Guitar neck info

Here is a collection of guitar neck info I collected recently.



It all started playing my Les Paul. My back starts hurting due to the weight after 30 or 45 minutes, so although I'm very happy with my LP, I started a search for another guitar. I looked at a number of options, in a lot more detail then I have in the past. I was suprised how how little info was readily available for most guitars. And the models/manufacturers that did provide the information I found informative, but I didn't have much to compare it too (my previous practical experience.)

What follows, I will take you step by step, measurment by measurment through a guitar neck - and MOST importantly provide examples so you can compare them to what you know (hopefully). Keep in mind, this information is for the guitarist so he/she is a bit more informed when a purchase comes up, not a luthier for building.




First, lets take a simple look at a guitar neck:





Front neck picture notes: 6 - The Nut.
1 - Head stock. This is where the tuners are located. 7 - Truss rod adjustment.
2 - Fretboard. The radius of the fretboard. 8 - 22 frets on this neck, not 24 or 21.
3 - Fret wire. Comes in many sizes and a few different materials. Back neck picture notes:
4 - Fret Markers. 1 - The Back countour
5 - Tuner Holes. Usually comes in 6 inline (like a Strat) or 3x3 (like a Les Paul). 2 - The finish on the wood.



The headstock(1) & Tuners (5)... Here are some examples:


As you can see from these examples, either all 6 on one side (6 in line) or 3 per side (3x3) are the standard. This is more personal preference from a guitarists perspective. Each manufacturer has thier variation of one or both. At least in my mind, its either 6 in line like a Fender Strat or 3x3 like a Gibson Les Paul - others are just variations of a theme.
A quick note about the tuner holes. Not all tuner machines requier the same sized hole. However, the vast majority of tuners requier a 11/32", 25/64", or a 13/32" hole. Close I know.. but if you are spending your hard earned cash on a neck and/or some tuners, so what you can to make sure you get it right.




The fretboard(2) & its radius.. Here are some examples:


As you can see in the 4 pictures above, there is a slight curve to the fretboard. Some necks have more of a curve then others - this is refered to as the radius of the neck or fretboard. As an extreme example, a fret board can have a radius of 7.5" up to 16". What does that mean? The higher the number the less of a 'curve'. Early Strats have a 7.5" radius, but now days most have a 9.5" radius. Where Les Pauls have a 11" or 12" radius. Classical nylon string guitars can have a 16" or higher inch radius - they are VERY flat compared to our electric guitars. Its said that the lower the radius, the easier it is to chord, and the higher the radius, the easier to play single notes and bend strings. We can't forget about Warmoth who has what they refer to as a 'compound radius'. The compound radius has a 10" radius down near the first couple of frets, and it gradually increases to a 16" radius higher up the neck. This compound radius is designed to give you the best of both worlds. If you are so inclinded, there are places on the web that will show geometric circles and equastions that show how the curve is calculated.


The fret wire(3) - Here are some pictures:


Personally, I'm a "Medium Jumbo" fret guy.
Here is a chart for you to compare sizes.

6100 .112" X .055" Really big.
6105 .096" X .047" tall & narrow - well liked
6130 .106" X .036" "Medium Jumbo" - like most Gibson necks
6230 .080" X .043" Like an old Fender
6150 .103" X .046" "Jumo", just a bit taller then the 6130



The fret markers (Inlays) (4) - Here are some pictures:


Fret markers come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. And from the last picture, you can see there are even dots on the side of the fret board (the 'top' as you are looking down while playing - these side dots are almost always just black or white, depending on what is easier to see on the particular color of wood). Fret markers can be made of: black or cream colored phenolic, Abalone, Mother of Pearl, black or cream colored Corian, synthetic pearl, etc., etc. etc. Most on general commercially available gutiars are phenolic or Abalone.


The nut(6) - Here are some pictures:


Guitar nuts can be made of plastic (of various qualities), bone, ivory, metal, graphite, and all kinds of different synthetic materials. They all have 'different' tonal properties. There is usually a bit more to the nut then some think. The string slots depth, width, and angle as well as the general height of the nut all play a roll for a good performing nut.


The truss rod(7) & adjustment:


As you can see from the pictures above, there are a few differnet ways to adjust a truss rod. Some models have the adjustment at the heel of the guitar (you have to remove the neck to adjust it) - good thing you seldom have to adjust it! Some (newer) models aloow for adjustment on the side of the heel, and some under the truss rod cover (see picture to the right) at the bottom of the headstock.

This isn't so much as something to take into account when looking to purchase a guitar, but something to be aware of, especially when you are fine tuning a guitar (of which I am guilty of NOT doing as often as I should). However, I should state, that unless you are confident with what you are doing, I would suggest for the betterment of your guitar, you seek professional assistance, or you take your time. The results of making truss rod adjustments are not seen immediatly. Make a small adjustment (1/8th or maybe 1/4 turn), and then let it sit for a day or two and then check the results of your adjustment. Also, loosen the strings while making the adjustment, and then retune the guitar right afterward.

And how do you know if your truss rod needs adjustment?

These pictures are exagerated, but makes the point. The first picture demonstrates if the truss rod is too loose, while the second demonstrates what the neck would look like if the truss rod was too tight. The ideal position is not perfectly flat, but with the end of the neck bending slightly upward (like in the first picture, but not nearly as much) while the upper part of the neck (7th fret & higher) is flat.

I'd like to clarify and expand on this topic a bit someday.



Number of frets (8) & scale length:
OK.. no pictures for this one. Regarding the number of frets - some guitars have 21, others have 22, while others have 24. There are always exceptions, but most have one of these 3 numbers, and the bulk of these will either have 22 or 24. This boils down to personal preference or if the style of music you play brings you up to playing on the 23rd and 24th fret. Under most conditions for most players 22 frets is just fine.

I guess this is as good of place as any to mention scale length. Again, there are exceptions and variations on differnet models from different manufacturers, but if you are an electric guitar player, there is pretty much only 2 scale lengths you have to remember - 24.75" scale like a Gibson Les Paul, and 25.5" like a Fender Strat or Tele. I guess I should mention that PRS's scale is 25" which is kind of a happy medium. The scale length is calculated like this (I know, I know, I tend not to provide math to keep things friendly and simple, sorry!) You take the measurement from the where the nut and the fret board meet to the middle of the 12th fret, and then double that number - that is the scale of your guitar. This should be very close to the same distance from the nut to the bridge. However due to the saddles on the bridge to adjust inntonation, measuring from the nut to the bridge doesn't work out as exact as using the proper way.


The Back contour: (1)
Coming soon.