The different types of necks on a guitar

The different types of necks on a guitar

There are several types of necks on guitars. They vary in shape, size and material depending on the type of the guitar such as electric, classical, acoustic, folk, etc. Let’s start with the simplest, the matter. Speaking of it, the necks can be made of several different woods and generally we distinguish the fingerboard and the neck. However, here, we will say neck in a general sense.


The material of the guitar neck

Maple necks (mapple)

The maple necks have a clear and crystal-clear sound, the sound is also said to be slamming. It is this type of neck that equips most Stratocasters.

Rosewood necks (rosewood)

Rosewood necks have a warmer, rounder sound than maple necks. In addition, they also have very good sustain (this is the ability to maintain a sound over time. A guitar that has good sustain will make the notes last longer than a guitar with less sustain). Rosewood necks are found on almost all acoustic and classical guitars. It is the most common wood for the necks. Well, the fingerboard in truth but you will understood that we confused the two in this article

Ebony handles (ebony)

The ebony necks have a warm tone and excellent sustain. In addition, they provide a very good touch. We find ebony necks on high-end guitars. It is one of the rarest and most expensive woods.


The size of the guitar neck

Necks do not all have the same number of frets. The longest have 24, then 22, then 20, sometimes less.


The shape of the guitar neck

The necks can also have different shapes, some are flatter, others wider, thicker, each neck is different, which is why it is important to try out guitars before buying them. Not all sleeves are suitable for all hands.


Let’s learn you guitar neck vocabulary

In a guitar neck, we find:

6 strings : the lowest, it is also the thickest; the sharper, the finer is on the other end. They go from the most serious to the most acute

The nut : at the top of the neck, it is this which allows the open strings to sound

The frets : these are the small metal bars that separate the neck into the fret

The space between 2 frets is called a box. It is in this space that you must put your fingers. To have a clean and crisp sound, you have to put your fingers in the box behind the fret, as close as possible to the latter.

For example, if you want to play a note that is on the 3rd string, 2nd fret or fret, you will place your finger in the 2nd fret, on the G string, as close as possible to the 2nd fret.


The notes of the guitar neck

there are 12 musical notes that are endlessly repeated. You just need to know them, to know how to spot one on the handle and you can find them all afterwards. In practice, if you know the name of the open strings, just continue.

For example for the A string, on the first fret, the note will be A # (The sharp) then B, then C,


For a guitar that has a 25.5 ″ neck at 24 XJ frets can it cause a problem with the string tension?

No, the guitar is made to withstand the tension of the strings. The handle too.

Does the location of the fingers play a major role when playing the bass?

On the other hand, if you play a fret on the 3rd string and look for the note below, it’s not a fair fourth, it’s a major third. So when you play the 5th fret of the 3rd string, the note of the 2nd string is a C. “

At the 5th fret, the C is at the 4th string and the note below is F

This by following the progression Si, Mi, La, Ré, Sol, Do, Fa.

If guitars doesn’t have the “dots” on the neck, can this be added? If so, where should you take my guitar?

As for classical guitars (nylon), there are rarely the points in boxes 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12. So I opt for 2 solutions: the 1st, you stick small white erasers that you can remove later if you wish and the 2nd, a small dot of white paint type model paint with a small brush and your dots will be there for a long time. Hoping to have helped.

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