I am new to strats. Just got my first, 1985 MIM Fat Strat w/ RW fingerboard.
My question is, I'm am used to playing a Les Paul JR with a nice
fat neck. I have fat fingers and the strat neck is much thinner.
For my next strat, I would like a maple fingerboard with a fatter neck.
What are my options? I read about C and V shaped necks, but do not know the difference is. What is the standard, which I guess is what is on my strat?

Thanks for reading.

As a humble Les Paul player, you'll enjoy the V shaped neck much more. The C shape is different. Back in the day, the C shape neck was much thicker, almost a D shape. The modern neck are much thinner. The only fat neck you'll find from the mexico plant is the Kenny Wayne Sheperd Neck. Otherwise, you'll have to pony up the dough for a signature or american Deluxe V-neck. (Or custom shop) Its the only way to have a beefer neck like a Les Paul. To qoute Fenders FAQ:

"What is a V, C or U shape neck?
The letters V, C, and U are used today by Fender as analogies to describe the "neck profile" or shape and contour of the back of our instrument necks. Necks described by these letters will correspond roughly (although not quite as exaggerated), to the visual appearance of these letters.

The V shaped necks come in two different versions, a "soft" V and a "hard" V. The "soft" V shape is a bit rounded off, whereas the "hard" V is somewhat more pointed.

There are a couple of other neck shape descriptions which do not have directly corresponding letters. These are the "oval" and the modern "flat oval". Many people, however, simply use the letter "C" when referring generally to these "oval" shapes.

The "U" shape is chunky and rounded, with high shoulders, as seen in the exaggerated letter U.

There is no doubt that it is easier to understand the application of these terms to the necks when you put your hands on them and get the feel, however, the use of these letters is pretty accurate in describing the shape of the back of Fender necks.

There is often confusion between the use of the letters V, C, and U used to describe neck shapes, and the use of the letters A, B, C and D in describing Fender neck widths. During the period of time from the early '60's to the early '70's, Fender used the letters A, B, C, and D to refer specifically to the width of our guitar and bass necks at the nut. These letters were stamped on the butt end of the necks, and had no reference to the shape or contour of the neck. An "A" width was 1 1/2" at the nut, "B" was 1 5/8", "C" was 1 3/4" and "D" was 1 7/8". "

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The shape is what the profile of the neck would look like if you say cut off the headstock. Most Strats have the rounded profile that looks like a "C"; a few models have a profile that looks like a soft "V" - not pointed, but the sides or "shoulders" are thinned-down. The V-neck wa used in the mid-late 50s on Strats and is currently found on the Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughn, USA-made Buddy Guy (not sure about the MIM version), American Vintage '57, MIM Classic '50s, Vintage Hot Rod '57, American Deluxe V-neck, and CS Time Machine '56. I'm sure there are others from the CS, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head. There is also the Eric Johnson Strats - they start out as a very slightly "V" shaped neck that becomes a "C" as you move down toward the 12th fret.

Your MIM Fat Strat will have a fairly slim "modern C", meaning it doesn't have much taper as you move from the 1st to the 12th fret (a "vintage" neck will have more taper and get noticably fatter as you move from the 1st to the 12th).

If you want a maple fingerboard and a fat neck, the Eric Johnson is going to be your best choice - as mentioned above it goes from a slight "V" to a "C" shape, it's a 12" radius, and it is one of the fatter production necks on a Strat. However, is is a 3-single coil guitar, and it has the vintage routing under the pickguard (3 single coil sized slots).

The Jeff Beck has a fairly fat neck (the early ones were very fat - roughly 1" deep all the way down; the new ones aren't quite so deep) but it is a rosewood board only. The up side to the Beck is although it is also an SSS guitar the body should be routed HSH under the pickguard.

Everything else production is likely going to feel more like your MIM Standard - fairly slim neck. However, you should try some out to see what you like.

Don't forget that some Strats have a wider neck at the nut - "modern" ones like American Standards, American Special, American Deluxe, Jeff Beck, etc. have a 1.6875" nut width (which is also the standard width for most Gibsons - although the LP Jr. may be a bit narrower than that) while the "vintage" style Strats will have a 1.650" nut width. All this will impact the feel of the neck.

The biggest Fender neck I've ever felt was the one on the original Jeff Beck strats...that neck was amazing and rivals that on my '58 LP Reissue. Short of that, the only other neck I felt that came close was on a '54 Strat reissue. Unfortunately, none of the '54s I've played since had that neck.

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For the lowest price point, the Kenny Wayne Sheperd strat has a much thicker neck and a 12" radius. In my opinion, its the best strat for the money. Only wish the local G.C. had one in stock when I was looking for a strat!

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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cp 60s, hr 62
actually i think the hr 62 has the fattest neck imo.

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"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

I'll second THAT one. Couldn't believe he actually lent his name to that guitar when it was released.

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KWS strat neck profile is an exact replica of the demensions from his vintage 1961 strat...

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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I loved that neck (granted I have big hands) but it just felt so comfortable. The neck on the new ones got too slim. I know Fender approached Jeff about asking if they could slim it down to facilitate sales...I'd be curious to play one of his own though to see if he still actually has that old neck or not

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The mind is like a parachute; it doesn't work unless its open-FZ