I can fret just as fast on a p bass as a jazz?
I feel like skinnier necks are actually slower for me
I feel like skinnier necks are actually slower for me
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
why do people call a skinny neck fast?
- Thread starter drewphishesp
- Start date
You probably have larger hands like I do. But for average to small hands, a P bass neck can be a bit chunky.
A thinner neck may be easier to get around on depending the individuals physical make up. That can be perceived as being faster.
I like most Jazz necks but the really small ones feel cramped. The larger necks I'm okay with but that really depends on the shape and radius. It's more complicated than just skinny or thick I think. For me it's a comfort thing.
I like most Jazz necks but the really small ones feel cramped. The larger necks I'm okay with but that really depends on the shape and radius. It's more complicated than just skinny or thick I think. For me it's a comfort thing.
Two things:
1. You did say "skinny" and not "thin". For me, their significance is quite different. I agree that a skinny neck can be harder to play (depending on the player, their technique, and possibly the material to be played). But a thin neck... (see 2 here below)
2. A player whose hands and technique naturally capitalize on the thinness of an instrument neck may call that neck "fast". My sense is that more advanced technique is characterized by efficiencies, so technical players will tend to prefer thinner necks. Far from the most technical bass guitarist, nonetheless my early training was quite good. I appreciate a nice, thin bass guitar neck.
"Fast" is a meaningless adjective when applied to a bass or guitar neck, as far as I'm concerned. May as well say "sweet". Absolutely no descriptive value.
"Skinny" to me usually refers to the width of the neck at the nut and relates to the taper of the overall neck. Jazz necks are skinnier (1.5") than a P-bass (1.62").
"Thin" to me means the thickness front-to-back of the neck. I would consider Ibanez SR series necks to be thin in comparison to their Talman necks. Consider these measurements for an SR300E vs Talman100.
SR300E
Scale : 864mm/34"
a : Width 38mm at NUT
b : Width 62mm at 24F
c : Thickness 19.5mm at 1F
d : Thickness 21.5mm at 12F
Radius : 305mmR
Talman100
Scale : 864mm/34"
a : Width 41mm at NUT
b : Width 62mm at 20F
c : Thickness 21.5mm at 1F
d : Thickness 24.5mm at 12F
Radius : 240mmR
Some of the dimensional differences might appear small on paper, but in my hand they feel radically different. The SR neck feels like there is less material in my hand when fretting thus makes it faster to maneuver. A chunky neck to me is not as comfortable or "fast". It has to do with the size and shape of my hand.
I'd say that neck radius is also a significant and relevant factor: flatter is considered "faster" by some.
As usual, it comes down to what works for you.
"Thin" to me means the thickness front-to-back of the neck. I would consider Ibanez SR series necks to be thin in comparison to their Talman necks. Consider these measurements for an SR300E vs Talman100.
SR300E
Scale : 864mm/34"
a : Width 38mm at NUT
b : Width 62mm at 24F
c : Thickness 19.5mm at 1F
d : Thickness 21.5mm at 12F
Radius : 305mmR
Talman100
Scale : 864mm/34"
a : Width 41mm at NUT
b : Width 62mm at 20F
c : Thickness 21.5mm at 1F
d : Thickness 24.5mm at 12F
Radius : 240mmR
Some of the dimensional differences might appear small on paper, but in my hand they feel radically different. The SR neck feels like there is less material in my hand when fretting thus makes it faster to maneuver. A chunky neck to me is not as comfortable or "fast". It has to do with the size and shape of my hand.
I'd say that neck radius is also a significant and relevant factor: flatter is considered "faster" by some.
As usual, it comes down to what works for you.
Aerodynamic properties increase its velocity when airborne. Less surface area = less drag.
I agree with this statement %100. I went from a Guild Pilot P/J, in my opinion the perfect neck for me. Many years later I switched to a Gamma Alpha P, and I did notice more difficulty moving around the neck. I felt slow. I had a friend copy the neck dimensions of a 1986 Pilot and I am as comfortable on that P bass now as I am on the Pilot by Guild and DeArmond.
I need to forward this post to my SotO. If she had a nickel for every time she said "sweet," she would be a wealthy woman indeed.
Gretsch 6070 and 6072 necks are beyond the pale. They just ARE: a force of nature to be reckoned with. Like nothing else I've ever experienced.
Well, I guess because they base their expressions on how it works for most people and not you specifically.
Substitute easy for fast.
If you have a good technique then all necks work at the same speed. If you don't then size matters.
If you have a good technique then all necks work at the same speed. If you don't then size matters.
My favorite bass neck is on the thin and narrow side - pedulla. Oddly, i like the wider guitar necks. I played a '60's strat the other day.. way too narrow for me to be fast and/or efficient, especially with bending. I think it comes down to personal preference.
Absolutely true........
I can fling a Jazz bass much further than a P bass!
However, archtops fly the furthest, by a wide margin, due to the Bernoulli effect!
