Looking for a wide-neck guitar

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Stringsinger
Date: 21 Jun 07 - 04:56 PM

Martin 00-21

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: GUEST,chris
Date: 21 Jun 07 - 03:21 AM

Takamine do/did a wide neck cut away guitar

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Don Firth
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 02:03 PM

Thanks, GUEST,Ca, but I don't think so at this point. It sounded like a great idea a couple of years ago, but for the last fifteen years or so, I've had to use a wheelchair. Trying to play a full-size guitar (including my classics) while sitting in a wheelchair is difficult because the lower bout of the guitar and the right wheel want to occupy the same space. This throws the guitar out of position, making it very awkward to play. It took me awhile to work this out, but I now use a small travel guitar made by Sam Radding in San Diego. It looks like a canoe paddle with strings, but it sounds amazingly like a full-size guitar. Clicky. Good luck finding the F-25 a good home.

I would hope that, by now, JWR has found what he's looking for. But if not, the F-25 might be the very thing. As an alternate idea, Sam Radding, who made my travel guitar (GO-GW, nylon-string), in addition to the travel guitars, makes a very nice small-bodied parlor guitar, either steel-string or nylon-string. He's also willing to do a bit of customizing (at my request, he made me a nylon-string GO-GW with a full 2" classic fingerboard—normally, his nylon-string guitars have a 1⁷/₈" fingerboard), so he might be game to make a steel-string parlor guitar with a wider neck. Sam's a real nice guy to work with. He wants to make darn sure you're happy with whatever instrument he makes for you.

To see what the parlor guitar looks like (complete with dimensions), Click Here and scroll down. I ran across a review of the parlor guitar on Harmony Central awhile back, and it was downright glowing.

Good hunting!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: GUEST,Ca
Date: 20 Jun 07 - 09:18 AM

I have an f25 for sale.
If still interested email [e-mail].

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 11:36 AM

Noah, George Lowden has separated from the Lowden Guitar Co (now called Avalon Guitars) and has recently started production in new premises under the name George Lowden Guitars.

Still manufacturing the Standard and Premier ranges, built by his staff, plus a special range built by George himself. Look at the Ziricote F35 advertised on the Guitar Gallery site - droo-oo-oo-oo-l!

And yes, my Lowden, like all Lowdens, is a Monster! (In the nicest sense of the word).

Check out www.georgelowden.com

S:0)

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From:
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 12:33 PM

Taylor guitars have necks with 1 3/4" at nut
Check Spec at www.taylorguitars.com

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 30 Jul 04 - 01:53 PM

DON ~~ Good luck on finding a Gibson F25. I passed up a chance to buy one a few years back and have been kicking myself ever since. A friend of mine has two (2) of them and the bugger won't part with either one. There seems to be a pretty good demand for the F25 and I can't figure out why Gibson doesn't make them again. It has a full size classical neck which is basically what I prefer.

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: GUEST,Frank
Date: 30 Jul 04 - 01:32 PM

Ever considred the old staple of Martin...0021?

I think it's a special order but not over a grand I don't believe.

Frank

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Justa Picker
Date: 29 Jul 04 - 05:48 PM

Early to mid 70s models, Sandy.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Peter T.
Date: 29 Jul 04 - 05:47 PM

Noah and his Lowden are a hot combo!

yours,

Peter T. (from the cheap seats)

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: KateG
Date: 29 Jul 04 - 05:31 PM

I was going to suggest the Martin 000-xS. They are 12 fret to the body slot-heads with a 1 3/4" neck. I have an 000-15S, all Mahogany with a lovely rich sound (I call her my Dark Lady). She's easy to play, loud enough for my purposes and was well under $1000.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 10:22 PM

Years ago, I had a Martin 000-28S. It had a good, wide neck and the sound was great, but it was made at the time Martin seemed to be having trouble getting the bridge saddle properly placed (that was a problem for a short while back in, what was it, the 60s?). I wound up having Ray Frank adjust it as much as was possible and finally sold it to Michael Cooney. You might find one of those kicking around somewhere and then get someone to give it a new, properly placed, bridge.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Glen Reid
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 08:51 PM

