Why Do people prefer thinner necks?

[ga_edwards]

Besides - magnetic pickups don't pick-up neck thickness.

Not directly no, but they do pick up the vibrations of the string and the sympathetic vibration of the neck and body and the mass of the components. There's a reason people put Bassass bridges on their basses!

Admittedly, I've yet to see a scientific study comparing a headless Steinberg compared to a regular big bodied Fender P confirming how much influence the mass of the instrument plays on tone. But my FatFinger definitely makes a subtle difference on my lightweight RBX4/A2

 

[SabreATK]

Re: Thicker Neck = thicker strings = more tone.

I had read (and this is definitely true for guitar), that thin necks do not cope as well with thick gauge strings. On the skinny Ibanez Wizard necks, you are lucky to get more than .011 (med/light) strings. Yes, it will require a truss rod adjustment and reintonation, but the thin necks just dont cope as well with thicker strings. But most guys playing wizard necks dont usally want a large gauge anyway.

I assumed the same was true with basses, that a thicker neck will better cope with increased tension. YOu can get much more resonance going with a thick neck / thick strings. I dont have any scientific evidence to this effect, just anecdotes and personal experience.

I expected experienced bass players to identify with larger more toneful basses, and suspect that alot of guys get stuck using thin necks because that is what they started on (was easier to play initially), but because of poor techique (palming the neck), they NEED thin necks to feel comfortable, at the expense of greater tone.

Even after everyones' responses, I still harbor this belief. Do yourselves a favor, learn the proper grip and develop confort with a big-ass bass. Your tone will thank you.

 

[spade2you]

I'ma only say this one more time.

People who palm the neck generally HATE thin necks.

Neck thickness has little to do with thicker or thinner strings. Besides, most people using thicker strings are often detunine so the change in tension isn't nearly as dramatic. Besides, classical guitars have thick necks and standard steel strings WILL cause the neck and body bracing to pull a pretzel act.

 

[ga_edwards]

Besides, classical guitars have thick necks and standard steel strings WILL cause the neck and body bracing to pull a pretzel act.

That would be because they don't have truss rods, nothing to do with neck thickness.

 

[spade2you]

That would be because they don't have truss rods, nothing to do with neck thickness.

Exactly, but the point is that neck thickness doesn't equal reinforcement. There are many thin necked basses out there that are just as tough or tougher than thick necked basses.

 

[ga_edwards]

Exactly, but the point is that neck thickness doesn't equal reinforcement. There are many thin necked basses out there that are just as tough or tougher than thick necked basses.

Yes, I agree... in a truss rod equipped instrument. But a thin necked classical guitar would break under normal tension, so needs a thick neck for strength, so that argument doesn't quite stand.

IMO, neck size on truss rod equipped instruments is about tone and comfort.

 

[spade2you]

Yes, I agree... in a truss rod equipped instrument. But a thin necked classical guitar would break under normal tension, so needs a thick neck for strength, so that argument doesn't quite stand.

IMO, neck size on truss rod equipped instruments is about tone and comfort.

The argument wouldn't stand, but we're not talking about classical guitars. There's more to bass necks than just a truss rod, too.

 

[BartmanPDX]

Re: Thicker Neck = thicker strings = more tone.

I had read (and this is definitely true for guitar), that thin necks do not cope as well with thick gauge strings. On the skinny Ibanez Wizard necks, you are lucky to get more than .011 (med/light) strings. Yes, it will require a truss rod adjustment and reintonation, but the thin necks just dont cope as well with thicker strings. But most guys playing wizard necks dont usally want a large gauge anyway.

I assumed the same was true with basses, that a thicker neck will better cope with increased tension. YOu can get much more resonance going with a thick neck / thick strings. I dont have any scientific evidence to this effect, just anecdotes and personal experience.

I expected experienced bass players to identify with larger more toneful basses, and suspect that alot of guys get stuck using thin necks because that is what they started on (was easier to play initially), but because of poor techique (palming the neck), they NEED thin necks to feel comfortable, at the expense of greater tone.

Even after everyones' responses, I still harbor this belief. Do yourselves a favor, learn the proper grip and develop confort with a big-ass bass. Your tone will thank you.

I guess Will Lee doesn't know what he's doing then.

Either that, or you might be wrong. I wonder which it could be?

 

[SabreATK]

I guess Will Lee doesn't know what he's doing then.

Either that, or you might be wrong. I wonder which it could be?

Lots of my guitar heros use Ibanez wizard necks on their guitars.

Most of my guitars have wizard necks, not because it was my first choice, but because it is the best combination of features, body wood, fret size, etc. Thus I play thin necks, although would prefer a thicker one if it balanced well with the body, and was on a guitar with a mahogony body and floyd.

The point is that what you see someone playing is not necessarily their first choice. It may be a compromise. I know that most kids prefer thin necks on shreddy guitars, so Ibanez puts them on the endorser models, Vai plays it on stage, and then all the kids buy wizard necks.

Its not a simple relationship, and just because your bass hero uses a thin should not be an excuse to allow poor technique to develop, which seems to be encoraged by thin necks.

More I think about this, I think neck size is at least someone dictated by body size to encourage balance and playing feel. A thick neck on my sabres would imbalance the guitars.

 

[seanm]

I guess Will Lee doesn't know what he's doing then.

Either that, or you might be wrong. I wonder which it could be?

How did Will Lee get pulled into this?

 

[spade2you]

Lots of my guitar heros use Ibanez wizard necks on their guitars.

