help with shredder necks.

cur · Post by **cur** » Thu May 23, 2013 11:53 pm

Thinking about building a shredder guitar for my next build. I would just assume buy a neck off of ebay or somewhere else as a base to build around. I really don't want a lightning bolt, zigzag or hockey sitck type head stock. Was wondering how bolt-on stagemaster necks were or even Fender HM necks. Want flat radius and big frets - wide fret board is good too. If there is any other types out there that may be good but not too pointy, please point me in the right direction. Carvin, ibanez, jackson IDK?

I am in no great hurry and don't mind waiting out a good neck. Seeing how these may be hard to find.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Fri May 24, 2013 12:16 am

Keep an eye out for MIM Floyd Strat necks from the '90s. They were cheap and cheerful, 12" radius with wide board and massive frets, CBS Strat headstocks with Kluson-style tuners, satin finish.

I should mention they're a deceptively bulky profile like a lot of '90s MIM Strats rather than a typical "fast" shred neck... I really didn't get on with the massive boaty profile that my brothers' SSH had (it's definitely as thick a neck as Fender have ever used at any time in their entire history). On the plus side that was probably the reason it was one of the thickest-sounding Strats I ever heard, good counteraction for one with the low-end drag factor of a Floyd.

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Fri May 24, 2013 1:13 am

Planning on adding any scallops?

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri May 24, 2013 1:32 am

No, but does it make a difference? I mean, if it has jumbo frets anyway.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Fri May 24, 2013 2:41 am

i would siggest an ibanez wizard neck, and you could just glue on an extra bit n bob of wood to tben shape something besides a death point end. They are great necks. Generally four or maybe five peices of rock maple glued together with a carbon rod. Super slim, wide board, huge fucking frets. And they are well made. Dont?know how much they run tho....

iCEByTes · Post by **iCEByTes** » Fri May 24, 2013 2:43 am

Ibanez wizard my favorite profile

got 2 guitars whit that is super comfortable feels like playing over a shortscale.

matte30is · Post by **matte30is** » Fri May 24, 2013 3:42 am

I had a tele with jumbo frets and it certainly increased my ability to rock.

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri May 24, 2013 3:48 am

thanks for all the info so far. are shredder necks standard 12" radius usually, or are they 12" to 9.5" compound necks?

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Fri May 24, 2013 4:30 am

Shred necks go flatter than 12, some Jackson necks are compound 16"-14" radius

Warmoth reference:

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Fri May 24, 2013 9:49 am

I like my Stagemaster neck, but i'm sure its very close to a standard Strat neck but with jumbo frets.

Ibanez Wizard necks seem to be the most popular, but the profile is very thin and flat. I find this digs into my hand (soft skin between thumb and finger) as i do grapple necks a bit. Some Jackson/Charvel necks are the same, BC Rich are more rounded C profile but still a fast neck.
It might be worth trying a few guitars down the store to get a feel for the neck profiles.

If you fancy a three-a-side headstock look for a second hand BC Rich Mockingbird neck, the platinum and body art series sell cheap and they are decent Korean necks.

George · Post by **George** » Fri May 24, 2013 10:00 am

i have a warmoth compound radius (10-16) wizard clone for a strat heel and it has a strat headstock and earvana nut. big ass frets as well. feels very wide. i think a flatter radius also gives the illusion of wideness. its also very flat and thin

i don't really like it so may sell it. if you're stuck for options i could pass it over but you'd probably get a cheaper option there.

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri May 24, 2013 4:48 pm

I don't mind flat fretboard profiles, big frets or wide nuts. I don't like when any neck is too thin of a D profile. It seems to bunch up my hand and interferes with the high e string when fretting. But, you know, that all gets tossed out the window when you sit down and play the guitar. Thanks for all the help. I kind of know what to search the ebay for. I can't see getting stuck into a project just now, but if I find something I like I might toss it under the bed until the coast is clear for a new build.

Post by **Doog** » Fri May 24, 2013 5:21 pm

I've got one of CH Guitars' 'Banana' necks (see "Kramer") on my Tom Morello-style shred machine; it's a nice combination of "shreddy" and "vintage Fendery".

I'm sure these are just Chinese necks sold under a myriad different names all over the world, I was dang impressed with mine for the money.

cur · Post by **cur** » Fri May 24, 2013 6:56 pm

I want to base my shredder on a body shape similar to this, but with a Kahler Trem. Pups and switches would be mounted from the back. So I think I can get away with some headstocks, but not necessarily the pointy things. I might be able to find a good paddle neck blank and cut my own.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sat May 25, 2013 3:54 am

^awesome idea alert