thin necks?? why?

[popinfresh]

Because we don't have to compensate for something like those fellas who use chunky necks..

 

[Linkert]

Taste is just like the ass, split.. (straight translated from a Swedish expression)

 

[Jazzbassman23]

I play billy sheehan attitude basses. They have relatively fat necks and you really can't argue with their tone or playability. I find that fatter necks generally do sound better and have better sustain. It's true what they say, "Wider is better".

You guys have fixated on the thick/thin technique issue, and I'm surprised no one's addressed this statement that was also made by the thread starter.

So let's say we take two P/basses, and on one we put a Jazz neck and the other a Precision neck. Do you really think that in a test as the listener, you could tell the difference?

 

[Orangeclawhammr]

I have small hands, but when I was "trying out" basses to pick out my first one, I tried eight different ones, presumably with different size necks. All I knew how to play was a major scale. One of the basses I tried was a Squier VM P-bass, which had the widest neck. I could tell this even with my limited experience. With my small hands, I would have thought that this one would be the least comfortable. Not so. If the Peavey Grind bass was not available, that P bass might very well have been the one I bought. The Peavey is prettier. Hey, if you don't know how to play and don't bring a friend with you who does, what else can you go by?

 

[team180b]

I learnt on a P-bass and as soon as I switched to a Jazz I found my playing got a lot better. For my style a thinner neck means I can move around faster and easier - I guess it depends on your hands and what you want to play.

 

[dabbler]

I learnt on a P-bass and as soon as I switched to a Jazz I found my playing got a lot better. For my style a thinner neck means I can move around faster and easier - I guess it depends on your hands and what you want to play.

I believe you have highlighted one of, if not the, most important aspects of this discussion, "For my style..." Thick is not inherrently better than thin, but what you prefer depends on many things like the size of your hands and how you like to hold the neck.

Most of my basses have necks that are a bit chunky. When I play them, I play accordingly, when I'm playing a thinner neck, I adjust. I'm not a great bassist, but I think a great teacher (I don't teach either) would help a student find "their style" and suggest a neck to match.