[jazz_guitar] Neck Width on Jazz Guitars

[Matt Stati]

For the past couple of weeks, I've put down my electric guitar and resumed steady practice with my electric acoustic. After reminding myself of what full tone I get from an acoustic, I'm wondering why I've ever played electric (except for obvious rock, blues, etc.,).

I'm wondering about jazz guitars. How wide is the neck typically on a good jazz guitar? Is it much wider than the average acoustic? Also, do jazz guitars typically have good tone? I know the question is vague (by "jazz guitar," it could be a lot of things), but I'd be interested in hearing any comments. I seem to like the wider neck, even if it makes some chord changes a bit more difficult.

Thanks,
M.

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[Ron Becker]

I'm with you on the wider neck. Mine is 1 3/4 at the nut. But fairly
thin. Tone is subjective and varies like crazy in archtops. I have a
laminated maple archtop and a solid wood hand carved one. Both sound
great but I prefer the solid wood sound. These have a tendency to
feed back in loud settings so they are pretty much a one trick pony.
Strings make a lot of difference. Heavier strings sound better in a
jazz setting or anywhere you aren't doing a lot of bending. They
sound better there of course but not with my hands. I like Thomastik
Infeld lately. Round wound and articulate in the low strings and not
strident or frappy when you dig into the high E or B. I've getting
ready to try some 14s in the Be Bop strings. Their strings have lower
tension in the wound strings. I have 13s on currently and I can bend
two of the round strings together to put a little english on when I
want. My hands are pretty wimpy these days. I couldn't do much of
that sort of stuff on a flat top with heavy strings. Lastly I play
differently on a LP clone with 10s than an archtop with big strings.

Ron
Living and playing outside the box.

http://www.myspace.com/ron45becker

[Mike Detlefsen]

Matt Stati wrote:
> I'm wondering about jazz guitars. How wide is the neck typically on a good jazz guitar?

> I seem to like the wider neck, even if it makes some chord changes a bit more difficult.
>
>

Like other guitars, they come in a variety of neck widths. I prefer at
least 1.75" at the nut. My two most-played guitars are 1.75". And of
course my nylon string instruments are all wider than 1.75".

Mike

[doghouseband2001]

Most Gibson electrics are 1 11/16 at the nut. The older fender electrics are a smaller 1 5/8s at the nut.

Troy

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[Dr. Marc Ybaben]

The necks on all of my latest custom jazz guitars have been 1.75" nut width,
which is very comfortable for me. Interestingly, even minor changes are
noticeable -- I had a 1 5/8" neck that seemed "too narrow," and a 1 15/16"
that seemed "too big," so it's important to know what "feels" right to you.

I'm confused by the OP's question about whether jazz guitars have good
tone??!!

Marc