Why are guitar necks different sizes?
Guitar necks are sized differently in a number of ways, primarily for the comfort of the player, and sometimes for the size of the person. There are several factors to consider, which include the neck’s scale length, fingerboard width and the thickness and shape of the underside of the neck.Scale LengthThe most common guitar scale lengths are approximately 24 3/4 inches and 25 1/2 inches. The scale length is not the length of the neck, but is the “free-vibration” length of the strings between the string nut and bridge. The 3/4 scale instruments for children or small adults average around 22 1/2 inches, while baritone guitars average 26 to 27 inches. The scale length may have some effect on the guitar’s sound and string tension.Fingerboard WidthNecks also come in a variety of fingerboards widths, usually determined by the width at the string nut (the thinnest part of the fretboard, since necks are tapered). Average for most guitars is 1 11/16 inches, with around 2 inches for classical (
