THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME- the neck on your next guitar???

 THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME 

I have 14 guitars with neck shapes as thin as an Ibanez shredder to a Harmony H88 Stratotone Doublet. The actual guitar is better known by it's nickname 'The Baseball Bat'. They all feel different. Each one 'does' change the sound. The ones that are heavier or have more mass give you more sustain but mass darkens the tone. A darker tone gives you more definition especially when using a lot of dirt. Different woods have by nature different weight etc, so trying to pin point what is best for you is an insane proposition.

There are no rules. There is no such thing as the best. It is like clothing ...the best is what fits. There are many myths. Thin necks may seem fast when you try one. If you play one though after a little while you can find you hand fatiguing because the inside curve of your hand has no place to rest. Whatever you choose you will soon find it will not slow you down. Your hand and mind adapt and soon it makes F.-all difference. In 1950 the fastest neck and the one that allowed access to the highest notes was the Tele! Nothing else came close!
There are numerous players that still play a 1950's Tele or a reissue with it's chunky neck that are virtuosos. So not much can slow you down but not putting in the work and even more so your attitude. If you think you can. You can. If you think you can't. You won't. It is merely choice.

Yes ...the scale length makes a difference to the feel and to your reach. The width does the same. Last but not least is the radius of the fretboard. Add to this you will invariably have to compromise to get the look, the style and even the tone in trade for comfort.

At the moment this is my best guitar. It is a Lace Cybercaster ...single PU .
....No longer made I bought it as New old stock from Chicago Music Exchange
a few years ago. Very, very few were ever made.

Note: Lace the PU makers have been making guitars
for decades. Small time, under the radar.
I do have a Fender Custom Shop Strat and a
Gibson '59 Les Paul Special re-issue
Neither come close to this!!!

It is too crazy looking for most.
This I find is an asset. no one stands out from the crowd
playing a Strat or a Les Paul
You do not go big time from other players thinking you look cool
It is the fans that decide that ...and they all yawn when they
see another of the same old guitars.

One piece ash body with bolt on all maple neck & fretboard.
It is an average weight. Stays In tune. The sustain is excellent. The neck is a little narrow
for my taste at the nut. The shape is a 'C'. It is neither thin nor does it feel a bit hefty.
It has incredible definition. It is bright but without loosing any low end,
It has incredible definition. I find the neck lightning fast any I play triplets at 140 bpm accurately without any problem. 
The pickup is a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates PAF.
It is a long story but it is not your off the self version but a custom shop hand made one
Literally wound for Billie Gibbons that Billie himself stepped in so I could buy it.
In short it was meant for him.(and only him.)

HARMONY H88 STRATOTONE  DUBLET
1954 re-issue
the whole guitar itself is nicknamed the
Baseball Bat

Yes It Looks like it should be used to play Surf music
big time wimpey! The original  '54 'Sunny Yellow'
is the clincher. lol
The guitar was 'hot rodded' by a tech that 
does work for Clapton and Dave Gilmour
The idea was to make it a shredder but
create the illusion it is a still a 50's guitar
the bridge is not original either
the original was a tone and sustain sucking
all rosewood bridge.
The neck is maple with a rosewood fingerboard
the body is a solid slab of ash.
It weighs the same as my LP.

Underneath that 50's Rickenbacker PU cover
at the bridge is a PU that when I play thru my 
Plexi removes the back wall of the club!
It sustains longer than my Les Paul!
I think of it as Mr. Diabolical
LOL