Custom built guitars dont have to be equated with expensive.
The neck can be crafted to any width or scale length you want.
   www.onlink.net/~glenreid/index.html
Dare to be different.
Cheers Glen

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: GUEST,Allan S.
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 06:16 PM

See if you can find an Ovation Classical 2" wide at the nut [or close] String w/ nylon the deep body really amplfies the sound.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Bob Hitchcock
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 06:15 PM

I would have to agree with KT. I have an old (1979) Fylde Falstaff which I picked up used in 1982 for about $700 and it has a 2" wide neck with a "V" shaped back and a flat fingerboard. It is not real easy to play, but it sounds wonderful. Good luck in your search.

Bob

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Noah Zacharin
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 06:11 PM

I have a lovely Lowden guitar with a wide neck. I bought it 'used' for under 2400 CDN. I'm not sure if Lowdens are still in production, but Avalon guitars are built (I believe) by former employees of the Lowden shop, and are modeled on his instruments. Majestic, big sound in the Lowden, perhaps in the Avalon as well. Wide neck for sure.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Don Firth
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 05:04 PM

Wow! That Gibson F25 looks great!

I like to whack away at steel strings from time to time, just for a change of sound (I do have a steel-string travel guitar), but switching back and forth between a 1¹¹/₁₆" fingerboard and a 2" fingerboard makes for some sloppy playing. Now, if I had a Gibson F25. . . .

I think I'm having a horrible GAS attack!! But I guess the F25 is not easy come by these days. Pretty rare. What'll I do!!??? What'll I do!!???

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: C-flat
Date: 28 Jul 04 - 08:09 AM

I was going to mention a classical guitar myself but JWR seems quite specific in his requirements, suggesting he knows what's what, guitar-wise.
As a fellow "stumpee" (my ring size measures 3 sizes OFF the guage) I have been using a Yamaha electro/classical for some time and regularly gig with it.
C-flat.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 10:33 PM

Gibson made a folk guitar some years back (the F25) that can be used as either a classical or steel stringed guitar. The ones I've played have a wonderful sound and are easy to play with the classical style neck. They have been going up in price over the past few years.

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Don Firth
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 11:46 AM

I hesitate to mention the obvious, because to some folkies, the word "classic" makes them feel queasy and run from the room, but classic guitar fingerboards are 2" wide at the nut. They're built for nylon strings, of course, which also turns a lot of folkies off, but a halfway decent classic (and I'm not talking thousands of dollars here) is measurably louder than a D-model steel-string and the sound carries better. Also, nylon strings are a lot easier on the left hand. Of course it doesn't have the "image" that a lot of folkies want, but it will give you an image of your own.

I started out on steel strings and switched to a classic early on. I'm mostly a ballad-singer, but I'm able to hold my own in just about any group, including Bluegrass.

If you do try using a classic and somebody looks at you funny, just say "Willie Nelson."

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: KJ
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 10:56 AM

If You want a top quality guitar with a wide neck, look no further than Fylde Guitars. They have served me well for many is the year. CT

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Uncle Jaque
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 10:48 AM

I picked up a Yamaha 12-string at a Flea Market - traded a beat up old Pakistani flintlock musket for it, actually. I used it as a twelver for a while, but got tired of spending free weekends tuning the blasted thing. A dozenplucker sounds lovely IF and WHEN it is in tune, but the harmonics go all to Chicago in a duffle-bag if it's even a little tad "out". And not all music is suited to the distinctive sound of the 12S either; particularly the traditional old mouldy stuff that I seem to gravitate to.

So I ended up stringing it with the 6 basic strings, and leaving the "doubles" off. I didn't change the nut; didn't have to.
This gives me the wide fingerboard which is highly conducive to the sort of fingerpicking I do, yet still sounds fine on the rare occasions I want to strum.

