Playability

[SEquadangle]

Ive collected guitars for a long time and find thin neck jacksons the easiest to play , and thick fat neck telecasters the hardest to play .....what is it about that jackson feel that makes them soooooo easy to play ?

[wrldeatr7]

You said it, the necks are thin and the right shape.

[metalhobo]

thin flat neck, big frets, etc. raw or satin back of neck (unless it's a soloist etc. with painted neck). ergonomics of the body shape and neck/bridge angle. the guitar designs are literally optimized for speed. it's no accident.

[Number Of The Priest]

I find the choice of strings, the scale length, the fretboard radius, and the fret wire size to be the most important factors for playability. For me, playability translates into addictiveness of playing and as much endurance as you want to keep playing.

Choice of strings: In standard tuning, I fatigue playing a set of 10-46 strings. Same guitar in standard tuning but with my favored Dunlop Billy Gibbons 7-38 set basically allows me to play that guitar far longer, increasing my practice time and therefore increasing my skill and my overall enjoyment. It makes me wonder why I didn't switch to much lighter strings earlier in my playing career.

Scale length: Shorter length means less string tension and therefore easier fretting, given the same gauge of strings. Also, lately I find myself addicted to playing a Jackson JS1X Dinky, where its scale length of 22.5" offers very light tension but also closer frets which means my "reach" has seemingly increased, as long as I don't perceive that the closer frets feel more crowded.

Fretboard radius: I have many 25.5" scale guitars. Several of them are Strats with a 9.5" radius and many others are my shredder guitars with flatter or compound radii. I cannot set up the Strats with as low action as the shredders without the notes choking during huge bends. I want to preserve the ability to do huge bends, so I am forced to set up my Strats with higher action than the shredders. Therefore the shredders have better, more effortless playability for me than the rounder radiused Strats.

Fret wire size: Taller frets translates into my fingertips brushing less against the fretboard surface. Less brushing means less friction and therefore speedier fretting and less obstructed bending.

I didn't mention neck shape because that feels more subjective. I used to believe the thinnest neck possible meant the greatest speed and easiest playability. Over time, I came to prefer thicker necks. I will still play Ibanez Wizard necks because that is what I grew up playing, but my preference has moved away from that. Today, a Jackson neck is about as thin as I would want (without being as obscenely thin as a Wizard) and actually prefer a thicker carve like a typical Fender Modern C, whatever a typical Charvel seems to be using, or whatever a typical Schecter seems to be using. I feel strange saying all of this as someone with small hands. But I feel like I "shred the same" on many neck shapes, and the above paragraphs are more important considerations from a playability perspective.

[SEquadangle]

Thanks guys , all great answers !!!.....For me , a 1.68 nut with thin neck .77 to .83 and a flat 12 inch or greater radius is key !!! AND 8.5 to 40 strings.

[DonP]

I love my R8 but hate the stupid fat neck (and it's not even one of the fattest). I've had it since 2009 and I'm always one step away from getting the neck shaved.

All my USA Jacksons are perfect.