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I am curious about the nut width of the necks on the basses here. I have tended to like jazz style necks, and am thinking about a replacement for my current Precision (a 1975 Fender). I like my bass, but have always preferred the jazz neck feel. Are any of the kits like that?
All the bass kits I've done (PBH-4, RC-4, MMB-4) are 42mm at the nut. Which is P bass standard.
The JBA4 kit is also approx 42 mm
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That sounds like classic p-bass width. Standard Jazz should be closer to 1.5" or 38mm.
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Fender website shows 41.3mm for American Standard P Bass vs 38.1mm for American Standard J Bass = 3.2mm difference which doesn't sound a lot? About a fraction thicker than most low E's, in fact = 126 if comparing to a string gauge. Only other difference is the P's now come with Graphite Reinforced Maple Necks whatever that means???
You must have longer fingers than me as I don't spend a lot of time down near the nut end other than playing open strings and the odd note here and there. Much prefer block 5 as everything is much easier to reach and is probably whereabouts these 2 neck differences might meet up somewhere between 5th & 7th, or maybe 9th fret at a pinch. No specs for width at 12th fret on either?
The necks even though 42mm at the nut have somewhat different playability. For example RC-4 felt wider than MMB-4 neck. Same nut but totally different feel all together.
I've used mainly jazz necks 38mm but for some reason the MMB-4 neck felt wonderful in my hands in comparison to RC-4 which I "Lemmyed" with my limited playing skills but with the MMB-4 I had the courage to go and try some RHCP... Actually felt even better than the jazz I had at the time (sold it a while back.
If I knew there was a difference for example between the MMB-4 and PB/JB necks' profiles and know that the MMB-4 feels just right, I'd custom order any kit I buy with that particular neck. So far I've built only those two kits so I can't testify on others.
I too have short fingers and can't even dream of picking up a 5 or 6 string bass, but for some weird reason I love the MMB-4...
I have two basses with 38mm nuts, and have a mid-70s Precision with the 42mm. For me the 38mm is more comfortable. Ot sure why. Intellectually, it doesn't seem like much, but somehow it's just more comfortable. Maybe it's the taper? I read from the Warmoth folks that about 70% of their sales are for the jazz style necks. You can sometimes find Fender Precisions with the jazz style neck, but I've never seen the reverse.
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Sometime down the track I was going to re taper the neck width back so to have 38mm at the nut. Small adjustment but a big change to the feel (for me)Quote:
Originally Posted by fender3x
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Personally, I'd love to hear how that goes, and the degree of difficulty. I am sometimes tempted...but then see a mighty mite J bass neck for $110...Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewdosborne
I love a good J neck, for a bassist with smaller hands like myself, it is much more maneuverable when on stage.
Well - I've bought great jazz necks from Ebay new (chinese) for as low as 35-40 $ delivered. Just need to level the frets and they are good to go. All the measurements have been accurate to the add so far.
I tend to change the nut to a bone nut too. Costs extra 1$... Too bad the unfinished paddle necks are hard to get for bass. You get a finished one for 40$ and pay 100-150 for unfinished one... 🤔
By the way... Did not see any bass necks on PBG shop.... If I'd order a kit of any sort, I'd order a paddle bass neck to go with it as extra every time as they are so hard to get reasonably priced in Europe.
Interesting comments.
Surely nut width is only one part of the 3 dimensional thing happening at that end of the neck. Profile shape, C, U or D plus depth through centreline all contribute to how comfortable things feel which also impacts on playability too. I tend to find these aspects are more important but also acknowledge why some would favour a Jazz neck. About 35 years ago I had a couple of unique Ibanez P Bass bodies with maple FB Jazz necks plus a J pickup at the bridge. They were awesome and mainly because of the sealed Maple Fret Board providing a lighter and faster action plus giving them a brighter sound too. Here is a shot from an old catalogue with the 2 hybrid's I had being the white one on the left...
Attachment 13755
I am sure Waz is right. For sure not all Jazz necks feel the same.
My personal favorite is the old G&L #8, which was a C profile, 1.5" nut 12" radius. G&L necks are pretty well rounded at the fretboard edges, and mine is a satin finish. I am guessing all that contributes to feel.
I think the profile that has made all the Fender necks so popular is the C. My P neck is a C as are the two Jazz necks.
I have relatively big hands and like a bit wider neck on a guitar. Can't explain why I like the jazz neck better. I can feel differences between jazz-ish necks, but if I pick up a Fender bass in a shop, my hands like the Jazz better than the P. By contrast I've never liked the offset jazz body as well as the p shape, which just feels about perfect.
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The bass I've had most play time on over the last 20 years is my Ibanez Ergodyne. It was the only bass I had up until I got in to building kits. The neck on that thing is insanely skinny (36mm at the nut) and it took me a while to get used to anything else, but I have ended up preferring the bigger necks. Less hand cramps.
http://img.audiofanzine.com/images/u...db500-2402.jpg
Spot on Waz forgot about the other dimensions! I just checked by '62 reissue P bass. 42mm nut (same as my PBG JBA) but has a slim C profile. Feels very different to my PBG JBA - which is more 'D' shape than 'C' shape.
@ Pabs, seriously skinny that neck and agree it would have been uncomfortable to play.
@ Ponch, not a fan of the 'half a baseball bat' profiles. Had that on my first Strat and gave it to a guitar shop tech who spoke shaved it down to a more manageable thickness through the centreline for me. Probably my biggest dislike of F styles is the oversized chunky profiles they tend to churn out.
Surprised nobody has started on the Maple is better than Rosewood Fret Board or vice versa argument yet as they are both huge factors in how a neck feels and plays plus how that can affect the sound of an axe too.
Personally, I love a thin neck, and I favour maple over rosewood as when it is finished right, it can give a silky smooth feel and looks absolutely fantastic with black block inlays and binding, just like Waz's Ibanez
On the money there Kels as I reckon Maple feels faster and produces brighter top end notes too.