Happy Medium vs 60's vibe

[tfunster]

Hi all,
I've got a Cobra S with a 1-11/16" Happy Medium neck that is just about perfect for my hands.

I'm thinking of picking up a Classic S or Icon S and might want a neck that's just a smidge chunkier. My question is, how do the shoulders on a 60's vibe neck compare with the Happy Medium?

Anyone go from the Happy Medium to the 60's Vibe and find it too much or too different?

Also, any big difference in feel with 1-5/8" vs 1-11/16." I hate to agonize over these small details, but I have hand issues (carpal tunnel) so small differences make or break a neck for me.

[pipedwho]

Not sure about Happy Medium vs 60s Vibe, but the when it comes to 1 5/8" vs 1 11/16", it's probably more about hand size and finger length.

I find 1 5/8" far more comfortable in getting reach around for chording and fretting the low E further up the neck. The difference is very small, but after an hour of playing I can feel my hands have had to stretch less on a 1 5/8", but I have relatively small hands compared to most guitar players.

With that in mind, I have a Hollow Cobra S with a 1 11/16" Happy Medium neck. It feels great, but I keep thinking I would have been happier if I'd ordered it with the narrower 1 5/8" width. Even with small hands, the thicker depth of the Happy Medium feels pretty good and fills my hands well, but that tiny extra width makes me stretch that little bit extra bit when chording or changing with fingers going to the low E string.

But ... I also have a Crowdster and that only comes in a 1 3/4" width, and I still manage to play that just fine. Yeah, it's not as effortless as my narrower Takamine, but for some reason I can still play it without massive effort. I think it might be combination of the depth and widths where there's an overall circumference that creates the 'comfort'. For example, I can play a classical guitar with a 2" wide but thin neck, but there's no way I could play it at all if the neck was chunky and wide at the same time. Same goes for narrow but thick necks, they feel fine to me also.

So I'm guessing that for each width there's an optimal depth for each player's style and hand size. I have no idea what my ideal is, but I keep getting closer every time I order another guitar. But, I've decided that narrower is always better than wider for my hand, but it must have an appropriate depth to compensate to avoid hand cramping.

[tfunster]

Not sure about Happy Medium vs 60s Vibe, but the when it comes to 1 5/8" vs 1 11/16", it's probably more about hand size and finger length.

I find 1 5/8" far more comfortable in getting reach around for chording and fretting the low E further up the neck. The difference is very small, but after an hour of playing I can feel my hands have had to stretch less on a 1 5/8", but I have relatively small hands compared to most guitar players.

With that in mind, I have a Hollow Cobra S with a 1 11/16" Happy Medium neck. It feels great, but I keep thinking I would have been happier if I'd ordered it with the narrower 1 5/8" width. Even with small hands, the thicker depth of the Happy Medium feels pretty good and fills my hands well, but that tiny extra width makes me stretch that little bit extra bit when chording or changing with fingers going to the low E string.

But ... I also have a Crowdster and that only comes in a 1 3/4" width, and I still manage to play that just fine. Yeah, it's not as effortless as my narrower Takamine, but for some reason I can still play it without massive effort. I think it might be combination of the depth and widths where there's an overall circumference that creates the 'comfort'. For example, I can play a classical guitar with a 2" wide but thin neck, but there's no way I could play it at all if the neck was chunky and wide at the same time. Same goes for narrow but thick necks, they feel fine to me also.

So I'm guessing that for each width there's an optimal depth for each player's style and hand size. I have no idea what my ideal is, but I keep getting closer every time I order another guitar. But, I've decided that narrower is always better than wider for my hand, but it must have an appropriate depth to compensate to avoid hand cramping.

This is great - thanks for the detailed response.

[brokenvail]

Hi all,
I've got a Cobra S with a 1-11/16" Happy Medium neck that is just about perfect for my hands.

I'm thinking of picking up a Classic S or Icon S and might want a neck that's just a smidge chunkier. My question is, how do the shoulders on a 60's vibe neck compare with the Happy Medium?

Anyone go from the Happy Medium to the 60's Vibe and find it too much or too different?

Also, any big difference in feel with 1-5/8" vs 1-11/16." I hate to agonize over these small details, but I have hand issues (carpal tunnel) so small differences make or break a neck for me.

I love the 60's. There is def more shoulder 60's but it is super comfortable. I swap between a cobra with 1-11/16 and HM and a BobCat with 1-5/8 60's and I have no issues. If I were ordering new I would def do a 60's prob even do a +20 on it. Not sure which nut width I would go with with but I learn towards 1-11/16

[Chuckracer]

I also have CP (operation coming in less than two weeks - Yay!) and find my Andy with it's 1 5/8's nut way more comfortable to play than my Les Paul. As far as neck shape, mine's a 60's vibe +20 and it's pretty chunky in the higher registers. Not as chunky as my R8 even with "soft" shoulders but considerably more so that the HM necks I've had.

[tfunster]

I also have CP (operation coming in less than two weeks - Yay!) and find my Andy with it's 1 5/8's nut way more comfortable to play than my Les Paul. As far as neck shape, mine's a 60's vibe +20 and it's pretty chunky in the higher registers. Not as chunky as my R8 even with "soft" shoulders but considerably more so that the HM necks I've had.

Thanks, and good luck with the surgery. Let me know how it goes if you don't mind. I've been putting off surgery for years.

[Chuckracer]

I will. I can't put it off any longer.:(

[Pietro]

For years, my favorite necks were my Cobra with the Happy Medium and some others in a very very similar shape.

On a lark, I got a Hollow Atom CT with a 60s Vibe about 5 and a half years ago.

Since then, every other electric guitar I own is gone.

I'll never go back.

[BFC]

The 60's Vibe feels more comfortable for me because I'm usually playing with my thumb wrapped over the low E string. It seems to be ideal for that style.

[brokenvail]

As far as roundness I feel like 60’s is about as round as a ET but I love that the 60’s get’s Fatter as it goes up. This thread really makes me want to have Tom make me a 60’s +20 for my cobra. I keep reading it is better to just sell and order a new guitar but according what I see with prices. Ordering the neck might not be a bad idea