Warmoth neck profiles?

[atomheartmother]

What Fender profiles do the Warmoth neck profiles correspond to?

I'm thinking about getting a Warmoth neck made, but am not sure which profile to get. I have a Warmoth right now with the standard thin (modern C, I imagine), but am thinking about maybe getting something a bit thicker.

What Fender profiles do the Fatback and the Boatneck profiles correspond to?


Also, about nut width: Which is more common on Fenders--1 5/8" or 1 11/16"?

 

[Killcrop]

Most Fenders have 1 5/8

Warmoth has a crappy selection of contours. The Boat and fat back are not like any Fender necks that I know of. The Clapton is pretty close to the Fender Clapton Strat.

USACustoms has more shapes to chose from.

I really like the Fender 10/58 shape. That is a great neck shape IMO.

Allparts has more to choose from as far as Fender shapes go.

 

[Jason Carter]

The boatneck profile is my favorite if you get a maple neck with modern features and vintage construction. It is close to the Eric Johnson neck and a wide fat neck on a PRS.

 

[fullerplast]

Warmoth has 8 different back profiles, in 3 different widths so you have a total of 24 stock shapes to choose from. The profiles are all described here: neck profiles

The most common vintage Fender width is 1 5/8.

 

[MikeP]

I have tried a lot of the Warmoth necks over the years.
One that does not get much mention is the 59 roundback.
Very Nice !!

Mike

 

[atomheartmother]

Originally posted by fullerplast
Warmoth has 8 different back profiles, in 3 different widths so you have a total of 24 stock shapes to choose from. The profiles are all described here: neck profiles

The most common vintage Fender width is 1 5/8.

I know what they are; I've been looking at them. But I'd really like to try something out that has a similar feel.

 

[fullerplast]

Originally posted by atomheartmother
I know what they are; I've been looking at them. But I'd really like to try something out that has a similar feel.

The fatback is like the Gatton or early Jeff Beck necks.

The boatneck is similar to the Eric Johnson neck, with a bit less defined V.

The Clapton is like the Clapton.

The SRV is like the SRV.

All the profiles are also directly referenced to the neck you have now, so you can get a pretty good idea from the drawings on the Warmoth site. Outside of the obvious Fender profiles, it would be difficult to directly compare off the shelf Fender necks to a particular Warmoth profile with any certainty IMHO.

 

[Clorenzo]

Originally posted by MikeP
I have tried a lot of the Warmoth necks over the years.
One that does not get much mention is the 59 roundback.
Very Nice !!

Mike

+1 my favourite, having tried also the standard thin, SRV and boatneck. It's the same basic shape as the standard thin only thicker, and it's the closest they have to a PRS wide fat (the boatneck is much thicker and slightly V shaped). I also like the SRV and am curious about the Wolfgang, I might try it in my next project.

 

[Jon Silberman]

Originally posted by MikeP
I have tried a lot of the Warmoth necks over the years.
One that does not get much mention is the 59 roundback.
Very Nice !!

Mike

Agreed. In fact, last night, Warmoth delivered my '59 RB-carve paddlehead (Phil Jacoby's going to shape it like Garcia's Tiger) mahogany neck with brazillian rosewood board, 1 11/16", 6150 regular frets. Very nice indeed!

P.S. '59 RB is essentially the Reverend Eastpoint carve (my fave).

 

[Jon Silberman]

Originally posted by Dave Leslie
Most Fenders have 1 5/8

Warmoth has a crappy selection of contours. The Boat and fat back are not like any Fender necks that I know of. The Clapton is pretty close to the Fender Clapton Strat.

USACustoms has more shapes to chose from.

I really like the Fender 10/58 shape. That is a great neck shape IMO.

Allparts has more to choose from as far as Fender shapes go.

As a matter of Pure Logic , a contour selection does not automatically become crappy simply because they are not identical to Fender's stock contours.

Warmoth's contours - like their fret sizes - are what they are. Personally, I dig 'em!

 

[fullerplast]

Originally posted by atomheartmother
I have a Warmoth right now with the standard thin (modern C, I imagine), but am thinking about maybe getting something a bit thicker.

Looking at all the profiles, I'd agree with the others that the '59 roundback would be the first thing to try. Not as extreme as the fatback or boat, but a bit thicker than your stock neck that you have now. After that, the Clapton if you like a V or the SRV if you want some assymmetry.

 

[mattmccloskey]

Actually most fenders (time machine and re-issues, plus EJ sig) are not really 1 5/8 nut. Most are 1.65 which is a touch wider.
I agree with dave that there are gaps in warmoth neck selection- not only can you not get a true 1.65 nut width, but there is very little selection in the middle zones of neck carve. The standard thin is more of a D shape and pretty modern and thin. Then you jump to the boat and fat back which are really huge and chunky, with no taper. The 59 is the only option in the middle in a standard type neck but it is an upcharge. They also don't offer different radius boards unless you go with a custom order and pay more.
They also do not offer a vintage style neck with a flatter board. For example, you can't get a true vintage type neck with a 9.5 radius.
I can't see any reason why they don't make a nice medium vintage C type neck with a slightly flatter radius and nut width choice as a standard option. Think of how many guys take 57 and 62 RI strats and sand the radius down to a 9.5, 10 or 12 radius. Lots of people love the specs on the new EJ strat necks, and stores like fat sounds order lots of time machine strats with 9.5 radius and bigger frets. It would be such a good seller for all the players who want a vintage type neck with just a flatter board and bigger frets.
At this point, if you want a flatter radius you have to get either a 22 fret compound radius neck adjust rod or a 2 peice double-rod-gotoh-side-adjust compound radius 22 fret neck.

