Why the love (by some) for thin necks?

[Pings Bass]

I think for people who play with the neck in the palm of their hand, as opposed to resting their thumb in the middle of the back, it feels more comfortable and allows better access to all the strings? Also they're marketed as "fast," and people believe it.

Whatever works for you. I like a little chunkiness.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Why the Love for Ketchup on Hot Dogs?

Hot Dogs with Ketchup are more prone to sliding off their buns as environments change

ketchup contributes less flavor than mustard

Ketchup contributes flavor to a hot dog giving the impression that the actual sausage is more flavorful than it is.

having had Hot Dogs with and without ketchup I can definitively say for all
Mankind that ketchup on hot dogs is an absolute waste and if you don’t prefer hot dogs exactly as I do you are insane and wrong

The last time I had a hot dog I got food poisoning. I'm not sure how that adds to the analogy.

 

[dougfr67]

For half of the population it's because the internet told them to like thin necks, while the other half are out playing gigs

Where did you heard this nonsense?

 

[sleddogn]

> They are frequently more prone to shifting as environments change

Never had that experience, myself.

> They contribute less to tone compared to their thick-necked relatives

How can you possibly quantify this, other than to say “well uh, they’re thinner and tone relies on thickness,” which is obviously untrue.

> Thin-neck basses give the impression that their action is higher when compared to thick-necked basses having the same string relief

Lol what?

> Having owned thin and thick-necked basses I don’t find thin-necked basses easier to play (I have average-sized hands)

To each their own. I own both thick and thin neck basses (back-to-front, as I’m assuming you mean) and I absolutely do find the thinner ones easier to play. Your like or dislike of something doesn’t validate or elevate your opinion to the realm of fact.

Winner winner chicken dinner on this post

 

[Topkat13]

“Thin”. Maybe some dimensions would be a nice place to start? Are you talking flat sawn? Quarter sawn? 1 piece or mult- piece necks? Let’s toss in number of strings for sh*ts and giggles. I have a DingWall SJ 4with a solid wenge neck that moves very little. Same with my Sadowsky’s with jazz style necks. Oh I forgot necks with some type of reinforcement…like graphite strips. It’s like saying all dogs bark…dead ones don’t.

 

[JRA]

> They are frequently more prone to shifting as environments change

some do, some don't, but i've had plenty of necks that do "shift" = big whup! you adjust and play on....

> They contribute less to tone compared to their thick-necked relatives

which tone? (not a tone chaser.)

> Thin-neck basses give the impression that their action is higher when compared to thick-necked basses having the same string relief

a setup is a setup, right?

> Having owned thin and thick-necked basses I don’t find thin-necked basses easier to play (I have average-sized hands)

congratulations!

i have thin necks, medium necks, and i have one chunky neck --- i like 'em all! my preference for skinny necks has to do with comfort (for hours at a time). i know cats who choose 'chunky' for the same reason. it's a very cool thing to find the neck(s) you like to play.

 

[pcake]

i played guitars with wider necks - a strong preference - but when i moved to bass, i quickly found i liked playing on a slim neck. it just felt better and more natural. i've got a glarry with a wider, thicker neck, and i'm coming to terms with it, but i still play and feel better on a slim neck.

It's nice that basses are made with different shaped neck (and bodies and everything else). We can all get what we like.

exactly!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Why the love (by some) for thin necks?

Small hands

 

[Les Fret]

Nope.
I am divorced with no kids and a four bedroom house and a bit of a problem...just a bit.

Maybe a shop later when I retire from my Civil Engineering career.

Impressive! Do you play them all?

 

[Les Fret]

As far as necks is concerned: Size doesn’t matter! At least that’s what women say..

 

[B-Mac]

Impressive! Do you play them all?

I try my best to keep five out on stands in rotation for at two weeks and then add one and put one away. And I do cheat by grabbing favorites out of sequence.

 

[_Tay_]

Got a reasonably thin graphite neck its great. Also got a good chunky musicman neck. Prefer the Status

 

[non]

"> They are frequently more prone to shifting as environments change"
my ibby sr600 i bought in 2012 i haven't touched the truss rod in years has nice low action to. i lived 3 blocks from the ocean for 15 years. now i live in the desert. i haven't noticed any neck shifting on any of my basses.


"> They contribute less to tone compared to their thick-necked relatives"
really? not even if you believe the tone wood thing. sustain maybe.


"> Thin-neck basses give the impression that their action is higher when compared to thick-necked basses having the same string relief"
what do you mean by "impression"? my ibby has the lowest action of all my basses.

"> Having owned thin and thick-necked basses I don’t find thin-necked basses easier to play (I have average-sized hands)"
it is also the shape of your hands and how they open and close or hand injuries. not just size.

 

[wiscoaster]

Carpometacarpal arthritis.

(Also why I prefer medium and short scale over long).

Pain is a much higher priority in my decision matrix than any of the debatable points made by the OP.

 

[DaveParker39]

The combination of fingerboard radius, neck “size”, nut width, taper, shape, fretwire, and the player’s hands make for lots of different variables.

For example, a thin neck on a Stratocaster makes my hands cramp. But an equally thin neck on a guitar/bass with a narrower fingerboard and nut width I can play no problem.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Two words-personal preference

This is the correct answer to most of the questions about scale, string gauge, neck radius, neck thickness, number of strings, active or passive, color, pickguard, no pickguard, flats, rounds....

 

[swarfrat]

We can all get what we like.

Except for us cheap five string fretless precision with narrow string spacing guys. (I say guys because there has to be at least one more out there). We're kinda screwed unless we give up one or more of the above

 

[Mustang Surly]

Another old arthritic, here.
on a 4-string, I prefer:
•narrow nut (1.50")
•narrow string spacing (17mm @ bridge)
•short scale length (30")
•medium fretboard radius (no flatter than 12")
but not a thin (back-to-front) neck profile.

 

[Nev375]

Why the love (by some) for necks that are not shaped the way I like them?

- They are frequently more prone to not seeming quite right in my hands.
- They contribute less to tone compared to the EQ on my amp.
- Necks that are not to my liking give the impression that my hand may start cramping sooner than I expect it to.
- Having owned necks of all sizes I don't find uncomfortable necks to be any more comfortable than those which I prefer.

 

[H K]

Three words:

Severe Psoriatic Arthritis

Two words-personal preference

One word: faster