1950s Gretsch Neck Profile and Nut Width Question?

[afire]

So, I have a '55 VS 6120. The neck profile is described as "standard U" with a 1 11/16" nut width. It feels bigger than the '50s necks I'm used to. Not bad, just not quite the same. Yesterday I took a field trip over to Cream City outside of Milwaukee to check out a Custom Shop '55 that they just got in. Since I have one on order, I figured it was a good opportunity to see some of the details of what I presume to be the "standard" specs so I know if there's anything I want to deviate from when it's time to finalize my specs when my build is on deck. Pretty much the same experience. Comfortable enough, but not quite what I'm used to. Neither seemed particularly deep or particularly clubby, but somehow just meatier feeling.

So what I'm starting to wonder is if 1950s Gretsch necks might have been a little more V shaped than I ever gave them credit for. I have a tendency to wrap my hand around the neck. It almost makes sense that a slight V would be particularly comfortable for me.

If one were to ask me to describe a typical 1950s Gretsch. my answer would have been nondescript C, 1 11/16" at the nut. I've had 30 years to figure this out by never actually bothered to measure a nut width (other than one '57 Gent that had a clearly wider neck) or carefully examine the profile (other than the very same Gent which had a weird D profile).

Now I'm starting to think that the necks that I've grown accustomed to for decades might better be described as a soft V with a 1 5/8" nut width. I want to figure out what to tell the Custom Shop when I'm up. Any other vintage fans have any thoughts about this?

 

[Neal]

I have a '56 Corvette with a pretty clubby neck, but it is definitely narrower than 1 11/16".

I used to own a ' 59 Clipper that had a really big wide neck, close to 1 3/ 4". Since they were all made by hand, they were probably all over the map.

Wish I still had that Clipper...

 

[Highnumbers]

I find vintage Gretsch necks to be particularly all over the place, more so than other brands.

Just in the past few years, I've had a '57 Country Club and '58 6120 with a medium C-shaped profile and 1-11/16" width, currently have a '60 6120 with a 1-11/16" width and fairly slim profile. And I have a '63 White Falcon with a crazy wide 1.75" nut and slim profile.

I'm pretty sure the standard width is 1-11/16" but the profile changed constantly. Did it differ by model (such as the case of the Falcon?)

 

[Pemberton]

My ‘59 6120 has a 1 11/16” nut. My ‘57 Streamliner has a slightly narrower 1 5/8” nut. I don’t really notice much of a difference between them while playing, but I guess I do prefer the 1 5/8”

However, what I really notice, is my ‘57 Streamliner has a narrower neck taper going down towards the body. So the neck width at the 12th fret is slightly narrower than my other guitars by at least a 1/16” of an inch (maybe almost 1/8”) which I really dig because it makes thumb-over chords going down the neck much easier.

Both guitars have an almost identical very comfortable C-shape neck.

If I was having a custom guitar built, I would measure my ‘57 Streamliner and have the neck width and profile copied exactly, because for me, it’s perfect.

 

[65club]

My '60 and '55 6131s both have 1 11/16" nuts. The '60 has a full "D" neck that is my favorite neck of all time, the '55 has almost the same neck but a sort of flat spot down the middle. My '58 6196 has a very strange neck - a touch under 1 11/16' but cramped by a tighter nut spacing, and its almost trapezodail from the nut to about the 5th fret before transitioning to a medium "C" the rest of the way.

 

[afire]

I find vintage Gretsch necks to be particularly all over the place, more so than other brands.

I don't doubt this is true. Yet over the course of owning probably around 40 vintage Gretsches, very little has particularly stood out to me. Very early Jets have an obviously clubby, albeit comfortable (for me) neck. And the only one that did in a negative way had a wider than average 1 3/4" nut, which makes me feel like I'm more sensitive to wider necks than narrower ones.

My ‘59 6120 has a 1 11/16” nut. My ‘57 Streamliner has a slightly narrower 1 5/8” nut. I don’t really notice much of a difference between them while playing, but I guess I do prefer the 1 5/8”
...

If I was having a custom guitar built, I would measure my ‘57 Streamliner and have the neck width and profile copied exactly, because for me, it’s perfect

I think that's probably the direction I'm going to go in. 1 5/8" C-shape, maybe just a hint of V.

 

[LesB3]

My measurements are:

'57 6014, 1 11/16" Nut, Thin neck, "C" Shape
'58 6187, 1 11/16" Nut, Thicker (not thick), "D" Shape
'59 6131, >1 11'16" Nut (around 1.72"), Thin neck, "C" to "D" taper

Of the three, my preferences are for the '59, then the '57, and then the '58.

 

[gasmoney]

John
I have several 50s 6120s.
thye all are different in their shape.
I noticed the first batch 16450 series is pretty round.
the next batch 16940 is a little nicer with more of a D shape.
the 56s I have are both much slimmer and frankly easiest to play.
my 59 6120 is about the best of both shapes.
The other vintage gretschew i own are also without any reference so to speak.a gent and club and some jets.

in the Gibson world the neck shapes are more consistent from 45-60.

hope this helps.
lmk if yiu need anything

 

[afire]

the 56s I have are both much slimmer and frankly easiest to play.

The only mid '50s 6120 I've owned for any length of time was a '56 and I think that's kind of what is stuck in my head and why some that I've played just seem a little unfamiliar.

 

[afire]

lmk if you need anything

Thanks! You've already helped a lot but I'm sure more questions will arise.

 

[Pemberton]

@afire curious of your prefered fretboard radius and your experience with vintage ones. As with neck profiles, I’ve read that the fretboard radius was no where near consistent with 50s/60s Gretsches.

Most of my vintage guitars have a 9.5” radius, which I find familiar and comfortable (and a couple of them are even a bit more curved at the nut, at 7.25”). I know that a lot of newer Gretsches come with a flatter 12” radius (and some players prefer even flatter). If I was having one built, I think I would go for a compound radius of 7.25” to 9.5” - just my personal preference.

So many things to consider when having a guitar built from scratch.

 

[afire]

@afire curious of your preferred fretboard radius and your experience with vintage ones. As with neck profiles, I’ve read that the fretboard radius was no where near consistent with 50s/60s Gretsches.

Most of my vintage guitars have a 9.5” radius, which I find familiar and comfortable (and a couple of them are even a bit more curved at the nut, at 7.25”). I know that a lot of newer Gretsches come with a flatter 12” radius (and some players prefer even flatter). If I was having one built, I think I would go for a compound radius of 7.25” to 9.5” - just my personal preference.

Although 12" seems to be gospel on reissues, I'm seriously considering a smaller radius. The fact that details like this were never entirely consistent kind of gives one latitude to adjust to taste without betraying the mission of vintage-correctness. I was thinking 9.5" but compound 7.25" to 9.5" actually does sound pretty appealing.

So many things to consider when having a guitar built from scratch.

Totally. With all the vintage Gretsches that have come and gone, I wish I had paid closer attention to thing like neck profile and radius and documented the ones that were particularly comfy. The '56 mentioned about really felt about perfect. I have pictures, no data.