Every guitar player is different and so are his/her hands. It is not a "one size fits all" world. If it were then you wouldn't be reading this article. The neck is the part of your guitar that projects from the main body and is the part that the guitar player interacts with most. Therefore feel, grip, sheen, finish depth, width, string gauge and fret size all determine comfort and play-ability levels for each player.
If a guitar neck doesn't feel right the first thought is to find someone to blame. The manufacturer, the salesman, the Luthier, the guitar store. No not really. How about YOU? A player is responsible for educating him or herself in the areas where comfort is of major concern. It is important for the guitarist to be familiar with all of the parts of the neck and which ones specifically affect the comfort level they seek to become the optimum player they want to be. The term “neck profile” refers to the shape of the back of a guitar neck in cross section, and it’s often used interchangeably with the term “back shape” of which the "thickness" is an integral part. You can also refer to it simply as “neck shape,” although there are other important neck measurements with which “neck profile” shouldn’t be confused such as; neck width, neck depth and fingerboard radius.The shape of the neck's cross-section can also vary from a gentle curve to a more pronounced "V" however there is no perfect guitar neck shape for everyone, but their is for you-find it.
If a guitar neck doesn't feel right the first thought is to find someone to blame. The manufacturer, the salesman, the Luthier, the guitar store. No not really. How about YOU? A player is responsible for educating him or herself in the areas where comfort is of major concern. It is important for the guitarist to be familiar with all of the parts of the neck and which ones specifically affect the comfort level they seek to become the optimum player they want to be. The term “neck profile” refers to the shape of the back of a guitar neck in cross section, and it’s often used interchangeably with the term “back shape” of which the "thickness" is an integral part. You can also refer to it simply as “neck shape,” although there are other important neck measurements with which “neck profile” shouldn’t be confused such as; neck width, neck depth and fingerboard radius.The shape of the neck's cross-section can also vary from a gentle curve to a more pronounced "V" however there is no perfect guitar neck shape for everyone, but their is for you-find it.
It’s important to understand that neck profile doesn’t affect the sound of the guitar itself; rather, it affects your comfort level and that in turn, affects the way you play it, how long you can play it, how your hand feels after you play it and general satisfaction with not having to alter your style because of it and in the instrument itself. At Haywire Custom Shop our job is to have the right guitar matched up with the right hands. This accounts for our decision not to offer a "Click and Buy site" as we know that most players are not familiar enough with the parts of the guitar that really will matter to them immediately and over time. We need to discuss their comfort needs FIRST. Only then will we be on the right track to offer them the best instrument for their playing style for now and as it evolves in the future. We want them to have a guitar they can "grow" with and feel great about playing.
So, what does all this mean to the average guitar player who is considering buying a guitar with a description that mentions the instrument’s neck profile? Everything! Comfort, sound, feel, speed, action, fatigue and overall feeling of reliability in the instrument are affected by the neck profile.
Because of this there is no perfect guitar neck shape for everyone. Your neck profile should make it easy for you to comfortably reach all the frets. Bottom line: Neck profile and neck width is important; so pay attention to what feels right for you so WE can get it right for you because ONLY YOU know what feels right for you.
