Some of us just want a guitar neck meatier than others…and if you are one of these people, this article is a real treat!
I have researched a ton of different guitar models, gone through manufacturers’ websites, online music stores, etc., and based on that, I present you with 2 full lists of guitars with thick necks:
- One for acoustic guitars
- And one for electric guitars
I also reveal our favorite electric and acoustic guitar with a thick neck. Let’s get started!
This article might also interest you: Best Guitar Neck Shapes for Big Hands – Full Guide
Thick Neck Guitars
After doing some brainstorming and research, we decided that guitars having a neck that measures over .866″ (22mm) from 1st fret can be considered to be a guitar with a thick neck.
Also, these brands reveal the thickness of guitars neck on their website(if you have found more, please let us know, leave a comment or send me an email):
- Ibanez
- Cordoba
- Schecter
I also used Wildwood Guitars and The Music Zoo websites when doing research, they are awesome because they reveal neck thickness for some models.
Note that the exact neck thickness can vary between different copies of the same models.
Acoustics Guitars With Thick Necks
PRS Limited Edition SE P20E is an affordable parlor guitar with a thick neck.
Price symbol meaning:
$= 200-800 Dollars
$$= 801-1500 Dollars
$$$= 1501-2000 Dollars
$$$$= 2000-3000 Dollars
$$$$$= 3001- Dollars
| Model | Neck Thickness | Nut Width | Price Range | Check Price (Affiliate links) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guild Guitars D-40E | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret – .900 (22.86mm) 9th fret | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $$ | Sweetwater* – Thomann* |
| Guild Guitars M-25E | .870 (22.1mm) 1st fret – .910 (23.1mm) 9th fret | 1.75″ (44.4mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| PRS Limited Edition SE P20E | .880 (22.1mm) 1st fret – .930 (23.6mm) 9th fret | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Gibson Slash J-45 – Find More Great Gibsons Here | .900 (22.86mm) 1st fret – 1.000 (25.4mm) 9th fret | 1.725″ (43.8mm) | $$$$$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Gibson ’50s J-50 Original | .870 (22.1mm) 1st fret – .980 (22.1mm) 9th fret | 1.725″ (43.8mm) | $$$$ | Sweetwater |
| Gibson ’50s J-45 Original | .890 (22.1mm) 1st fret – .970 (22.1mm) 9th fret | 1.725″ (43.8mm) | $$$$ | Sweetwater |
| Martin 000-28EC Eric Clapton Acoustic Guitar – Find More Great Martins Here | 890” (22.1mm) 1st fret, 1.00” (22.1mm) 12th fret | 1.75″ (44.4mm) | $$$$$ | Sweetwater |
| Martin 000-28 Brooke Ligertwood Signature | .880″ (22.1mm) 1st fret, 1.010″ (22.1mm) 9th fret | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $$$$$ | Sweetwater |
| Taylor 517e Builder’s Edition Grand Pacific – Find More Great Taylors Here | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret, .960″ (22.1mm) 9th fret | 1.75″ (44.4mm) | $$$$$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
Find wide neck acoustic guitars here.
Electric Guitars With Thick Necks
Fender Noventa Telecasters has a thick ’60s C neck shape. If you are after a Tele with a thick neck, it’s one great option.