The Yamaha is built like a British Frigate of the Line, as most 12Ss are in order to withstand the 700-some pounds of tension that those 12 steel strings put on the neck. But the tone and clarity of it is quite nice, in my opinion. I use it for Nursing Home gigs and such where I want to put some sound out without distorting the pitch or clarity, and save the gut-strung Parlor guitar for around the campfire or "Living History" presentations at school.
It's funny that when I've been playing the Yamaha, it takes me a while to get used to the comparitively tiny fretboard of the old "Parlor".

The 1 & 7/8" plastic nut on my Yamaha broke off on the bass end recently, and no one seems to have the right size to replace it.
So I've got a couple of pork ribs up on the shed roof waiting for the "little people" to eat off the residual tissue so I can whittle me up a new nut. Bone makes pretty good tuning machine handles and nuts, actually. You can turn head pins and end pegs out of it too, in a pinch. I suppose deer antler would serve as well.

Keep an eye out for good used 12-stringers; there are deals to be had out there. A lot of folks seem to get them and give up on trying to tune or play 'em after a while and stash em in the closet somewhere (sort of like excersize equipment) for years, after which they finally sell them to make room for new junk, or move and don't want to pay or bother to take it along.   Mine looked as if it had hardly ever been played when I got it, but the case was disintegrating from age and dry-rot. As long as they were not stored in an attic or barn where heat, dampness, or critters got to 'em, they generally keep pretty well. If they were put away strung especially, check the neck for warpage before you puts your money down. Also check for delamination or glue joint failure anywhere. An instrument that's been cooked in a vehicle or attic will usually be coming apart somewhere. Fixable sometimes, but potentially expensive.

HTH - UJ

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: open mike
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 12:49 AM

c. f. martin guitar web site
check on this site to see options available...the dreadnaught is
not a puny sounding guitar...mine sings out just fine! good luck.
Why are you choosing a wide necked model? These may all have 12
fret necks...

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: open mike
Date: 27 Jul 04 - 12:32 AM

bernie guest--are you paltalk bernie? from abq?
if so, welcome, if not, welcome, too!

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: Midchuck
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 11:07 PM

Check out the Seagulls and Art and Lutherie instruments out of Canada. They tend to have wider necks than most and are very good value for the price.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: freightdawg
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 10:51 PM

Hey JWR,

Custom guitars do not have to be as expensive as you might think. Check out this website. blicky They have made two guitars for me and are working on a third. Their prices start at approx. $1,000 and they can make you anything you want. I had a 12 string and a 6 string made for me, and the luthier put a 1 7/8" wide neck on the 6 string because he knew I liked to finger pick. It works out great. Check them out or give them a call. It will take 6-9 months depending on inlay work.

Freightdawg

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: YOR
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 09:43 PM

I was reading a thread on another forum a couple of years ago about the same thing. The guy had huge hands and fat fingers. Aside from having a custom guitar or custom neck made. One suggestion that came up was to look a 12 string guitars and have the nut and bridge modified for 6 strings. He was a rocker and more interested in electric guitars. The second suggestion was to look at modifing a 7 string guitar.

Enjoy, Roy

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: GUEST,Bernie
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 09:40 PM

Washburn was making one a few years ago.......perhaps they still do.......a copy of the Martin D28S /D35S etc.......big,round-shouldered Dreadnaught with a 12 fret neck......a little thin in the sound department as I recall,but well made and easy to play.....

Subject: RE: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: open mike
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 09:25 PM

the martin D-35 S i have is maybe even 2" wide neck.
they are not very plentiful, but i wish you luck.
I certainly enjoy my "Martina" and the neck is
wider than regular capos..so requires an extra
long one....Barre chords are harder, though.

Subject: Looking for a wide-neck guitar
From: JWR
Date: 26 Jul 04 - 02:13 PM

Hi there,
I wonder if anyone knows of a guitar company that makes a wide-neck model guitar (1 7/8 at the nut). Because of a hand injury, I need a wider neck. I know the expensive small companies do, but the guitars average about $4000.00. I am looking for a company that makes one for about half that much money. Thanks for any advice you can give.
JWR