Neck Profile and hand fatigue

[Venomous]

I havnt played in a very long time, so long that ive broken my left hand twice and my right hand three times being stupid.
I recently purchased a Jackson Adrian Smith SDK so i could start playing again and the neck is pretty thin almost as thin as the wizard necks my old Ibanez guitars had. So my question is, Is the very thin profile making my hand get tired really fast ( i know if i keep it up my hand will get stronger ) or would something with a slightly fatter neck help reduce the fatigue. Opinions please

[toejam]

Yes, too thin of a neck will tire out your hand quicker. I remember reading a study that Hamer did in the early '90s about this, saying that you have a more natural grip on rounder and thicker necks and that thinner would tend to make your hand fatigue a lot quicker. I've noticed it is true and do prefer necks that are usually more on the thicker side.

[Venomous]

well i returned it. cant justify keeping it when i didnt even want to pick it up. wish i still have my 85ish retta

[leftykingv2]

Yes, too thin of a neck will tire out your hand quicker. I remember reading a study that Hamer did in the early '90s about this, saying that you have a more natural grip on rounder and thicker necks and that thinner would tend to make your hand fatigue a lot quicker. I've noticed it is true and do prefer necks that are usually more on the thicker side.

+1 It's true. When I started playing in 1984 I played Baretta's mostly and the necks were a good bit chunkier than my Ibanez guitars and My KV2's. When I first bought an RG back in 88 it was harder for me to play the thinner profile for a longer period of time than say the fatter necked Baretta. Eventually I got used to the thinner profiles and fell in love with them but there is a learning curve for sure. If you're used to a fatter rounder profile and you start playing a shredder style thin, flat and wide neck it will wear your fretting hand out faster. If you take the time to get used to it though the problem will eventually go away for the most part but the hand is naturally more comfortable on a rounder profile for the most part. This is why a lot of older guys won't play the newer style necks and hate them. They want three kinds of necks at the most, Les Paul, Strat or Tele and that's about it.

[j2379]

i have the same problem, 60's slim tapers are really bad on my hand. i can use jackson thin necks as long as they are wide, but small necks in width and profile i can't do. On neck Thrus i prefer bigger necks anyway.

[leftykingv2]

i have the same problem, 60's slim tapers are really bad on my hand. i can use jackson thin necks as long as they are wide, but small necks in width and profile i can't do. On neck Thrus i prefer bigger necks anyway.

That's wild because I wouldn't even say the Gibson 60's slim taper is all that slim. It's still way thicker than an Original Wizard. But everyone's hand is always different when it comes to what feels right or good.

[Shawn Lutz]

To me fat necks are best for my hands. I can't play super thin ones without my hand cramping up. My favorite is 57 LPC, just feels perfect in my hands.

I never understood the thin neck = fast to me they = hand fatigue and cramps

[BLOOD SPLATTER]

+1 to all of this....except:

a lot of older guys won't play the newer style necks and hate them. They want three kinds of necks at the most, Les Paul, Strat or Tele and that's about it.

I am an "older guy" & I prefer a Charvel/Jackson style neck (wide width - flat radius - jumbo frets) but....FAT!!

[Chad]

I used to be real picky about neck shapes. I also used to wear my guitar fairly low. Due to wrist problems, I started wearing a guitar fairly high. Now, I've found that neck shapes don't matter near as much. For what that's worth.

[Force]

I'm the opposite, i can play thinner necks for longer than fatter ones. Neither are an issue but i guess i just loved & got use to thin, even better if the board width is small too.

[leftykingv2]

My favorite profiles of all time are the original Wizard and the Speedneck. They're perfect for my hand.

[Newc]

I get cramps with thinner necks as well. The DK2M necks are very comfy for me, but the thin neck on my WarAngel takes its toll on me. Same profile on my WR-7, and that's just about murder for me now

It does take some adjustment to technique, like holding my thumb in the middle of the back of the neck, but mostly I prefer it to be off to the side. About the difference between holding a CastleBurger and carrying a TV.

[levantin]

I never understood the thin neck = fast to me they = hand fatigue and cramps

What he said