Assymetrical neck back

[Andreas]

How can you do an assymetrical neck back like the one on peavy wolfgangs?

And for those with more expierence on that kind of necks...Do they feel more natural to you?

[psw]

I'd always wondered why neck shapes are symetrical. My hand isn't.

Also, perhaps a thicker neck would be more comfortable at one end vs. the other, for chords v. lead.

Just a thought

[westhemann]

I'd always wondered why neck shapes are symetrical. My hand isn't.

because most people use the thumb of that hand as a plant...it is only for chords that i wrap my hand all the way around

[frank falbo]

I did it to one guitar before the EVH Musicman came out, so I thought I was so smart, and I was going to revolutionize guitar necks forever. I do love it, and I have that first neck. It's one of my all time favorites. But I now know I wasn't the first of anything. Even SRV and other people who played the same guitar for years wore away finish and wood in the treble area over time. So they were playing asymmetrical necks anyway. As far as carving them, the easiest way is to start with a symmetrical profile and then remove whatever you feel like from the treble side. However, one of my 7-string necks started out assymmetrical, because instead of just removing more wood from the treble side, I actually set the thickest part of the neck under the D and A strings. Some 5 and 6 string basses are that way, where it's not just "worn in" but its actually offset.

[krazyderek]

i preffer flat back necks, just feels better on my thumb for pivoting when playing, and it feels like i have something to hold onto when i chord, doesn't mean i use thin necks, just flatter then normal... (mmmm 7 string neck)

[JohnJohn]

I just finished a neck for a friend of mine with an asymetrical neck and tilted it forward slighlty to the treble.Looks a little odd,but kinda comfy.

I've always wanted to try this but thought it would look to goofy.

[Southpa]

I'd always wondered why neck shapes are symetrical.

I'll bet strange things would happen when you try to adjust the truss trod on an asymmetrical neck. They must be placed off center to get the desired effect.

[frank falbo]

Not really. String tension isn't symmetrical. Typical string gauges have more tension on the bass side. So a symmetrical neck with a centered truss rod is already a flawed premise from the standpoint of tension. I don't mean a symmetrical neck is flawed from a playability standpoint, though. It just would seem that an assymmetrical neck would do more to "even out" the tension than throw it off. You wouldn't want to offset the rod at all.

[JohnJohn]

It is a good point,with wood thickness being different on both sides it could be that the neck would respond a little different between sides to tension changes.possibly lead to twisting.

Hmmmmm,the neck that I did din't have a huge diff. from side to side.Just angled differently to mimic the hand.Still......

[frank falbo]

Twisting is more of an issue of wood warpage, and uneven expansion and contraction between neck and fretboard woods. If twisting is caused by uneven string tension, like from light top/heavy bottom strings, then an assymetrical neck back would help to prevent that, not cause it. The rod should still be centered regardless. Even in standard gauge strings there is more tension on the bass side.

Until you get a wide enough neck like a 6 string bass or 8 string guitar, (or until you have a thin enough neck like the Ibanez wizard) Twisting is really not affected by the variation in string tension across the neck. Then you can use 2 rods, or in the wizard's case, its impossible to fit 2 rods in there or move it over because it's too thin. Then again, its also too thin to carve assymetrically. As long as the neck is near standard sizes it will not affect either the truss rod action or the twisting.

[john]

on the bass i made, the neck is asymmetrical for the first 5 or so frets and flattens out as you go up the neck. it feels very natural, you always have a good handful!

[JohnJohn]

I'm glad to hear that,when I first read that one post by frank I started to wonder.