
I had a Legacy (Strat) type years ago with an ebony fretboard and 1 3/4 inch nut width.
Good luck!

Good memory @brookdalebill! I had completely forgotten about the Hamer T-51 having the wider neck.

 

[oldgoatguitars]

Wow. Thanks to everyone for your generous welcomes. replies, and insights. I have learned a lot. It may seem elementary to you all, but I didn't realize that standard Teles are 1 11/16" (1.6875"). I just assumed they all were 1 5/8". So, that in itself is a game changer. I can tolerate 1 11/16" and have owned many acoustics with that nut width. I just prefer 1 3/4". The Warmouth idea is a double edged sword for me. I really like the customizing aspect, but I also prefer guitars in their original state of construction. Being a dealer of vintage Martins and Gibsons for so many years instilled this attitude in me thoroughly, I guess. I may just spring for an upgrade and sell the MIM guitar. I found this one that looks just like my MIM Tele: https://reverb.com/item/42661937-fender-american-professional-ii-telecaster-black-with-maple-neck. I don't know pricing on used Teles like I do on acoustics, but that seems like a decent price for this. What do you think?

 

[Sea Devil]

I have a Warmoth neck that's just over 1 3/4" at the nut. It's a great neck and hasn't affected string spacing at the bridge or alignment over the pickups at all.

 

[Vermoulian]

Another testimonial for the Warmoth 1 3/4" neck. I built a Warmoth Tele with one and it has become a favorite. Great for my fat fingers.

 

[oregomike]

Without boring you with all the history, suffice it to say I've been playing 1 3/4" or wider nut acoustics for decades. I've always been a huge Tele admirer and had a few come through my shop when I was a dealer. Mostly in trades as I focused primarily on vintage Martin and Gibson acoustics. I just love the tones you can get out of these guitars. So, I recently bought a MIM example with a maple neck. I've really enjoyed messing around with it through a tube amp I have. Love some of the tones, but the 1 5/8" nut is not cutting it for me. I would love to find a 1 3/4" nut or even 1 11/16", but it doesn't appear they exist unless you go through the Custom Shop. But, this is new territory for me, so I defer to the experts here on this board. Thanks for any suggestions in advance. I've already checked out the Warmouth option, so I know about that.

Yeah, Warmoth is what I went with. Same reason as you've described. Been playing 1-3/4 acoustics for years and wanted to replicate that. I've bought two necks from Warmoth. One for my Tele and one for a JM build I'm doing. Both with dark ebony, 12-16 radius boards and fat necks. They do excellent work, and honestly, I haven't really seen much from others like AllParts, etc.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

No experience with Big Lou, but this link has come up before: https://www.biglouguitar.com/product/big-lou-wide-necks/

 

[bendercaster]

Some of the Fender models mentioned are even a little wider at the nut than 1 11/16. My American Special Telecaster measures at 1.71 inches, so just between 1 11/16 and 1 3/4. I have a 2002 American Fat Strat Texas Special with the similar measurements. It made it hard to find a precut replacement, but I like it even better than the standard 1 11/16 or my 1 3/4 Warmoth neck.

 

[Burn Yesterday]

This has been a bee in my bonnet forever, since custom-made necks themselves cost three or four times what I usually pay for a whole guitar. There aren't ANY spud-priced Tele necks that aren't 1-5/8" at the nut.

"Modern Standard" my dupa.

And I will thoughtfully and generously refrain from commenting about the confused individual who thinks that changing something a sixteenth of an eighth in an inch at the nut end of a guitar is going to mess up the bridge end of the guitar.
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