Hey everybody i was wondering if anyone could give me exact specs on first a 2005 MIM strat neck, and then a 2002 affinity squier neck. I want to know not only the nut widths but also the actual neck thickness if you know it. I do know they are both modern "c" shaped. Im asking because i picked an older 2002 affinity squier strat up the other day and thought the neck felt awesome. It is noticeably thinner than my 2005 Mexican standard. Anyway i would be more than thankfull if anyone could tell me how much thinner the squire actually is and how to find a stratocaster neck of that size comporable to a strat standard or even an american model. Thanks alot everyone.

Hi JBritt22, welcome to the Forum.

I want to be helpful on this, but I think my answer may not give you what you're looking for.

Even if someone knows the "official" specs of a particular model Strat you will find that they are not reliable as far as exact neck measurements are concerned. For example, my 2005 MIA Strat was stated in the specs as having a 42 mm nut: it is in fact a full 43 mm. Which I happen to like, so that's fine.

It all depends on who was on the sanding machine that day and how heavy their hand was. This is crucially the point where a mass produced product like Stratocasters still veers into handmade variability.

The same is true of neck thickness measured top of the fingerboard to back of the neck. Fender don't even bother to issue official specs for that: it's one of the things you look for by feel when trying a guitar in a shop. And it's extremely subjective: one person's baseball bat is another's fast neck.

If you are really into it then what you need is a set of digital calipers. Not as extravagant as you might think: you can buy decent calipers from any tool seller for a modest price.

I made the ludicrous mistake of buying Stewart-MacDonald's "luthier's" digital calipers, and paying extra to have them shipped across the Atlantic:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Calip ... liper.html

These are absolutely identical to those you can buy for half the price anywhere else, except they have a couple of tiny slots machined into them for measuring frets. You don't need 'em!

So. Get yourself some calipers and then measure your necks very accurately, front to back at the first and 12th frets, and widthwise at the nut. You then have the beginnings of a real idea how your necks compare. By all means take your calipers into shops with you: you'll get some looks from the staff but they'll know you mean business...

It still ain't the full story because over and above those raw measurements the actual carve of the neck (C shape, V, D, etc) vastly affects how much timber is in there and how it feels.

For this reason, your hands are your number one tool for comparing guitar necks. If it feels good it's good.

But knowing some numbers can help focus your thoughts...

A long post: I wonder how much use any of that is to you...?

Cheers - C