Do Fender Basses Have "D" necks?

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

I've never really A/B'd Fender necks but I know that they have "C" necks and sometimes they come with something called a "modern C neck" and so on. I'm interested in getting a new bass so the question is pretty relevant.

 

So, anyway... today I went down to my local music store to try out basses and asked to try out a "C" neck and a "D" neck to learn about the differences. And then spent a while with the shop guys trying to find a "D" neck bass and we couldn't. We even went through the Fender catalog and couldn't find any.

 

So do Fender basses have "D" necks or is that just their guitars? Or is it just a "not this year" type thing

[josh a]

Says on the fender site that they are modern C necks.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by josh a:

Says on the fender site that they are modern C necks.

Yes, I know.

 

But that's the current models. Did they ever have "D" (or "X" or "Y" or "Z") necks or have they always been "C" and "modern C"'s?

[josh a]

I think they always had C necks because I think there would be some kind of public outcry if they changed the classic design.

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by josh a:

I think they always had C necks because I think there would be some kind of public outcry if they changed the classic design.

You're probably right, though they may have possibly offered it as an optional.

 

I digress but, over the years, Fender's made some models and choices that were pretty surprising. The electric bass, for starters. But telecasters with humbuckers? Check. F-Holes on a strat? Check. Push button controls on a Strat? Check...

[Rocky McDougall]

Fender necks have changed over the years. Most of the differences are hardly noticable. Basiclly it is the "Fatness" of the neck (How big it feels to your hand). 1950 to 1955 the necks were the "D" (fat and hand filling) 1956 & 1957 they went to the "V" neck, (fat but shaped like a V) 1958 they went back to the "D" but a little smaller. After that they pretty much used the "C" (not as fat, with a softer profile, less hand filling) Some of the Signature models have different necks, to suit the "Star Player". For many years, to my knowledge, The basic neck contour is the "Modern C" which is by far, the most popular. The different contours are available thru the Custom Shop (Usually, if you have the money)

Rocky

[Kramer Ferrington III.]

Originally posted by Rocky3840:

After that they pretty much used the "C" (not as fat, with a softer profile, less hand filling)

Ohhh... ok. So it's not really an issue. Cool.

 

Thank you very much, guys!

[The Geoff]

Rocky's hit the nail on the head - see 'Guitar Player Repair Guide' by Dan Erlewine, page 42.

 

The 'Oval' of the 60s seems to have been the shallowest, the 70s a bit bigger but rounder 'shoulder' and the 80s has quite an abrupt shoulder - but all much the same since the early 60s.

 

My Jazz has a neck is based on the slim '67 Jazz Bass neck.

 

The Jazz has always been 1 1/2 ins at the nut and has always been oval, while the P bass has 'moved around' from 1 5/8 to 1 3/4 (current) and it's section has 'wavered' too.

 

G.

[jlrush]

A friend has a 60's model P bass with a very thick (fat) neck, and I thought he told me once it was a D. I've seen that neck on some other vintage P's, but haven't seen one on anything newer.