Favorite Necks

My personal favorite...


On a more serious note, I have small hands, but width isn't too much of an issue (unless it's like a freaking aircraft carrier or something). Thickness, on the other hand, is what I am extremely persnickety about. I prefer the necks to be very thin (think Geddy Lee or Ibanez SR) and I just feel sluggish on a thick neck, so the typical baseball bat profile is a no-go (funny, considering that I grew up with a P-bass).

 

My '83 MIJ Squier Jazz neck..It's the best neck I've ever played,no question. Yeah,the headstock says Squier,but I sold the mpl/mpl MIA Fen. neck from my bass to get it and haven't had a moments regret. I've played a zillion comfortable necks,the one I sold to get this was very nice,but very few feel 'natural'..this one feels like it was custom built for my hand.

 

My criteria are a "bare wood" feeling to it and being not too thick front-to-back and not too wide. I like a 1 1/2" nut width on a 4 string and 1 3/4" on a 5 string.

My favorite necks are:

Peavey Cirrus 4 and 5 strings
EBMM Sterling 5 string

I think the Cirrus has a very slight edge in the 5 string category, but not enough to affect which bass I would choose between a Cirrus 5 and a Sterling 5.

Wha I really do NOT like are necks with a glossy finish. A little bit of humidity or sweat and my hand/thumb starts feeling like it's sticking to or catching on a glossy neck.

And I don't like necks that are too wide. A 4 string with a 1 3/4" nut feels too wide and throws me off. A 5 string with a 2" nut (e.g. The Squier Active Jazz Deluxe V) also feels too wide to me.

And I don't like necks that are really thick. E.g. A standard Stingray 4 or Warwick 4.

 

1. Ibanez SR 500 and up
2. Fender Jazz
3. Everything else

 

I have 30 basses of a lot of different brands, 4, 5 and 6 string, all shapes and sizes. I'm not at all picky about necks, but my favorite necks are all Lakland (Korean Skyline, I've never played a US Lakland, but I assume they are even better).

1. 55-01, the best 5 string neck I've played, and I think the best neck.
2. Joe Osbourne 4. 1.5" and roundish, based on his 60s Jazz.
3. 44-01. A little wider, 1.6", and flatter, but still great.

I don't know how they managed to have 3 different shaped necks, but all feeling so perfect to me. All my basses are comfortable to me, but the Lakland just have that extra something that seems to fit my hand perfectly.

 

When the songs you struggle with on one bass are effortless on another.

My latest purchase - I can play Master Blaster and Higher Ground (RHCP) effortlessly.

 

Peavey Foundation

 

Of all my basses, the Squier Deluxe Jazz V has the most confortable neck of all (Ibanez SRX595, Ibanez EDB605, Fender MIM Jazz & Aria-Pro 2 somethingB-2)
With low action and low tension strings (TI flats), it's just so easy to play.
I don't have big hands but the 19mm string spacing and the wide neck is not a problem at all.
It just feels right ; if I ever build a bass, I will use the Squier as a template for the neck.

 

Tobias (original, not MTD) 4 string asymmetrical and Fender American Special P.

 

Love the Fender Jazz 7.25" Bound And Blocked necks. Seems like they were made for my hands!

 

After searching for 40 years, I find the neck on my Squier Jaguar SS to be perfect for my small hands!

 

I like the very thin neck on my Peavey Fury
even though I have big hands.

Strangely, I like the huge neck on my custom
made fretless.

Dang. It's hard to decide. But,

like StuartV, I don't like necks that are really
thick.

Tabdog

 

That is a neat neck,

Tabdog

 

It's funny. A TB'er responded in a post that
I was wrong when I said I liked the Peavey
Fury neck better than a MIA fat P bass neck.

I guess he's really got his nose tweaked
with all these wrong neck lovers on this
thread,

Tabdog

 

The neck on my 87 LB90

 

Tobias Killer B, asymetrical and thin. Then Mike Lull's basses.

 

Tobias Classic 5. Only 5 string I've really fallen in love with.

More basses should have asymm necks.

 

Hard to beat the thin (high # radius) asymmetrical neck on a MTD USA 5er. Amazing necks.

My 1973 jazz has a lower radius (thicker front to back) but is less that 1.5" at the nut. Crazy easy to play.

 

G&L #8 neck. Satin finish, feels just a tiny tiny bit thicker front to back than a standard jazz. This makes it more comfy for extended play for me.