Road Worn guys, got a lot of ?'s on them necks!!

[buddastrat]

I have an opportunity to order one for super good price. But I'm also thinking of picking up a neck and maybe body as I have a lot of parts already. Either way I won't be able to play it first, which I always want to do. I've read some conflicting things on the necks. I'm one of those rare strat guys that likes both maple and rosewood necks. So the neck profile and thickness is more of my concern.

How beefy are they? One guy said he likes his Mayer neck better because it wasn't as fat as his RW. But the Mayer is supposed to be a thick C, and he's saying his 60's RW is fatter than the Mayer.

on the 50's, I hate much of a V to a neck. Is the 50's real subtle V, is there some shoulder to it and does the V dissappear into a C, like on the EJ neck? I like that.I read it compared the neck to an EJ saying it was thick like an EJ. Also was hoping finish is thin so a dremel could take off the remaining finish. I'm sorry but the way they're doing it just looks like someone started sanding off the finish and got half way through and left it. I'd definitely want to remove all the fingerboard finish.

Finally, the 7.25" radius still looks like more of a 9.5" radius to me in every pic I see. Maybe it's an illusion because of the big wire. But how does it feel? I usually don't mind a vintage radius, (it's great on my CS tele) but I did play one of the first thinskins with 6105s and didn't like that too much. The board was very curved and even with high action, I couldn't get a minor third bend to come out clean. Maybe it needed a fret level...

I know Fender can always be inconsistent and vary the necks here or there. Hopefully some of you guys, especially those who have played several of them can give a detailed description on the necks and compare to other models for a reference.

[Eric Thomas]

I'm not an owner, but I did play 5 RW guitars at Guitar Center last week. Maybe I can answer a couple of your questions.

The Strat 50's neck felt more like a soft V to me. I don't recall whether it tapered to a C as you went up the neck. The two Tele's I played seem to have a more pronounced V with less shoulder than the one maple Strat I played.

I would call all 5 that I played mid-sized necks. The Maple strat neck was not as big as my '56 Relic which has a custom ordered V to U shape taper.

this finish on the necks is pretty thin. Should come off fairly easily I would think.

All 5 were mid-weight, probably close to 8lbs. None of them were featherweight. While I was there some guy asked on of the employees to weight the one that was the lightest. It was 7lbs 6oz.

The fretboard did not look as flat as a 9.5" radius to me. I liked the feel of the bigger frets on these regardless of whether it was a 7.25" or 9.5" radius.

[buddastrat]

Thanks Eric. Mid sized necks are fine. But what's so crazy is I've read several times that the Teles had big U necks. Not that I'm looking for a tele, but it's crazy how different all the reviews have been.

I want to know how far the V goes up the neck on these 50's. It's crazy that fender has the relic'ing down to a consistent pattern but their necks can vary so greatly.

[VaughnC]

The one I tried was thinner than a traditional medium C. Loved the warm woody feel but it was just a tad too thin and gave me cramps when I opened it up in a gigging scenario. It sounded good though and I'd buy another in a heartbeat if I could ran across one with a chunky neck similar to my '62VHR.

[zosozep7]

Buddastrat

This guitar is a POS! Im not kidding. At least at my Guitar Center they were! I can honestly say that for the money of $950 dollars, they're not worth it! This whole Fender Road Worn guitar thing is a scheme and its only making Fender richer. If you can score this guitar for under $600 then maybe its woth it but I still think its a POS! The regular MIM Strats are much much better. Im not kidding you either! Based on my experience with one, I wouldnt pay more then $300 dollars for one. Ill take a regular MIM Strat instead.

[jazzandmetal?]

Here is my take and I have a Mayer and Clapton strat to compare guitar to guitar. The Mayer to me is a touch fatter as you climb up the neck compared to the 60s RW. In thickness they feel similar. The Mayer is not as fat as the 62VHR.

The 50s has a soft V and aside from the finish feels very much like the Clapton strat IMO. Also, it has some shoulder to it but you can feel the V all the way down the neck. It is a harder V at the first 5 frets, but does get more C like. It isn't too bad.

I don't like 7.25 Radius guitars and these do indeed have 7.25. The 6105s help a little, but I like a minimum 10" Radius personally.

