Your favorite instrument, the guitar, is as complex as it seems. Guitars vary in not only sound and playability, but also its shape.
If you're new in the guitar playing journey, its worth knowing the most common guitar neck shapes and fretboard radius. They might not directly affect the sound of your guitar, but they could influence how you play. Let’s get to know the difference between guitar neck shapes.
C-shape Neck
It’s also called C-chunky and is the most common neck shape you’ll find in the market today. You might have seen it, and notable for its oval profile. Guitarists tend to gravitate to a C-shape neck because of its playability and comfort. If you enjoy a thumb-free play, you will love this Fender American Standard Series.
U-shape Neck
Chunkier, massive, and more rounded than the C-shape neck, the U-shape neck is also known as the “baseball bat” due to its rectangular shape. The comfortable design with long fingers to reach the fretboard gives off a classic feel. The Fender ‘70s Classic Stratocaster and American ’52 Telecaster are two of our favorite U-shape neck guitars.
V-shape Neck
There are two variations for V-shape Neck - soft V-shape and hard V-shape. They may be the same in appearance, but the feel and tone are different. The V-shape neck is an older guitar neck shape created back in the 1950s. f you’re curious about V-shape Neck try out the American Deluxe “V” Stratocaster or the 50s Classic Stratocaster.
D-shape Neck
You can also call it the modern flat oval, a recent creation for electric guitars. You’ll feel the flat back on the neck, flatter then any other neck shapes, which gives a perfectly comfortable feel on your hands. This is a great choice for musicians who play fast and with a rapid movement. Our favorite example of a modern D-shape is this Ibanez QX52.
Asymmetrical Neck
The funky asymmetrical style also means excellent harmonic tone. These guitars tend to be bulkier on one end of the neck and thinner on the bottom neck. For example, when you start with a low E, and work your way up the neck you'll notice some reduced density under your fingers. The Brad Paisley Signature Telecaster is an extraordinary player with asymmetrical neck.
What is a Fretboard Radius?
Now that we're on the topic of a guitar's neck, we would be remised to not talk about the fretboard radius. The fretboard radius is the measure of the angle of the fingerboard across its width. It impacts the guitar's playability, from the spacing between strings to playing open chords. Regardless, the angle varies depending on the guitars neck.
So what's the best neck shape and fretboard radius? Well, you should try out different styles and find out. Shop our entire collection here!