Author Topic: Why doe a guitar neck goes wider as it goes to the higher fret? (Read 141 times)

grass903 · « **on:** July 31, 2009, 05:16:26 AM »

Hello, people.

I've been wondering about this for a very long time, and somehow I'm writing now.

This subject got into my mind when I first time heard of the story which was about Anthony Jackson commissioned Carl Thompson to make a 6 string bass guitar. It was when there was no standard for 6 string bass guitar. Carl Thompson made it, but its neck didn't go wide enough as it goes to the high frets, so Anthony Jackson couldn't use it.

I'm a mid-size frame asian guy(I'm not sure this kind of expression is used), and I think if I get my hands on Anthony Jackson's bass, I probably won't be able to use it well for its neck width.

Different neck widths at the neck position and
the bridge position mean strings spacing changes, right? Since I've never seen a bass guitar that has almost same string spacing at the nut and the bridge, I wonder what it'd be like if there is one made that way. A classical guitar didn't help me with this problem.

Have anyone experienced one?

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** July 31, 2009, 08:57:26 AM »

I can think of three guesses off the top of my head, which may or may not actually be the case.

1 - the tapered neck is a trade-off between the fretting hand and the plucking hand. For the fretting hand, having the strings closer together at the peghead end of the neck makes chords easier and melodic runs faster. For the plucking hand, having the strings too close together can hinder finger-picking techiques.

2 - as you move up the fretboard from the peghead toward the bridge, the frets get closer to each other, making chords and melodic runs more difficult. Spreading the strings out can help overcome the problems tight fret spacings can cause.

3 - the relationship of your fretting wrist with the neck changes as you move up or down the neck. Reducing the width of the neck at the nut makes the wrist a little more comfortable when playing at the peghead end of the neck.

terryc · « **Reply #2 on:** August 04, 2009, 03:40:12 AM »

On a historic note, classical & flamenco guitars all have parallel necks.
Nice explanation Dave but maybe rock'n'rollers were too lazy to train there hands!!!!!
Of course the above guitars are meant to be played sitting, standing up gives awkward angles to the wrist, especially if you are the low slung guitar player.
Playing the guitar/bass higher up gives a more natural angle position to the plucking hand but can strain the fretting hand on long necks that Alembic's have(not any longer than standard but the way they are built)
I like 'mid size frame asian guy'..makes me smile at the explanation.
Is there a size standard for humans???

edwin · « **Reply #3 on:** August 06, 2009, 02:18:15 PM »

I've seen Alembics where the strings are just about parallel. But, I think the real answer isn't so much about the fingerboard as it is the bridge. I like a fairly wide spacing there, especially for slap stuff. The exception is for picking.

Edwin

dannobasso · « **Reply #4 on:** August 06, 2009, 09:28:40 PM »

http://club.alembic.com/Images/411/12244.html?1242328293

case in point, you can fly on this baby!

jacko · « **Reply #5 on:** August 07, 2009, 02:16:05 AM »

Just to go against the grain, Mike Pisanek's 6 string spoiler has a parallel neck and the string spacing is closer at the bridge than at the nut. Bizarre! it can be seen on the scottish gathering thread.

Graeme

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 07, 2009, 03:32:27 AM »

this neck is 1.5 inches wide from 1st to last fret!

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** August 07, 2009, 05:24:49 PM »

Keavin, I didn't know that about your bass; cool!

And those two six string Spoilers are pretty cool too!