Question about guitars with wide necks

[5 string Mike]

Hey guys, I normally hang out at the Lowdown, but I had a couple of questions for you folks at the Guitar forum.

 

FWIW, I tried the search, wasn't too impressed

 

Here's the skinny- I've been playing bass for about 10 years or so and I have been thinking real hard about expanding to guitar. The one challenge I face is unusually thick fingers (my wedding ring is a size 15). I have dabbled with guitars years ago, but bass is my first love. I have a Fender classical that I really enjoy playing but it only has like 12 frets.

 

Long story short, I need to use a wider neck guitar, so I was wondering what you all would recommend for wider necks in the $2-300 range. I was looking at the Agiles, they offer a wide neck model, and from what I understand they are a good starter/intermediate axe.

 

So what else is out there in the decent budget range that has a wider neck?

 

Thanks for your help and suggestions

[skipclone 1]

Around that range I`ve always been happy with Ibanez (I have rather long fingers rather than thick), but if there`s any way you can push the range up a bit it will greatly expand your options.

If you need something that`s wider than off-the-shelf maybe Warmoth would have an offering.

 

[d halfnote]

You may have to get a classical model (they tend toward wider necks) or a custom model.

 

Check this vid about Lenny Breau & take a look at the guitar neck.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Honestly, I think that with practice, a Fender Strat or Tele or similarly scaled and string-spaced axe would prove to be playable for you. Besides your large fingers, a guitar's string-spacing probably seems extra crowded after playing and looking down at a bass' strings and their wide-open spaces...

 

Seriously; I've seen lots of people with big hands and stout fingers manage guitars with standard string-spacing. Practice will bring results in time- and it can be advantageous to be able to easily use one fingertip to fret two strings together for chord-voicings and double-stops...

[Larryz]

Gibsons are usually wider than Fenders as far as most necks go, so I would go with a Gibson clone like an Epiphone if looking for an electric...there are plenty of acoustic classicals out there with wide necks and with 18 to 20 frets...

[5 string Mike]

As far as the tele/strat line, I like the sound of Fenders (I play a P bass right now) and I like the single coil Strat sound and the longer Stat scale.

 

As far as one finger tip to fret two sings, that's no problem- I use one finger for Em and 2 for A. I can manage tricky finger positions, but the real challenge is barre chords.

 

I was messing around with a buddy's thinline Tele the other day and it was a challenge to finger chords- of course I haven't really picked one up in a couple years, but it was more of a challenge than I remember.

 

I did mess around a bit with an epiphone, that was more comfortable. I was curious as to other guitars that were similar to the Gibson/Epiphone neck width.

 

Thanks for the tips so far guys, I appreciate it.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Y'know, for what it's worth, I was thinking of the typical Fender-style axe's wider string spacing at the bridge- but, yeah, the typical Gibson-style axe has wider string-spacing at the nut and over much of the fretboard.

 

What barre grips are giving you trouble? The full-six "E" and "A" shaped fingerings? If so, try the m7 and Maj7 voicings- they're not only easier to finger when crowded fingertips are a concern, they sound cooler and less same-old-same-old.

 

Also try out some two to four string "fragments" of those barre chords- often they're just the thing to fit into a higher or lower register to fit around another guitar part, a keyboard part, a vocal, horns, etc.

 

And besides the topic of jazzy ii - V - i progressions, the streamlined voicing construction described here can help you unclog your fretboard, and your harmonic airspace...

 

I know, I know, this is NOT a direct answer to your initial posted question- but I think that it's a better way for you to go than focusing time and money on wider necked guitars- IF there even are any realistic options there for you in your stated price-range...

[Larryz]

My Taylor T5 has a wider neck much like a Gibson but would be out of your price range...the best bet would be for you to take a trip to your nearest Guitar Center and try on as many as you can in your price range...also look at some out of range as you may find a used one on the market at a lower price...only you can decide what feels good to you (without having to do a lot of retraining on an uncomfortable axe)...

[5 string Mike]

Thanks for the tips. As far as the limited budget, yeah I know that's not a good thing, but I just have other priorities in life to spend too much on a guitar when it's not my main instrument.

