# The Great Ongoing Guitar Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 31, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172 "2010-01-31T23:20:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 42
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/821 "2010-09-11T15:11:03Z")
Just you mentioning it. I saw a random statement of that in something someone said a while back, I think it was when I got his latest album. I didn’t know it was actually a huge thing. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/822 "2010-09-14T05:20:21Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > It may get loud. > > And yes, an overdrive Blues Jr. can be loud - which is a good thing! Nudge, nudge, in thread joke referencing [It Might Get Loud](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229360/), awesome guitar movie (now available on Netflix Watch Instantly; everybody in this thread go watch it now!). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/823 "2010-09-14T11:16:53Z")
I knew that. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/824 "2010-09-15T20:24:16Z")
Got the Tele in last night! I was a little bit shocked–it was sold as “used”, but it still had the plastic on the pickguard and pickup and the case candy was untouched. They said it had some minor scratches, but they were in the plastic. If they had shipped it as a brand-new guitar, I wouldn’t have blinked. The crimson transparent finish really is gorgeous. It definitely needs the intonation adjusted, but everything else seems tip-top. I haven’t had much of a chance to play around with it yet, but so far I’m in love. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/825 "2010-09-15T20:39:35Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > Got the Tele in last night! I was a little bit shocked–it was sold as “used”, but it still had the plastic on the pickguard and pickup and the case candy was untouched. They said it had some minor scratches, but they were in the plastic. If they had shipped it as a brand-new guitar, I wouldn’t have blinked. > > The crimson transparent finish really is gorgeous. It definitely needs the intonation adjusted, but everything else seems tip-top. I haven’t had much of a chance to play around with it yet, but so far I’m in love. Score!! Congrats. The intonation is easy if you have a digital tuner: - Tune the open string’s 12th fret harmonic. - Fret the string at the 12th fret and then pluck it: \> If the fretted note is HIGHER vs. the harmonic = your string is a bit too SHORT so unscrew the bridge saddle back a bit and try again Should take you about 15 minutes (well, if you are doing it for the first time, perhaps a lot longer - but you get the idea). AND: if this doesn’t work for any reason, spend a few bucks and get the guitar to a tech… ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/826 "2010-09-15T23:03:24Z")
Happy New Guitar Day, **DoctorJ**! Here’s a [page](http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/intonate.htm) on intonation with pics n stuff. Or use **WordMan** ’s description, it’s all good. Play it for a while and see if you find issues, like a buzzy or sharp-edge fret and whatnot. Then take your list of issues to the tech if you feel they are bothersome. Adjusting the intonation yourself isn’t a big deal (although if its a real [old-school three-saddle](http://www.classicacafe.com/images/customer-files/6in52TeleBridge.gif) Tele bridge it can be a bit fiddly). ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/827 "2010-09-16T02:24:18Z")
> [@DoctorJ](#): > > Got the Tele in last night! I was a little bit shocked–it was sold as “used”, but it still had the plastic on the pickguard and pickup and the case candy was untouched. They said it had some minor scratches, but they were in the plastic. If they had shipped it as a brand-new guitar, I wouldn’t have blinked. > > The crimson transparent finish really is gorgeous. It definitely needs the intonation adjusted, but everything else seems tip-top. I haven’t had much of a chance to play around with it yet, but so far I’m in love. Congrats! I think you’re gonna have a blast with it. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/828 "2010-09-16T10:12:14Z")
> **[Rock Band Rivals | Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.](https://www.rockband4.com)** > > In Rock Band Rivals, form your own band, rock the world, and live out your ultimate rock and roll fantasy, with your friends, family, or as a solo act. Some more details on the Rock Band 3 Pro Guitar mode. > **[Rock Band 3 Pro guitar preview: the guitarist vs. the guitar hero | Engadget](https://www.engadget.com/2010-09-14-rock-band-3-pro-guitar-preview-the-guitarist-vs-the-guitar-her.html)** > > Since our brief glimpses at E3, we've managed to pick up Rock Band 3's new Pro guitars a few times -- both live on the Engadget Show and otherwise -- and have gotten a better feel for how both the Squier Stratocaster (a.k.a. They got a professional guitarist to try out the Squier. He seems to like it. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/829 "2010-09-16T16:42:47Z")
