Larger neck JM and Jags

[Crshngdstryr]

Hey all,

I was hoping to receive some of the valuable wisdom from the board. I am looking around for some larger neck Jazzmasters (and possibly jags) and was wondering what the consensus is on years where Fender was carving larger necks. In particular, I'm looking for something that's around 1 inch at the 12th fret. From what I understand, 63-64 JMs can fit the bill, but any other years? Do 63-64 jags have similar neck sizes? Thanks!

EDIT: I'd be open to mustangs too!

[Despot]

The thickest Jazzmaster neck (from about 10 that I've played from between 1960 and 1976) belongs to my '62 Jazzmaster (which is stamped December '62, so in reality is a '63). It's also a lovely profile - a full feeling C shape as opposed to the D shape of later JMs, or the thinner earlier necks.

I've found identical necks on two '63 Strats that I've played for what it's worth...

Also, I have a L series Jaguar and yes, it's got pretty much the same profile as the JM. I haven't measured the neck, but picking one up after the other, the thickness of the neck feels the same. They're quite tapered though - around the nut they're a normal thickness, getting chunky from the 5th fret up. It's my favourite Fender neck profile.

Hope that helps some.

[bencrit]

Hey all,

I was hoping to receive some of the valuable wisdom from the board. I am looking around for some larger neck Jazzmasters (and possibly jags) and was wondering what the consensus is on years where Fender was carving larger necks. In particular, I'm looking for something that's around 1 inch at the 12th fret. From what I understand, 63-64 JMs can fit the bill, but any other years? Do 63-64 jags have similar neck sizes? Thanks!

EDIT: I'd be open to mustangs too!

Jazzmasters and Jaguars all tend to have slightly slimmer necks, in my experience. The difference between a thinner and thicker neck is therefore somewhat marginal, although real. Of the several I have owned, I have found that the years 1962-1963 tend to produce the thickest neck.

If you really want a true "fat neck" jazzmaster, Mike and Mike's Guitar Bar in Seattle has a really good one right now. I think it's a 64. It's got one issue, but the neck on it is fantastic. I think it's actually a special order with 1 and 11/16th inch nut width, and a very round and sizable depth to it. I haven't played a thicker neck on a jazzmaster before. very nice!

[Ursa Minor]

Pretty much every JM / Jag neck from the 59-65 era will be near 1" at the 12th fret. There is always a little variation though +/-

I have a 63 Jag (.81 / .99) and 64 JM (.83 / .98). This seems pretty consistent with most fenders of the era that I've played. The only ones that were slimmer we're my FEB66 D+B JM which was like .83 / .92

[i love sharin foo]

For a long time I owned a '62 with a neck date of May. It was a standard B width nut also. Out of all the vintage Jazzmasters I've owned, it was by far the chunkiest all around. There is a lot of variation in that era, even within the same year in my experience though.

[fuzzking]

the neck on my 62 is the chunkiest of them.

[Axolotl]

The D&B neck of my 65 JM has a wider nut and a fatter profile than my 59 and 66. It also has no taper, being equally chunky from the first fret to the body. Lovely neck.

[Ursa Minor]

I love all this talk of thick necks!

Axoloti: Interesting comparison, especially considering the lack of taper on the 65. My old D+B (although a FEB 66) had just a little taper but lacked the beefiness of say a 62-65 neck. So much variation.

Have you ever measured the 1st and 12th fret depth for comparison? And don't you have a Mustang with a good size neck as well?

[MrFingers]

From all the Fenders I've played, the ones from before the "standardisation" (read: May 1962) tended to have meaty necks. Especially the early 1962 ones, they could be absolutely huge (my early '62 P bass has a D-shaped behemoth of a treetrunk for a neck).

[NickD]

My JM is a 64 and has a fairly big neck, for a Fender at least. For context, it gets played next to a 2013 R9 Les Paul and the Gibson neck is slightly fatter all round.