Are there P basses with necks that are only moderately wide but relatively thick?

[Munurmunuh]

It seems the P-ish bass I bought has got lost in the post, and if so I'll soon be looking for something I can fit a Dimarzio Model P split pickup into.

 

Something with a neck as similar as possible to that on my BB424. It has a seemingly unusual combination of a nut that is only 40mm (1.57") and deep 1st / 12th fret thicknesses of 22mm / 25mm (0.86" / 0.98")

 

I expect all my options will be a millimetre or two wider, but I'd love to find something with a profile almost as deep.

 

* The Squier CV 60s Precision has a 43mm (1.69") nut and a "slim C" profile, so that would be both too wide & too shallow

 

* The Bass Centre's Power Bass has the 40mm nut, but is also shallow: 20mm / 22mm (0.79" / 0.87") 

 

* I think the Squier Matt Freeman neck has the standard 1⅝" / 41¼mm nut and I've heard that it's not as shallow as the current CVs, so that's a possibility

 

* ditto the G&L Tribute LB-100

 

(Should you care, the deep profile is to keep the thumb on my left hand happy and relaxed: when a shallow neck requires it to press forward, the bending-back reminds it of an old injury and make it very weary. I won't be attempting any gymnastic lines on this bass, so the inevitable extra width won't be any bother)

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by Ricky Rioli

[Jonesy]

They're not cheap new and I haven't seen many pop up used, but I think the Mike Dirnt sig had a neck like that...

https://www.andertons.co.uk/bass-dept/bass-guitars/precision-bass/fender-road-worn-mike-dirnt-p-bass

Just to go a bit left field, does it have to be a P bass? The Gibson DC Jnr has a lovely neck. Iirc, it's about 40mm at the nut and is fairly round in the hand, without being too chunky.

[Munurmunuh]

9 minutes ago, Jonesy said:

They're not cheap new and I haven't seen many pop up used, but I think the Mike Dirnt sig had a neck like that...

 does it have to be a P bass? 

40½mm and "thick C" .... very promising! I found an old ad which was for a Squier Dirnt - did that precede the Road Worn? Same neck specs.

And yes it does, because it would be to take the Dimarzio model P pickup.

[Jonesy]

Ah, good shout - I had completely forgotten about the Squier. GAK lists it as being slightly wider at the nut though, so it may be worth having a nose around or emailing Fender to double check ......

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-mike-dirnt-precision-bass-with-tortoise-shell-pickguard-artic-white/87304

But then this site backs up the 40mm nut width for v1 &2......

http://www.squierwiki.com/AS-Mike-Dirnt-Precision-Version-1-Bass

 

[Munurmunuh]

Presumably a fair bit more expensive than the Squiers I've been mentioning, and so not for this purchase, is this current MIJ Traditional 70s Precision - 40mm nut but U-shape. I wonder what the thickness specs are.

(The MIJ Traditional 50s and 60s also have U necks, btw, with 43mm and 42mm nuts respectively.)

 

[Jonesy]

This looks to be about the same sort of size too, if you were feeling adventurous and wanted to go down the bitsa route.....

https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/replacement-neck-for-p-bass-rosewood-fingerboard-no-finish

Most of the finished varieties look to be sold out, but the maple is in stock...

https://www.allparts.uk.com/products/replacement-neck-for-p-bass-solid-maple-w-finish

 

[Munurmunuh]

On 29/06/2021 at 01:05, Jonesy said:

Ah, good shout - I had completely forgotten about the Squier. GAK lists it as being slightly wider at the nut though, so it may be worth having a nose around or emailing Fender to double check ......

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/squier-mike-dirnt-precision-bass-with-tortoise-shell-pickguard-artic-white/87304

But then this site backs up the 40mm nut width for v1 &2......

http://www.squierwiki.com/AS-Mike-Dirnt-Precision-Version-1-Bass

 

 

Bass Direct have just listed a Squier Mike Dirnt, giving it as 42mm Thick C - I guess they're copying the same info GAK are copying? In their photo, that nut does look a lot more like 40mm than 42mm...

 

 

It's only 7 lb 1 oz! and only £250!!

 

I'm having great trouble not buying it..... 😅

[Jonesy]

11 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

Bass Direct have just listed a Squier Mike Dirnt, giving it as 42mm Thick C - I guess they're copying the same info GAK are copying? In their photo, that nut does look a lot more like 40mm than 42mm...

 

 

It's only 7 lb 1 oz! and only £250!!

 

I'm having great trouble not buying it..... 😅

 

Well, you've got a suped up, aggressive,  P.........I guess that means you need a fat sounding one with flats too? 😜

[jrixn1]

On 27/06/2021 at 11:38, Ricky Rioli said:

something I can fit a Dimarzio Model P split pickup into.

Something with a neck as similar as possible to that on my BB424.