**New Topic: The Importance of the Right Neck Profile** Sitting here munching on raw broccoli for lunch, between meetings, and wanting to essay out a bit on my POV on this topic. Neck Profile or Carve: the basic design of the neck, from standard medium C profile to wide-and-flat classical and metal shredder guitar necks, to the old-school V-neck profile or big-and-chunky baseball bats. When I cruise the message boards, there are three flavors of POV regarding the importance of neck profile in one’s playing and/or tone: - Indifferent - simply don’t think much about it; a guitar’s playable or it isn’t - Polytheistic - sensitive to neck profile, but can handle most different profiles and feel good with the variety - Monotheistic - sensitive to neck profile, and believe that getting the consistent type of neck profile across your guitars is essential to their playability I am 100% Monotheistic: every one of my keeper guitars (i.e., guitars I am not actively looking to sell or trade at this point) has a big, chunky neck. Not so round as to have a D profile with prominent shoulders; not so shaped as to have a V-shape with no shoulders; more perfectly-neutral-to-hint-of-V - but big in a deceptively-doesn’t-feel-big sort of way. I have come to feel that a large, comfortable neck is central to how I play: it positions my hand best for bends; I can play much longer because it is less fatiguing for my large, sausage-fingered hands ;); chording feels more comfortable, etc. Also, and every thoughtful guitarist has their own working POV on this - I believe that neck mass, along with size and solidity of neck joint - is central to a good guitar tone. In my playing experience, there is a higher correlation between truly great guitars I’ve played and this factor than most others besides basic guitar design, wood and pickups. I can see how a bigger neck has more mass to contribute to the vibrations of the overall system and neck joint is all about transferring those vibrations efficiently. When I am feeling G.A.S.sy and checking out new guitars, a simple feel of the back of the neck is the first thing I check: if it isn’t a big carve, I don’t go much further simply because I know the guitar will never be long-term-perfect for me. Or, I begin to think about ways to find or make a big-necked version of that design… Anyway - there you have it; no real conclusions since everybody has what works for them. So…what works for you neck-wise? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/830 "2010-09-16T20:05:48Z")
So far, I just know that my NotPaul has a very thin neck and it’s much easier to play, except that my fingers hit strings on the opposite side of every note. Which is a problem. Or a benefit, depending. The Pig is a big chunky neck… if you look at the Guitar Food Groups thread, I just posted a bunch of comparative measurements. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551263&page=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551263&page=2) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/831 "2010-09-16T20:18:45Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > So far, I just know that my NotPaul has a very thin neck and it’s much easier to play, except that my fingers hit strings on the opposite side of every note. Which is a problem. Or a benefit, depending. > > The Pig is a big chunky neck… if you look at the Guitar Food Groups thread, I just posted a bunch of comparative measurements. > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551263&page=2](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=551263&page=2) I think I am only seeing you list nut width. Neck depth at the nut and the 12th fret is what really influences chunkiness, too. Allparts’ (a place where you can buy aftermarket guitar parts - their Fender-type necks are actually made by Fender Japan, but have to be sold under the Allparts brand name when imported back into the US) “[Tele Fat](http://www.allparts.com/Chunky-Telecaster-Neck-p/tmo-fat.htm)” neck is 1" deep at the 12th fret - that’s a big neck. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/832 "2010-09-17T09:56:48Z")
Polytheistic I guess, the only neck profile I actually hate is the Fender V, yuk. Can’t cope with classical guitars either, but who wants to play one of those things anyway 🙂 I find that fat necks are OK for low slung, thumb over the top Page/Townshend shenanigens (even though I’ve got titchy hands) but useless for _guitar at a sensible height_ shredding where you need to plant your thumb on the back. I have an Ibanez S-something with the “Wizard” neck, really slim. Great for shredding (and messing about with Bach etc.) but playing a power chord on that guitar just feels stupid. It probably doesn’t help that as well as the pansy neck, the entire body is thinner than the headstock of Jeff Beck’s strat. Tone wise, for sustain generally bigger is better. But. If you’re playing fast scales and sweep arpeggios you’re not going to be relying on the natural sustain of the guitar. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/833 "2010-09-17T10:55:30Z")
Problem was, I could only find nut width on most of them. And none of the numbers matched anyhow, half were metric, half were decimal english and half were fractional english. If you can improve, go crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/834 "2010-09-17T11:03:22Z")