 

[lanesmat]

I agree with Fullerplast. I have a 1 5/8" Clapton "V" Warmoth neck which feels identical to a Fender Clapton Sig profile.

Scott L.

 

[johnmfer]

My Warmoth fatback is the fattest neck I have ever played. I have large hands and like beefier necks, and most American Fender shapes I've played are too thin. However, the Fatback is is a little too fat. Someday I'll grow enough of a pair to sand it down to the shape I want and refinish it, but I don't have enough confidence or time to attempt that at this point. Otherwise it's a really nice neck. If you've got the skills and confidence, buying a Fatback and shaping/finishing it yourself is a good option.

 

[Jon Silberman]

A real man would harvest the tree himself and take it from there.

 

[Srini]

My Warmoth Strat has a fatback, and even with relatively small hands, I wouldn't play anything else.

Srini

 

[atomheartmother]

So the basic concensus is that the Fatbacks and Boatnecks are pretty uncomfortable?


I don't know if this changes anything, but I play with my thumb on the top of the neck or over the fret board almost exclusively.

The only times that I really have my thumb on the back is when playing chords that involve a barre of several frets using the first finger, and sometimes when playing lead up on the 6th string.

Is there any particular profile that would be most comfortable for that?



Also, what about wider nuts? Is there an concensus on those?



BTW: I like the standard thin, but thought maybe something else would be better. But I don't just want to jump into something uncomfortable that costs me $300+. Part of changing to a new contour kind of justifies me getting a new neck though (on top of the SS frets).

 

[fullerplast]

Originally posted by atomheartmother
So the basic concensus is that the Fatbacks and Boatnecks are pretty uncomfortable?


I don't know if this changes anything, but I play with my thumb on the top of the neck or over the fret board almost exclusively.

The only times that I really have my thumb on the back is when playing chords that involve a barre of several frets using the first finger, and sometimes when playing lead up on the 6th string.

Is there any particular profile that would be most comfortable for that?



Also, what about wider nuts? Is there an concensus on those?



BTW: I like the standard thin, but thought maybe something else would be better. But I don't just want to jump into something uncomfortable that costs me $300+. Part of changing to a new contour kind of justifies me getting a new neck though (on top of the SS frets).

I think that fatback and boat necks are the most comfortable necks I've ever played. I also like more wood in a neck for tone and sustain. But that's for *me*.

If you play with your thumb over the top, then they probably are *not* the necks you want to use, especially in a wider nut width. If you like the standard thin, and that suits your playing style, then you have some risk of not liking a thicker neck.

If you can't try one, then maybe tape a strip or two of cardboard on the back of your thin neck and see it you can still use your thumb....a wider nut will make it even more difficult. This stuff is so subjective, but at the same time you will eventually adapt to whatever you use.

It's funny, we never used to have all these choices-we just learned to play what was available. Now we have 24 profiles to choose from and it's a crappy selection....

 

[atomheartmother]

Originally posted by fullerplast
I think that fatback and boat necks are the most comfortable necks I've ever played. I also like more wood in a neck for tone and sustain. But that's for *me*.

If you play with your thumb over the top, then they probably are *not* the necks you want to use, especially in a wider nut width. If you like the standard thin, and that suits your playing style, then you have some risk of not liking a thicker neck.

If you can't try one, then maybe tape a strip or two of cardboard on the back of your thin neck and see it you can still use your thumb....a wider nut will make it even more difficult. This stuff is so subjective, but at the same time you will eventually adapt to whatever you use.

It's funny, we never used to have all these choices-we just learned to play what was available. Now we have 24 profiles to choose from and it's a crappy selection....

Well, I didn't have any trouble playing the Gibson SG that I had for a while. Maybe I'll just stick with the standard thin. Why don't they have the soft V's and stuff like on Fender guitars?

 

[daddyo]

Originally posted by mattmccloskey
Actually most fenders (time machine and re-issues, plus EJ sig) are not really 1 5/8 nut. Most are 1.65 which is a touch wider.
I agree with dave that there are gaps in warmoth neck selection- not only can you not get a true 1.65 nut width, but there is very little selection in the middle zones of neck carve. The standard thin is more of a D shape and pretty modern and thin. Then you jump to the boat and fat back which are really huge and chunky, with no taper. The 59 is the only option in the middle in a standard type neck but it is an upcharge. They also don't offer different radius boards unless you go with a custom order and pay more.
They also do not offer a vintage style neck with a flatter board. For example, you can't get a true vintage type neck with a 9.5 radius.
I can't see any reason why they don't make a nice medium vintage C type neck with a slightly flatter radius and nut width choice as a standard option. Think of how many guys take 57 and 62 RI strats and sand the radius down to a 9.5, 10 or 12 radius. Lots of people love the specs on the new EJ strat necks, and stores like fat sounds order lots of time machine strats with 9.5 radius and bigger frets. It would be such a good seller for all the players who want a vintage type neck with just a flatter board and bigger frets.
At this point, if you want a flatter radius you have to get either a 22 fret compound radius neck adjust rod or a 2 peice double-rod-gotoh-side-adjust compound radius 22 fret neck.

I agree with mattmccloskey,

My Cray has a vintage 61 C neck, 9.5" radius, and medium jumbo frets. Only neg is it's 1.65". I'd love that neck in either 1 11/16 or 1 3/4".