Difference in Neck thickness?

Tokai Forum

Help Support Tokai Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

andrius

Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2014
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
I have tried a high-end Love Rock (LS420 or something) and I had my LS98 and LS75. They were all made about 4-5 years. The high end one felt like it had a slightly thinner neck (fretboard to back of the neck). So I wonder: is it just an anomaly (maybe because LS420 is hand-crafted?) or do all higher-end Love Rock models have slimmer necks than the cheaper ones? If yes, I wonder what is the price-point that divides these thicker and slimmer necks?
 
I've got a high-end model from '01 that has a thicker neck than the regular models, just to add to the confusion.
 
andrius said:
I have tried a high-end Love Rock (LS420 or something) and I had my LS98 and LS75. They were all made about 4-5 years. The high end one felt like it had a slightly thinner neck (fretboard to back of the neck). So I wonder: is it just an anomaly (maybe because LS420 is hand-crafted?) or do all higher-end Love Rock models have slimmer necks than the cheaper ones? If yes, I wonder what is the price-point that divides these thicker and slimmer necks?

Nope. It depends on model and version. LS75 Goldtop from 2011 has fatter neck (like '50) than LS75 from 2011 in Black or Cherry color (And yes, they produced LS75 in 2011 and 2012, 3piece backs, special orders for some dealers) .
LS150F-3A has fatter neck than LS260, but both of them are premium models.
By the way sometimes Tokai neck thickness varies depending on the guitar .. My personal LS260 neck is thinner than my friend's LS260, but the difference is very subtle. I can feel it, but others do not. Also they use (or should use) same neck shape and thickness for LS260 and LS420. (59 neck shape).
 
Paladin2019 said:
I've got a high-end model from '01 that has a thicker neck than the regular models, just to add to the confusion.

Which model and color?
 
Currently Tokai have only one neck thickness, one neck width, and one neck shape.
Any differences you might measure or feel are random from the manufacturing process.
You can't order a custom spec guitar with a wider, fatter or thicker neck.

Neck specs.
22.8mm at 1st fret including fret height.
25.00mm at 12th fret including fret height.
 
Diamond said:
Currently Tokai have only one neck thickness, one neck width, and one neck shape.
Any differences you might measure or feel are random from the manufacturing process.
You can't order a custom spec guitar with a wider, fatter or thicker neck.

Neck specs.
22.8mm at 1st fret including fret height.
25.00mm at 12th fret including fret height.

I have tested som MIC Tokais and the necks have been flatter. Japanese are similar.

Matti
 
Diamond said:
Currently Tokai have only one neck thickness, one neck width, and one neck shape.
Any differences you might measure or feel are random from the manufacturing process.
You can't order a custom spec guitar with a wider, fatter or thicker neck.

Neck specs.
22.8mm at 1st fret including fret height.
25.00mm at 12th fret including fret height.

I can agree with that, but here is some examples from my stock:

LS75 from 2011 in Black much like you said
22.9mm at 1st fret including fret height.
25.50mm at 12th fret including fret height

LS75 from 2012 Goldtop
25.00mm at 1st fret including fret height.
27.50mm at 12th fret including fret height

Too much difference as to random from the manufacturing process, isn't?
O.K., its NOS guitars from 2011-2012 and those guitars has never been shown in brochures.
 
My experience is they are not all the same. I had a 2012 LC-195 that was 25 mm thick at the 11th fret, much heftier than the 2010 LS-160 I owned which was 24 mm. That makes me doubt that all necks are exactly the same profile.
 
Different CNC profile cutter tolerances and varying degrees of finish sanding for each neck could account for
small dimensional differences of a mm or less, I suspect.

I wouldn't include frets in measurements, but a 2mm difference seems like a lot for the same model, regardless.

It is possible Tokai has a number of neck profiles programmed into their CNC,
since they produce a variety of necks for various manufacturer copies already, but using different profiles within a model line
seems really counter productive. :-?
 
With the apparently varying neck sizes it is almost like they are making guitars that people would try out in a store before buying, like they still do in Japan. :wink:
 
mattim said:
Diamond said:
Currently Tokai have only one neck thickness, one neck width, and one neck shape.
Any differences you might measure or feel are random from the manufacturing process.
You can't order a custom spec guitar with a wider, fatter or thicker neck.

Neck specs.
22.8mm at 1st fret including fret height.
25.00mm at 12th fret including fret height.

I have tested som MIC Tokais and the necks have been flatter. Japanese are similar.

Matti

Sorry, I failed to mention I was talking about the MIJ models.
The MIC necks are completely different, they're thinner and narrower 60s shaped.
 
Well, I have two Custom spec LS models on order.
Both with one piece Honduras mahogany bodies and necks, one with an Ebony fretboard and one with a Madagascar rosewood fretboard.

I asked/begged for slightly wider thicker chunkier necks, I was told there is only one current neck shape/width/thickness and they can't (even with a Custom order) make me a chunkier neck...and I offered to pay extra if they did.
However they did say that the neck might turn out slightly chunkier than the specs/measurements they gave me (the measurements I posted above), but that wouldn't be because I requested it, it would just be by chance.

Keep in mind, the specs I posted include fret height, so higher frets could measure as a thicker/deeper neck.
My favourite spec upgrade which they willingly do for me on all LS models is thicker frets, Dunlop 6100/6105 (SBB-215)...once you play a LS model with these frets you can't go back to the thinner frets, these frets rule!

It appears their CNC machines have one neck profile programmed, but as Reborn mentioned varying degrees of finish could account for slightly different final specs.

For me personally I love the current neck profiles, I asked for a chunkier neck because that's what my customer requested.
He loves his 2013 LS100F but said it would be nice if the neck could be slightly chunkier, but he's more than happy if it turns out just like the 100F.
 
From my experience, the neck on mid end models were different from high end ones, the fattest necks I have ever met in recent 2000' era has benn a 2005 LS-150 which was meater.
LS70 and 60 (2005) had a regular Tokai neck (59 thinner style) whereas LS-320s I own/owned have different neck size (sorry it is difficuylto to me expalin it more elaborate in english). Recent Tokai necks are similar to LS-50 1981 I have whereas a 1979 L-80 has a meatier neck with some shoulders (I like a lot). Thet hinnest neck I met was a ES-100 2005 made. The LC-60 1984 is meater than LS-50, Ilove that neck in particular.

Hope it helps!
 
Back
Top