Precision bass nut widths?

[fender3x]

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?

[pablopepper]

All the bass kits I've done (PBH-4, RC-4, MMB-4) are 42mm at the nut. Which is P bass standard.

[andrewdosborne]

The JBA4 kit is also approx 42 mm

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[fender3x]

That sounds like classic p-bass width. Standard Jazz should be closer to 1.5" or 38mm.

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[wazkelly]

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?

[Arzi]

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...

[fender3x]

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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[andrewdosborne]

That sounds like classic p-bass width. Standard Jazz should be closer to 1.5" or 38mm.

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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)

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[fender3x]

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)

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...

[keloooe]

I love a good J neck, for a bassist with smaller hands like myself, it is much more maneuverable when on stage.