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Best thin neck electric bass?
- Thread starter Plant
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- electric bass small bass
SR for a quality bass at a reasonable price. I own an SR500 and an SR 1300. Both are great.
I also own a Peavey Milestone III which is a Fender-ish instrument. It has a skinny neck that is GREAT. The Milestone III's sell for cheap money and are definitely worth a look if budget is a concern.
I also own a Peavey Milestone III which is a Fender-ish instrument. It has a skinny neck that is GREAT. The Milestone III's sell for cheap money and are definitely worth a look if budget is a concern.
My 2021 Squier CV60s Mustang has a nice thin neck with a 9.5 radius and a 1.5" nut. And I'm finding the back of it to be smooth and slick and slippery fast... Also IMO this bass's overall light weight and 30" short scale make it ideal for someone with smaller hands (such as myself).
On the less expensive end… Ibanez SR (is there an echo in here?)
on the expensive end… Sadowsky Will Lee
on the expensive end… Sadowsky Will Lee
I have read very good things about the new Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas basses. Charvel guitar necks are some of the slickest I've ever played so I imagine these are also very fine. I'm getting GASsy myself.
I’ve got an old Peavey Jeff Berlin model, and it has probably the thinnest neck I have ever played.
I have to agree; I like mine a whole lot. But, if you want a 34" scale bass, with a neck that's even nicer - with a super smooth satin finish? Try a Dano DC59 Pro. I have 2 of them - with different strings - and they have what I consider the absolute best necks I've ever played. And I have a whole bunch of basses in my herd - and have played a bunch more. The only bass I have that might have a nicer neck, is my '73 Rick 4001. It loses points for the painted finish, but... it's close. Same goes for my Longhorn. I don't have a problem with painted necks (my hands are always very dry), but... the difference between painted and satin finishes is... noticeable...
The Danos' are really nice and light, but I don't consider them as having very thin necks? (Really?) Because they actually have 14" radius fretboards and p-bass size nut widths. The Longhorn I usta own had a 1+3/4" nut, and the fretboard was really flat, with razor sharp edges the entire length of the neck. In fact the uncomfortable retro-style neck was one of the main reasons I sold mine...I have to agree; I like mine a whole lot. But, if you want a 34" scale bass, with a neck that's even nicer - with a super smooth satin finish? Try a Dano DC59 Pro. I have 2 of them - with different strings - and they have what I consider the absolute best necks I've ever played. And I have a whole bunch of basses in my herd - and have played a bunch more. The only bass I have that might have a nicer neck, is my '73 Rick 4001. It loses points for the painted finish, but... it's close. Same goes for my Longhorn. I don't have a problem with painted necks (my hands are always very dry), but... the difference between painted and satin finishes is... noticeable...
I think you're confusing "thin" with "narrow". Yes, my DC59's measure 1 5/8" wide at the nut; same as a Fender P-Bass. Which I'll grant that few people would consider "narrow". But, as for thickness, top to bottom? Yes, they are "thin" A very flattened "D" contour, that thickens very little from the nut to the heel. Almost identical, in fact, to the neck dimensions of my '73 Rick 4001 - except that the Dano's neck is actually narrower, by 1/16 of an inch. As for my '18 Longhorn? With the exception of being shorter, and with even less thickening from the nut to the heel, it's the same as the DC59's. 1 5/8' nut width, same shallow flattened "D" contour. Actually, until your post? I never gave the width of the Danos' necks a thought. They certainly don't feel as wide as they are. Probably because they're so..."thin"...
I guess... But I've found that when you're talking about what's a better neck for small hands, too wide can be just as much of a problem as too thick. I liked much about the Dano Longhorn; especially it's weight and it's neat lipstick pups. I also dug it's wild looks and I really wanted to keep it.. But I found with it's 'reverse' curve it wouldn't sit right in my lap unstrapped and that caused a lot of neck dive, and it's wide and sharp neck simply hurt my hands. Everyone's hands and likes and dislikes are different, right? Probably some folks wouldn't like the narrower, rounder neck of my Mustang. But I do have small hands (and arthritis) and have gone thru quite a few basses because of this...I think you're confusing "thin" with "narrow". Yes, my DC59's measure 1 5/8" wide at the nut; same as a Fender P-Bass. Which I'll grant that few people would consider "narrow". But, as for thickness, top to bottom? Yes, they are "thin" A very flattened "D" contour, that thickens very little from the nut to the heel. Almost identical, in fact, to the neck dimensions of my '73 Rick 4001 - except that the Dano's neck is actually narrower, by 1/16 of an inch. As for my '18 Longhorn? With the exception of being shorter, and with even less thickening from the nut to the heel, it's the same as the DC59's. 1 5/8' nut width, same shallow flattened "D" contour. Actually, until your post? I never gave the width of the Danos' necks a thought. They certainly don't feel as wide as they are. Probably because they're so..."thin"...
So far my short scale Squier Mustang has been the best for me, but currently I'm also awaiting the arrival of a new Acinonyx Cat bass (also short scale) which is supposed to have perhaps the narrowest, easiest neck of any BG currently being made! (-One can but hope?)
Probably way too late of an answer here, but I just saw this thread because I’m looking at dechunkifying a Sterling music man sub4 neck.
I started basic hand-sanding for five minutes a day just to be safe. I can feel that it’s a little thinner already, and I don’t want to do too much too fast. Also, because I do it so incrementally, I haven’t noticed a change in tone.
I absolutely love the D shape shallow neck of the TRBX series. I have a TRBX604 and and it’s bloody lovely.
I started basic hand-sanding for five minutes a day just to be safe. I can feel that it’s a little thinner already, and I don’t want to do too much too fast. Also, because I do it so incrementally, I haven’t noticed a change in tone.
I absolutely love the D shape shallow neck of the TRBX series. I have a TRBX604 and and it’s bloody lovely.
Just to follow up, I did get the Cat bass and it's a great short scale, thin necked, easy playing, and very good sounding bass. But it won't replace my CV 60 Squier Mustang. ~Now I have two great, thin necked, easy playing basses...
IME: "a little bit goes a long way" --- sand, play for a while, sand, play for awhile.......
but when you get the neck you like = wowza! good luck with yours!
I had a japan built mustang, paid a lot of money for it, as it was in new condition. I sold it at a substantia loss l as the neck was too thin. The first 3 frets were very hard to play, it felt like a pencil down there! My les paul dc is now my primary, between the gibson, my birdsong short bass and my breedlove, i dont think i will ever need another bass! It took 40 years and almost 40 basses to get here!
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