 

I realize that the Yamaha pickups are not Fender-sized — but is there definitely no way to fit the Dimarzio into a BB424?

 

[Munurmunuh]

1 minute ago, jrixn1 said:

 

I realize that the Yamaha pickups are not Fender-sized — but is there definitely no way to fit the Dimarzio into a BB424?

 

 

The BB split is not in the standard P position – it's a little closer to the neck.

 

And since this thread I've put a Dimarzio in a Squier Matt Freeman...

[Lfalex v1.1]

[Sound of tape measure]

 

I can confirm that my SB-2 Tribute is 38mm.

Presumably they share a neck with the LB-100?

Fretboard radius is 12.5" on the Tributes. I think the American versions are about 9/9.5"

[Munurmunuh]

26 minutes ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

[Sound of tape measure]

 

I can confirm that my SB-2 Tribute is 38mm.

Presumably they share a neck with the LB-100?

Fretboard radius is 12.5" on the Tributes. I think the American versions are about 9/9.5"

 

The standard nut for the SB-2 and Kiloton is the 1½" / 38mm, and the Tributes follow suit 

 

The standard nut for the LB-100 and SB-1 is 1⅝" / 41mm, and the Tribute LB-100 follows suit

 

For reasons lost in the mists of time the Tribute L-2000 is 1¾" / 44.5mm tho on the US version it too has the usual 1⅝" as standard.

 

Off the top of my head I can no longer remember which of the Tributes get the 12" radius. The Kiloton Tribute I think is one. I believe that for a while 12" was standard for the US models. What dates that was, I've no idea.

 

The thicknesses for the standard US necks ('medium C') are 0.820" at the 1st fret and 0.940" at the 12th (except the 1½" nut is only 0.920 at the 12th)

 

The necks of CLF Research L-1000 / L-2000 are 1⅝" nut, 0.800" / 0.900" ('slim C')

 

I've never found any numbers for the Tribute thicknesses, but have read people saying that the LB-100 Tribute is thicker than the US's medium C

 

Is *anyone* still awake? I am sorry  Imagine what it's like, having all this rattling around in my head.....

[Aidan63]

I have a made in Japan Squier from 93/94 that is 40mm nut 22mm 1st fret, 25mm at 12th, you are welcome to try it if it suits

[Munurmunuh]

5 minutes ago, Aidan63 said:

I have a made in Japan Squier from 93/94 that is 40mm nut 22mm 1st fret, 25mm at 12th, you are welcome to try it if it suits

 

It's my own fault for having bumped this thread, but since I started it I bought Squier Matt Freeman with a 42mm Modern C neck. I've had it set up just how I want it, and have replaced the pickup, nut and strings, and so have £600 of P-bed I'm getting on with lying in.

 

Which means this news of a 40mm / 22mm / 25mm Squier P is simultaneously delightful and something I need to ignore, at least for the time being. So thank you very much, but no thank you for the offer *tries not to sulk*

[lee650]

The Fender Nate Mendel

It has a slimmer neck/thinner nut

But still is quite fat and deep at the back. I believe it was known as a "B" Profile, a lot of people love it, but I wasn't keen.

Edited August 25, 2021 by lee650

[Munurmunuh]

11 minutes ago, lee650 said:

The Fender Nate Mendel

It has a slimmer neck/thinner nut

But still is quite fat and deep at the back. I believe it was known as a "B" Profile, a lot of people love it, but I wasn't keen.

 

Thanks for that. I've just gone to look that up. The nut is 1.615" - a little bit thinner than the standard modern P's 1.625". The profile is called Slim "C" (Based on Mendel's '71 Precision Bass®) 

 

What all the slims and moderns mean to Fender, I've no idea.

 

So I went to read a review. Here's one: "a C-shaped neck with notably slim dimensions and nut width...... the neck profile is simply superb: there's plenty of meat in the hand, yet it's beautifully comfortable."

 

I'm so confused 😵

[such]

I found the Nate Mendel neck to be more similar to Js than to Ps. 

[lee650]

7 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

Thanks for that. I've just gone to look that up. The nut is 1.615" - a little bit thinner than the standard modern P's 1.625". The profile is called Slim "C" (Based on Mendel's '71 Precision Bass®) 

 

What all the slims and moderns mean to Fender, I've no idea.

 

So I went to read a review. Here's one: "a C-shaped neck with notably slim dimensions and nut width...... the neck profile is simply superb: there's plenty of meat in the hand, yet it's beautifully comfortable."

 

I'm so confused 😵

Yes it has a 70s jazz style width, but when it says meat in the hand, it's very true, as it's quite thick. I was under the impression it was modelled on a briefly made profile in 71 called B. A C profile to me is much shallower like the 60's P bass necks.

Ultimately everybody talking about this profile or measurement, isn't a substitute for actually trying one. These things are So subjective.