Price symbol meaning:
$= 200-800 Dollars
$$= 801-1500 Dollars
$$$= 1501-2000 Dollars
$$$$= 2000-3000 Dollars
$$$$$= 3001- Dollars
| Model | Neck Thickness | Nut Width | Price Range | Check Price (Affiliate links) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schecter Tempest Custom | .866″ (22mm) 1st fret – .925″ (23.5mm) 12th fret | 1.653″ (42mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Ibanez Paul Gilbert FRM 300 | .866″ (22mm) 1st fret, t- 0.94″ (24mm) 12th fret | 1.692″ (42.97mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Ibanez Josh Smith FLATV1 | .866″ (22mm) 1st fret – 0.96″ (24.5mm) 12th fret | 1.653″ (42mm) | $$$$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Epiphone Slash Les Paul Standard | .900″ (22.8mm) 1st fret – 1.01″ (25.6mm) 12th fret | 1.693″(43mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret – .970″ (24.6mm) 12th fret | 1.687″(42.84mm) | $$$$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Gibson Murphy Lab 1957 Les Paul | .900″ (22.8mm) 1st fret – 1.040″ (26.4mm) 12th | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $$$$$ | Sweetwater |
| PRS Guitars SE Mira | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret – .920″ (23.3mm) 12th | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| PRS Guitars S2 McCarty Singlecut 594 | .890″ (22.6mm) 1st fret – .990″ (25.1mm) 12th fret | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $$$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| PRS Guitars Hollowbody II Piezo | .880″ (22.35mm) 1st fret – .960″ (24.38mm) 12th fret | 1.6875″(42.86″) | $$$$$ | Sweetwater |
| Fender Jimmie Vaughan Tex-Mex Stratocaster | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret – .880″ (22.35mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$ | Sweetwater |
| Fender Ben Gibbard Mustang | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret – .930″ (23.6mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Fender EOB Ed O’Brien Sustainer Stratocaster | .900″ (22.8mm) 1st fret – .970″ (24.6mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Fender Richie Kotzen Signature Telecaster | .930″ (23.6mm) 1st fret – .980″ (24.9mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Fender Noventa Telecaster | .870″ (22.1mm) 1st fret – .920″ (23.3mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$ | Sweetwater |
| Fender Vintera ’50s Stratocaster | .880″ (22.35mm) 1st fret – .990″ (25.1mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
| Fender Vintera ’50s Telecaster Modified | .880″ (22.35mm) 1st fret – .980″ (24.9mm) 12th fret | 1.65″ (41.9mm) | $$ | Sweetwater – Thomann |
Find wide neck electric guitars here.
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Best Guitars With Thick Necks
Top Acoustic – Guild Guitars D-40E
What I like
- Bone nut and saddle
- The neck is thick but not super wide (1.6875″ nut)
- Solid Sitka Spruce top
- Solid African Mahogany back and sides
- High-quality build
- Full and well-balanced dreadnought sound
- Many guitars with similar features cost a lot more
What I don’t like
- Not affordable although worth the money
Who is it for?
If you are after an acoustic guitar with all the premium features, full sound, thick neck, and high value for the money, Guild D-40E is a great option. And while it’s not cheap, it still offers all this at a lower price than many other similar guitars.
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Top Electric – Epiphone Slash Les Paul Standard
What I like
- Meaty neck
- Custom Pro Humbuckers offer thick and full tones great for rock
- Nubone nut for increased sustain
- Usually comes with a hardshell case
- Stunning looks
What I don’t like
- Limited upper-fret access
Who is it for?
If you are after Les Paul which has a meaty neck, offers great rock tones, features of a more expensive guitar(nubone nut, hardshell case, etc.), and don’t mind it being an Epiphone and Slash signature model, this is a great option.
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FAQ
Is A Thick Guitar Neck Better?
It depends. If you like a firm grip and meaty neck, then most likely a thick neck is a safe bet. But there’s no universal best neck thickness or type out there.
Does Les Pauls Have Thick Necks?
In general yes, at least thicker than with many other models. For example, 50’s neck profiles featured in many Les Pauls (basically a D shape) have really thick feel on them. And this same applies to many other neck shapes featured with Les Pauls.
Does Guitar Neck Affect Tone?
Most likely no. When an electric guitar is played through an amplifier, definitely not, since pickups pick up the vibration of the strings directly from the strings, neck wood has no effect on this.
When played acoustically, some might argue that neck can affect the sound of the guitar, but that impact is still minimal. When acoustic or hollow-body electric guitars are used, sound waves bounce around inside the body of the guitar, so the body woods affect the tone, not the neck.
Conclusion
I personally prefer slim necks because of my small hands, but I must confess that Gibson Les Paul with a meaty 50’s D neck profile has a unique feel which I also enjoy a lot. So I value guitars with thick necks too and was happy to gather all these guitars together to help players who love thick necks.
I hope that this post helped you out and if you have any questions just leave a comment.
I wish you all the best and keep rocking!
PRS also list their neck thicknesses on their website!! 🙂
Hi and thanks for reminding me about that, I had totally forgotten! Have a great day 🙂
Any variation of Brian May’s guitars, either by his own company or the entire cottage industry of replicas/knock-offs, have huge necks: 1.85″ nut width and 1″ thick at the 2nd fret are typical specs, which make the offerings on this list look like toothpicks in comparison.