Agnostic here. I don’t even know whether the necks of my guitars would be considered slim or chunky. ETA: My Tele has a Warmoth “standard thin” neck, and my Strat matches that. I don’t know about the Dot and the Mustang. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/835 "2010-09-17T11:53:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*but useless for guitar at a sensible height \* You’re hilarious - I mean, yeah, you’re correct that playing with the guitar high is better for technical playing, but I can tell this really bugs you when a dude isn’t going for technical playing and slings it low. 😉 Full disclosure: I wear it low enough, but not ridiculous. I do believe that if the guitar doesn’t cover your Boys, it ain’t low enough 😉 But I am a true thumb-over-the-top , non-tech, no shred kinda guy so it all works out. But you are correct overall; I just like how mine feels. > [@](#): > > But. If you’re playing fast scales and sweep arpeggios you’re not going to be relying on the natural sustain of the guitar. Really true and a critical insight: the more metal/shred you get, the more you rely on your pickups, pedals and a truly distorted amp to deliver the tone and sustain you require. Styles that require a relatively lower level of distortion - from clean-picking country through about Van Halen-level crunch - the design and wood of the guitar play a far more influential role. > [@](#): > > Agnostic here. I don’t even know whether the necks of my guitars would be considered slim or chunky. \*\*Crotalus \*\*- having played your parts-o-tele, it would say it is a standard slim profile - like Gibson’s Slim Profile or Fender’s standard carve. You can go to Warmoth’s site or other general guitar sites to get the measurements of necks that are normally considered slim vs. chunky, and if you end up being truly curious, you can measure your guitars… ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/836 "2010-09-17T12:32:32Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > \*\*Crotalus \*\*- having played your parts-o-tele, it would say it is a standard slim profile - like Gibson’s Slim Profile or Fender’s standard carve. You can go to Warmoth’s site or other general guitar sites to get the measurements of necks that are normally considered slim vs. chunky, and if you end up being truly curious, you can measure your guitars… You know me, generally ignorant but always curious. 🙂 I will be measuring necks during a break from work sometime this morning. I already verified that my Warmoth neck on the Tele is their “standard slim” (.80" at the 1st fret, .85" at the 12th), and I’m pretty sure the Strat Plus is the same profile. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/837 "2010-09-17T12:34:32Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > > [@WordMan](#): > > > > \*\*Crotalus \*\*- having played your parts-o-tele, it would say it is a standard slim profile - like Gibson’s Slim Profile or Fender’s standard carve. You can go to Warmoth’s site or other general guitar sites to get the measurements of necks that are normally considered slim vs. chunky, and if you end up being truly curious, you can measure your guitars… > > You know me, generally ignorant but always curious. 🙂 I will be measuring necks during a break from work sometime this morning. I already verified that my Warmoth neck on the Tele is their “standard slim” (.80" at the 1st fret, .85" at the 12th), and I’m pretty sure the Strat Plus is the same profile. I knew if I framed it as a tool-requiring problem, you’d get on it. Pull out those calipers, sir. 😉 What is key to point out is that Slim\* at .85" and Fat at 1" means that there is a .15" spread between them - that ain’t a lot and yet, for some of us, we can \*really \*feel it. \*but please note - “slim” is not the thinnest out there; it is slim in a conventional sense. Shredders can have even thinner necks but I don’t know how far they go. And classicals are also designed thin and wide for a thumb-on-the-back position and also don’t fit this thinking… ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/838 "2010-09-17T14:48:21Z")
Where _are_ my calipers? I know I have a set. I’ll get on it. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/839 "2010-09-17T14:50:59Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I can tell this really bugs you when a dude isn’t going for technical playing and slings it low Nah, I used to wear the Tele at late 70s Jimmy Page level, it can work OK for some styles of playing. I just find that a big neck only works for me either slung low or playing sat down. Besides the only really chunky-necked guitar I have now\* is the Les Paul, and if you wear a Les Paul at chest height you will (a) look like a Dick (b) fall on your face. \*The Tele used to have a really big neck. At the heel the depth was the same as the tenon (or whatever the bolted bit is called). I shaved off a mm or so when I refretted it, so it’s not such a baseball bat now. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/840 "2010-09-17T15:02:04Z")
> [@Small\_Clanger](#): > > > [@WordMan](#): > > > > I can tell this really bugs you when a dude isn’t going for technical playing and slings it low > > Nah, I used to wear the Tele at late 70s Jimmy Page level, it can work OK for some styles of playing. I just find that a big neck only works for me either slung low or playing sat down. Besides the only really chunky-necked guitar I have now\* is the Les Paul, and if you wear a Les Paul at chest height you will (a) look like a Dick (b) fall on your face. > \*The Tele used to have a really big neck. At the heel the depth was the same as the tenon (or whatever the bolted bit is called). I shaved off a mm or so when I refretted it, so it’s not such a baseball bat now. :D:D All good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=43)