difference between neck shapes?

[FALKEN]

I have been playing for over 10 years and you can laugh if you want but what is the difference between a "V" shaped neck and a "C" shaped neck? Thanks!

 

[ibanezrocks]

the shape is exactly how the letter looks. a v shaped neck will not curve as much up to the thickest point leaving a more abrupt change from the top curve to the bottom curve. a c shaped neck is whats on most guitars, its round like the letter c, or flat if its an ibanez either way theres no bump in the middle of the back of the neck.
I suggest going to a store and playing a v neck, you'll know what I'm talking about then. Ovations and some more expensive Fenders have them.

 

[reshp1]

http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=back_profiles

They don't call the round or V, but you can tell which is which.

 

[FALKEN]

so a C is more like the standard thin or the fat? thanks!!!!!

 

[donkeystyle]

so a C is more like the standard thin or the fat? thanks!!!!!

in reference to the pic, the c is the standard thin and the fat.

the v is the boat

 

[snipeguy]

in reference to the pic, the c is the standard thin and the fat.

the v is the boat

I have played some old (30's and 40's) acoustics that had necks that were really vee'ed. They felt strange but comfortable.

 

[donkeystyle]

I have played some old (30's and 40's) acoustics that had necks that were really vee'ed. They felt strange but comfortable.

i wasn't saying that v's were huge. in fact i recently fell in love with a les paul that had a medium v 59 neck on it. they were called the real feels. tom murphy and the owner of one of our local music stores based the series off of their original 59 les pauls. they had a soft v, a mediumv and a hard v. i thought that they would be really lame. i played the medium just because and i was really close to buying one. it was just too much money for me though.

the link that the guy was referring to had 3 pics on it....... the standard thin, the fat, and the boat. they are just different names for the c and v style necks..........and boat isn't a reference to size, well they could be referencing size also, but i think it's just a reference to the shape. as in it's shaped like the bow of a boat. and that's what i was trying to tell him in my first post.

i do realise that it would have been easy to mistakingly think that i meant that v necks are huge unplayable "boats."

 

[FALKEN]

thanks for the help!

now I just gotta find a nice, slick tele neck.

 

[arover2]

I'm just geting into guitar playing with the acoustic dreadnaught guitar. I'm wondering which neck is better for just plain rythum chording and strumming, as well as finger picking?
The reason I ask is I'll be buying a new high end Martin dreadnaught, that is available with the V or C necks.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[notCardio]

Actually

I believe the flat ones would be considered more of a 'D'.

The standard line among some guys is that the fatter neck of the rounded 'C', having more mass, gives you longer sustain. I have my doubts, but I've never really tested the theory out.

It really all just comes down to personal preference for feel. I used to be a diehard 'C', but then I played a hard V on a reissue Strat and I really liked it. If you're a shredder, they generally prefer the flatter profiles for speed.

 

[donkeystyle]

I'm just geting into guitar playing with the acoustic dreadnaught guitar. I'm wondering which neck is better for just plain rythum chording and strumming, as well as finger picking?
The reason I ask is I'll be buying a new high end Martin dreadnaught, that is available with the V or C necks.
Thanks for any advice.

I've known guys that really like v shaped necks for what you've described, but I've known guys that hate them too. You really need to try a guitar with a v shaped neck and decide whether or not you like it. Neither should really hinder your guitar playing, but you may find one more comfortable.

 

[Milnoque]

The warmoth website has some info in neck contours that you may find helpful.