[omni]

Originally Posted by zosozep7

Buddastrat

This guitar is a POS! Im not kidding. At least at my Guitar Center they were! I can honestly say that for the money of $950 dollars, they're not worth it! This whole Fender Road Worn guitar thing is a scheme and its only making Fender richer. If you can score this guitar for under $600 then maybe its woth it but I still think its a POS! The regular MIM Strats are much much better. Im not kidding you either! Based on my experience with one, I wouldnt pay more then $300 dollars for one. Ill take a regular MIM Strat instead.

I would take this guys opinion with a grain of salt. He does not even own one.


Now to the original question...
The neck feels very much like a 1963 strat I had, the frets help with the vintage radius. With a good good setup I guarantee you will have a hard time putting down the guitar. The back of the neck feels silky smooth and fast.If you can get a good price on one jump on it. Oh, I have the 60s version the 50s version felt good also but had more of a v shape to the neck.I have played a Mayer and the neck on that felt like an American standard to me.

[Mike Duncan]

Wait a darn minute!!! You mean these guitar companies are sellin' these guitars to make money? Impossible!

[Eric Thomas]

Originally Posted by buddastrat

Thanks Eric. Mid sized necks are fine. But what's so crazy is I've read several times that the Teles had big U necks. Not that I'm looking for a tele, but it's crazy how different all the reviews have been.

I want to know how far the V goes up the neck on these 50's. It's crazy that fender has the relic'ing down to a consistent pattern but their necks can vary so greatly.

Thanks for correcting me. I was confusing the necks. The Tele was more of a U-shape, and not a V as I said in my original post. The 50's Strat definitely had the V, not the teles. Brain lock on my part.

I'll be over that direction tomorrow and will probably stop in to give them another look. If I get the time to do that, I'll pay more attention to the V shape on the maple strats, and how it feels up the neck, and post some follow up comments here.

[Eric Thomas]

Originally Posted by omni

I would take this guys opinion with a grain of salt. He does not even own one.

Or he just came across a really bad one. Not all of them are going to be good.

[It's Time!]

Do all these Road Worn Starts have the same wear marks?

If so, that seems like it would hurt resale value.

You know 80% of you will have your guitars sold in 6 months

[jazzandmetal?]

Originally Posted by It's Time!

Do all these Road Worn Starts have the same wear marks?

If so, that seems like it would hurt resale value.

You know 80% of you will have your guitars sold in 6 months

Very Similar wear on them. Of course they are probably using a template of some sort.


Trouble maker.

[Eric Thomas]

Originally Posted by It's Time!

You know 80% of you will have your guitars sold in 6 months

I'm counting on it!

[buddastrat]

Originally Posted by jazzandmetal?

Here is my take and I have a Mayer and Clapton strat to compare guitar to guitar. The Mayer to me is a touch fatter as you climb up the neck compared to the 60s RW. In thickness they feel similar. The Mayer is not as fat as the 62VHR.

The 50s has a soft V and aside from the finish feels very much like the Clapton strat IMO. Also, it has some shoulder to it but you can feel the V all the way down the neck. It is a harder V at the first 5 frets, but does get more C like. It isn't too bad.

I don't like 7.25 Radius guitars and these do indeed have 7.25. The 6105s help a little, but I like a minimum 10" Radius personally.

very helpful. I liked the Mayer, though it could've been a tad thicker for me. I hear they vary a lot too.

Don't like the Clapton at all. Very spiney feel to the early frets. Geez, this is getting tough. I can get one for next to cost but I have to order it.

[buddastrat]

Originally Posted by zosozep7

Buddastrat

This guitar is a POS! Im not kidding. At least at my Guitar Center they were! I can honestly say that for the money of $950 dollars, they're not worth it! This whole Fender Road Worn guitar thing is a scheme and its only making Fender richer. If you can score this guitar for under $600 then maybe its woth it but I still think its a POS! The regular MIM Strats are much much better. Im not kidding you either! Based on my experience with one, I wouldnt pay more then $300 dollars for one. Ill take a regular MIM Strat instead.

Just going by specs, the MIM std. wouldn't be better for me, as I love 6105 frets, thin finishes, and unfinished necks. I hate poly necks and bodies. Plus it's a 3 piece body on the RW vs. a 6-7 piece on a std. Sure it's a lot cheaper, but I gotta say, the clips I've heard of the RW's sound pretty good for the most part.

I may just do a partsocaster off ebay. I'll have the first two tone/rosewood one. yeah!!