Most of my guitars have wizard necks, not because it was my first choice, but because it is the best combination of features, body wood, fret size, etc. Thus I play thin necks, although would prefer a thicker one if it balanced well with the body, and was on a guitar with a mahogony body and floyd.

The point is that what you see someone playing is not necessarily their first choice. It may be a compromise. I know that most kids prefer thin necks on shreddy guitars, so Ibanez puts them on the endorser models, Vai plays it on stage, and then all the kids buy wizard necks.

Its not a simple relationship, and just because your bass hero uses a thin should not be an excuse to allow poor technique to develop, which seems to be encoraged by thin necks.

More I think about this, I think neck size is at least someone dictated by body size to encourage balance and playing feel. A thick neck on my sabres would imbalance the guitars.

You're not quite grasping many things.

 

[IngerAlb]

I play only basses with thin necks - why? 'Cause it feels right to me. I don't have small hands (quite the opposite), I just love the comfort of a thin neck - less struggle and ultimately it allows me to play better. Sure, I could adapt to a thicker neck, but the question is...why would I do that?

My philosophy (be it right, or wrong) is simple: I play the basses I feel comfortable with with no adjusting period; there's no point in spending time to adapt to a specific bass since I can use that time to play a bass with a neck that fits like a glove.

 

[BartmanPDX]

Lots of my guitar heros use Ibanez wizard necks on their guitars.

Most of my guitars have wizard necks, not because it was my first choice, but because it is the best combination of features, body wood, fret size, etc. Thus I play thin necks, although would prefer a thicker one if it balanced well with the body, and was on a guitar with a mahogony body and floyd.

The point is that what you see someone playing is not necessarily their first choice. It may be a compromise. I know that most kids prefer thin necks on shreddy guitars, so Ibanez puts them on the endorser models, Vai plays it on stage, and then all the kids buy wizard necks.

Its not a simple relationship, and just because your bass hero uses a thin should not be an excuse to allow poor technique to develop, which seems to be encoraged by thin necks.

More I think about this, I think neck size is at least someone dictated by body size to encourage balance and playing feel. A thick neck on my sabres would imbalance the guitars.

I'm pretty sure Will Lee has good technique. Or not, but he has something like 10,000 songs he's played on so I guess it doesn't matter.

But the fact remains that when he spec'ed out his Sadowsky signature bass, he specifically requested a thin 1.45" neck. That was a significant change since no Sadowskys had been previously made with such a thin neck.

And he's not my "bass hero," but rather just the first example that popped into my head that demonstrated the fallacy of your argument.

 

[mongo2]

How did Will Lee get pulled into this?

I was trying to figure that out too, but I think it's because he may use thin necks with heavy strings.

 

[seanm]

I play only basses with thin necks - why? 'Cause it feels right to me. I don't have small hands (quite the opposite), I just love the comfort of a thin neck - less struggle and ultimately it allows me to play better. Sure, I could adapt to a thicker neck, but the question is...why would I do that?

My philosophy (be it right, or wrong) is simple: I play the basses I feel comfortable with with no adjusting period; there's no point in spending time to adapt to a specific bass since I can use that time to play a bass with a neck that fits like a glove.

+1 Let's say, for the sake of argument, that a thicker neck was proven to have better tone. Which would sound better, a bass with slightly better tone that you struggle with or a bass which fits you like a glove and you can play smoothly and with no effort?

I am not sure about thicker necks, but I do believe that heavier strings give slightly better tone. But if you have to struggle to play them, then you lose all the tonal advantages and will sound much better on thinner strings. You also may need thinner strings to get the speed you need. Again, a perfectly good reason to use thinner strings.

 

[seanm]

I'm pretty sure Will Lee has good technique. Or not, but he has something like 10,000 songs he's played on so I guess it doesn't matter.

But the fact remains that when he spec'ed out his Sadowsky signature bass, he specifically requested a thin 1.45" neck. That was a significant change since no Sadowskys had been previously made with such a thin neck.

And he's not my "bass hero," but rather just the first example that popped into my head that demonstrated the fallacy of your argument.

Did he actually say he wanted a thin neck for better tone than a thick neck? Or does he want a thin neck for playability?

 

[Bufalo]

I must be a wacko... I find that I end up wrapping my thumb more around my fatter necked bass and anchoring my thumb on the jazz neck.

 

[Flabass]

I have both Jazz and Precision necks. Depends on my mood which I play and it really has more to do with the sound more than the thickness of the neck.

 

[BartmanPDX]

Did he actually say he wanted a thin neck for better tone than a thick neck? Or does he want a thin neck for playability?

Not sure if it was a tone or playability thing, but IIRC Roger said Will felt that the best jazz basses came from the period of time when necks were hand shaped and he thought the best of those were the thin-necked ones.

 

[WoodyG3]

...

I expected experienced bass players to identify with larger more toneful basses, and suspect that alot of guys get stuck using thin necks because that is what they started on (was easier to play initially), but because of poor techique (palming the neck), they NEED thin necks to feel comfortable, at the expense of greater tone.

Even after everyones' responses, I still harbor this belief. Do yourselves a favor, learn the proper grip and develop confort with a big-ass bass. Your tone will thank you.

You are failing to see:
1. Many people do not believe, as you do, that a thicker neck improves tone.
2. Even if everyone copied your "perfect" fretting hand technique, some would be more comfortable with a thin neck, others with a thicker neck.
3. Since some people do not believe that tone is affected by neck width, and some people feel more comfortable with thin necks, there are plenty of people who look for that in a bass.
4. Your assumption that people play thin necks because they have poor technique is presumptuous at best, and is simply condescending to many long time players.