Fender 62 Vintage Hot Rod: what's the neck like?

[fjs1962]

The new Fender 62 Vintage Hot Rod Strat has caught my eye. I've been thinking about a rosewood board vintage style Strat, but I can't play the slim necks they usually put on the 62RI and 60TM Strats. I have a friend who has a GC 63 LTD Time Machine that has a chunky C neck to die for. If the neck on the Hot Rod is like that I might give one a try. Anyone who's played the Vintage Hot Rods, what is the nck size/carve like on them?

[JohnnyK]

I'm also interested in getting more detailed info on these necks - sounds like they finally might have the chunk I've always wanted. The description Fender supplies is rather vague.

[teddy boy]

On the Fender website it says they have a "thick C-shape". I really hope it does!!

[buddastrat]

Yes it is. I owned one. If you played early SRV's, that's what that one was like. It wasn't nocaster huge, but chunky. Perfect with more of a D shape. Mine had some shoulder to it. You know just a little bit of a square feel back there.

Not refined C like a 65. That's a classy neck.

[dognmoon]

how close to a John Mayer strat neck? Anybody know?

[buddastrat]

thicker, fuller. I find the JM neck pretty thin C. Not as thin as a '62 neck though.

[fjs1962]

Yes it is. I owned one. If you played early SRV's, that's what that one was like. It wasn't nocaster huge, but chunky. Perfect with more of a D shape. Mine had some shoulder to it. You know just a little bit of a square feel back there.

Not refined C like a 65. That's a classy neck.

Hmm... That might be a deal-killer for me. I like thick necks but I like them nice and round, not heavy in the shoulders. The 65TMs I've played had nice round carves, as does the GC 63LTD that my buddy has.

[buddastrat]

Yeah but I only played one, you know how necks can vary due to hand finishing. Plus, they're thick enough to shape it how you want. If I kept that one I had, I was going to lightly sand the shoulders.

[Joe M]

I played one last week and I thought the neck was bigger than any neck on a Strat that I have ever played. In fact, I thought it was real close to the neck on my Nocaster. Completely different than a neck on a regular 62 RI. In fact, I pulled down a SRV off the wall to compare it to and the RI was much bigger. Since the SRV has a flatter radius, it may have made it seem smaller than it was.

[buddastrat]

Joe the SRV has really slimmed down over the years. The early ones were chunkier.
I have a nocaster and the hot rod I had, was still not close to that. But you know Fender, it can vary a lot.