KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

[Inazone]

Two years ago, I bought my KV2, thinking that the "speed neck" would be exactly what I needed. I bought it from Lloyd at GuitarXpress, and when I took that guitar out of the case, I thought that it was The Greatest Guitar Ever. Well, over the next two years, I didn't play the KV2 much, as a banged-up old Dinky Pro XL has been my main practice guitar. Lately, when I've gone back to playing the KV2, it just doesn't feel right. I don't know if it's the neck profile or the smaller frets that bothers me, but as all of my other guitars have bigger frets and somewhat thicker necks...if you could consider a Concept or Dinky Pro neck to be thick.

Has anyone else found it difficult to get used to the speed neck and/or smaller frets after playing other neck and fret sizes for a long time? Were you able to adapt eventually, or refret the guitar, or just trade it for something else? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

Most of my guitars have different-size necks and frets. You get used to it after a while, but not if you switch guitars 3 times a day - maybe play a different one every two weeks or so.
But then again, I play bass as well, so that might have something to do with it.
Plus I'm slightly twisted [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Newc

[Inazone]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

I've never had an issue playing thinner necks, and my Concept has the thinnest I've ever seen. However, I tend to really dig in during leads, especially doing unison bends and such, and do a lot of hammer-ons too, which is where I notice a difference between the KV2 and my other guitars.
I would imagine that fret height is going to play some part in the equation, yet notes seem to lack sustain as well.

What concerns me is that there could be something actually wrong with the neck. I took the KV2 (and my RR2) in to get the Floyd blocked last fall, at which point the tech found that the locking nut had some burrs in it. He ordered a new nut from Fender, which took forever (this was when they were still "learning the ropes" on Jackson part issues), and did a setup after installing the new nut and blocking the trem. All of my Floyds are blocked, so that's not a factor. When I compare the KV2's action and how the strings lie in the nut grooves to my other guitars, everything looks right...but is there something different about the locking nut on a KV2, on account of the speed neck's dimensions?

The last thing I need is the hassle and expense of a guitar repair, but I'm making too much out of this, and it's just me.

[Argos]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

Yeah. I've played my other Jacksons for a while but I still love the speed neck the most - shame I don't have my KV2 anymore. When I order another custom it'll have a KV neck profile for sure, with jumbo frets.

[toejam]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

Originally posted by Inazone:
Has anyone else found it difficult to get used to the speed neck and/or smaller frets after playing other neck and fret sizes for a long time? Were you able to adapt eventually, or refret the guitar, or just trade it for something else? [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Never had a problem with thicker neck profiles or different size frets. I've got guitars with big and small frets, and I don't have a problem, but I actually think I prefer smaller frets a little bit more.

[xenophobe]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

Wow... the Dinky Pro should have a thinner neck than the Speed Neck. The Speed Neck is nice, but it's still a little larger than I would like. I don't like it with the tall skinny frets though, jumbos make it feel better.

Both my custom KV (with jumbo frets), my Warrior and my Strathead have much slightly thinner necks (the older SD flat spot D shaped profile) than the typical Speed Neck like on my SL2GX.

[No Use]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

I agree with the guys above, you gte use to dealing with different neck porfiles after awhile...I don't notice it at least, even when i play my bass.

but I Do also agree, smaller frets are nicer to slide fret=to-fret on, than jumbos! haha.

[gemini8026]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

On My Ibanez RG620x, I used to get bad cramps and would have to take breaks while practicing. Very thin Wizard neck. With my Wolfgang, I dont have that problem, it just feels good all over!

The Jackson SL2H and SL1 I had had GREAT neck profiles and I loived the wide flat fingerboard. I cant play as "clean" on my wolf as I could on the Jacksons. But neck profile is a BIG thing to me, I cant stand thinner necks!

[pitboss]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

I had a speed neck on an SL2GX - it blew ! I find the speed neck to be an oxymoron. Its fat and slow.

[NorthernComfort]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

Originally posted by pitboss:
I had a speed neck on an SL2GX - it blew ! I find the speed neck to be an oxymoron. Its fat and slow.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You mean a misnomer.

[pitboss]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

I stand corrected. Jumbo shrimp is an oxynoron. I feel so silly !

[Inazone]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

Well, I found out what the problem is. It pisses me off, actually, but it wasn't my imagination. No, it's the frets. I took the KV2 to "my" tech today, John Brown, who has done any repair or custom work I've ever needed, to tell him what was going on. The frets, which have only a few hours of wear on them since I bought this guitar new in early 2002, aren't even. Now, how this went unnoticed when I had the trem blocked and nut replaced in the fall, I don't know, but I hadn't played the guitar much before getting the trem blocked, and honestly not much since then.

I can't help but think back to the many posts, a year or two back, mentioning a decline in QC prior to the Fender buyout. Having to get the locking nut replaced AND needing a fret dress on a guitar with so little mileage on it just doesn't seem right. I wonder if I can sell it as a "pre-Fender" guitar and get back what I put into it. (Yes, I'm kidding.) [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[Rusting In Peace]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

yo inazone, whered you guy that kv2 from with the uneven frets? That shouldnt have gone unnoticed, expecially on a high dollar usa made guitar

[Inazone]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

I bought it from GuitarXpress in February (I think) of 2002. However, having had guitars with fret problems before, I normally would have noticed it right away. John (the tech) said that it's possible that the frets settled into the wood a bit over time due to the constant changes in humidity and temperature here in Minnesota. It wasn't until last summer that I finally had the good sense to start using a dehumidifier, so I guess anything is possible.

I'm reluctant to pass judgement very much in this case, considering the order of events...

- Early 2002: Bought guitar, shipped from Oklahoma (GuitarXpress) to Minnesota.
- Mid/Late 2003: Took guitar to tech for bridge block, he finds a burr in the locking nut and replaces it. Fender doesn't have parts operation sorted out yet, so he uses a nut he has available.
- Saturday: Took the guitar back to tech because replacement locking nut is too wide, and hoped that would correct the sustain issue I was encountering. This isn't the case, so I'm having frets dressed.

Between the purchase date and the first shop visit, I didn't play the KV2 all that much, as I also picked up a number of other guitars around that time. Between the two shop visits, I *still* didn't play it that much, and it wasn't until this winter that I noticed that something sounded wrong. Were the frets bad from the start? I don't know. If so, why didn't it get noticed when I had the guitar in for the bridge block and the locking nut replacement? The only two variables are the setup that I did on the guitar myself and the addition of a dehumidifier over a year after getting the guitar. Anyway, I remember some folks mentioning QC concerns during the time when my KV2 would have been made, including fret/fretboard/inlay issues. Maybe I just didn't notice the bad frets at first, or it was a combination of factors.

[gilbertcoleo]

Re: KV2 speed neck - not for everyone?

i have smal hands and short fingers so i go with the speed neck.