 

I'll have to look into different chord voicings, that's a good idea.

 

I have tried the GC approach and I think it's a good idea but my local one usually sounds like a 'nails on chalkboard' convention. A lot of wanna-be players still in mom and dad's basement hang out there. Besides that, most of the guitars are out of tune or detuned two steps and I don't have the time to spend finding a tuner and retuning it.

[d halfnote]

but I just have other priorities in life to spend too much on a guitar when it's not my main instrument.

& what would that be ?

 

I'll have to look into different chord voicings, that's a good idea...

 

I have tried the GC approach and I think it's a good idea but my local one usually sounds like a 'nails on chalkboard' convention. A lot of wanna-be players still in mom and dad's basement hang out there. Besides that, most of the guitars are out of tune or detuned two steps and I don't have the time to spend finding a tuner and retuning it.

 

In regard to the things mentioned there, ...

Is there no actual music shop near you ?

I know that can be the case in many areas, but it's only further impetus for us---& by "us" I mean musicians--- to stop supporting the bottom-line-crank-em-out-poop-shooters-that-pass-for-music-shops & find some legit cats who care for music (I CAN HELP YOU FIND ONE WITHIN 100 MILES IF YOU CAN'T ON YER OWN !)

As far as guitars being out of tune....is that really such a problem ?!

I'm not getting on you about your ear but it doesn't really take that much to pull a guitar ---one of the simplest instruments ever devised, despite what many try to pretend---into a semblance of correct tuning (if not concert pitch).

 

Seriously, I know many find me a harsh presence here, but I am just trying to instill a greater sense of self-reliance & ability in you.

Are you a musician or not ?

That's right, you are!!!

[Guitarzan]

it is always a blast trying to tune with sloppy "shredders" wanking in the background. i liked it when our store had a private amp room.

 

i get around the racket by actually putting my ear on the guitar body, unless there is a break in the nose.

[Tennessee]

Try to find a Washburn X-3, I think is the model. Three single black coils with Washburn printed on them, and a knockoff Chrome Floyd Rose Tremelo on it. Black body. I harvest parts off good used ones to build new guitars, and I got ahold of one of these in a pawn shop. For some reason, it has what I consider a neck that could have come off an acoustic. It's almost too wide for a 6 string electric.

But to be honest, you should be able. Go watch some Bo Diddley video on Youtube. He had clubs for hands.

[Winston Psmith]

Sorry to jump in late. with what may be a lame suggestion, but here goes . . .

 

I recently saw a Jay Turser 12-string electric, w/an SG-style body. Didn't pay much attention at the time, but I know they're usually pretty cheap, and if you took off the 2nd course of strings, you'd have some decent spacing there. You could always compensate for the reduced tension on the neck by moving up to a heavier string gauge. It's not an elegant solution, but it could work. Good luck with your search.

[Caevan O’Shite]

You could always get a Warmoth Super Wide replacement neck for a Strat and put it on a used Strat-style axe and sell the stock neck...

 

This would give you wide spacing at the nut AND at the bridge.

[Chad Thorne]

Mike, check out Sting's fingers and the little bitsy guitar he's playing in this vid. IME it's just a matter of adapting; I play gtr. bass, mandolin and fiddle and, after a little adjustment time, never had any problems with playing on small necks. FWIW.

 

[Terrell]

I have the same problem. I have my electric necks custom made @ 1.75" Nut Width and 9.5"r. Once you do that, it's over for you and stock guitars. The cost of the neck can be more than most guitars you see at GC.

 

For Steel String Acoustics, Seagull comes stock with a very wide nut. Good price, nice materials, terrible bridge... I have those changed out immediately.

 

 

[d halfnote]

Check this site:

http://biglouguitar.com/

 

Just noticed them in the Nov 2010 GP.

They have at least one model under $300.

[whitefang]

We're just going by your word, man. We really don't know HOW fat your fingers really are. But you can adapt with a little work. The comment about Gibson necks might have some merit. Roy Clark works magic with HIS bratwurst type digits. And I've usually noticed him playing Gibsons.

Whitefang