Hi,

I just recieved a used American Standard (MIA) Strat. It's a 1997 model. I tried a newer model in a shop and since I liked it I decided to buy one used. However now the neck seems much thicker. I have quite small hands and it's a little uncomfortable. I wanted to ask if Fender has changed the necks on american standards some time or am I just imagening it? And if I someone could tell me the years of the different necks on them, I would know which years to avoid in the future?

Thanks,

Or it also might be the radius or the shape, but yeah it somehow feels too big

Maybe this can be any help? http://www.stratocastertalk.com/picture.php?albumid=1&pictureid=311

_________________
2010 American Special HSS 3TSB
Marshall MG15FX

Thanks for that. But is there a way to find out the neck specks for 1997 MIA standard strat? It tired googeling but with no luck

Ah okay, I think I misunderstood exactly what you wanted to know. Since I'm somewhat of a newbie , compared to others around here, I'll leave it to the masters to help you.

_________________
2010 American Special HSS 3TSB
Marshall MG15FX

Fender did slightly alter the neck shape in 2008 when the "new" American Standards came out; it seems like they have a bit less "shoulder" than the older ones.

I don't think Fender intentionally changed any specs between 1997 and now that would have a dramatic difference. Both have the same 9.5" radius, nut width, and C shape back. I guess like John C mentioned the shoulders are a little different. To tell you the truth I haven't played many of the new Am Stds to compare.

But one difference I know of is that in 2000 with the release of the American Series, Fender started rolling the fingerboard edges. That makes it very comfortable to me. The new American Stds have the same rolled fingerboard edges too.

_________________
Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

Got the excact specs for my guitar: 9.5" Radius/241 mm, Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm, Width @ Nut: 1.6875" (42 mm. Seems fairly standard. Maybe I am really imagining it...

It's a very long read but this site will have all the info on Fender guitars you'll need. Good luck.
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html

That's a really useful site.

_________________
2010 American Special HSS 3TSB
Marshall MG15FX

It does have a lot of useful info on it. Almost everything you need to know about Fender guitars. If people would check it out before buying expensive guitars they'd save some money!!

Bookmarked it...

+1
That and the Fender's Strat Setup Guide really should be made stickies at the top of the page at this forum.

_________________
Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

Hi artsingo: I don't think you are. My 2005 American Series Strat C-shape neck feels distinctly slimmer in my hand than early US Standards, unless I'm mistaken.

Let's be scientific about it. I measured that neck from the front of the fingerboard to the middle of the back using digital calipers. Here's what I got. The first measurement is at the first fret, the second measurement is at the 12th:

2005 MIA Strat - 20.90mm (0.823") - 25.33mm (0.997")

There. Now you have a reference to check others against and see if they really are getting smaller or not.

BTW: I think this also has something to do with it:

Forum users Nikininja and ZZDoc got very involved in wrapping tailor-style tape measures around their guitar necks to discover their circumferences in order to compare different editions of the Clapton Sig and Hotrod necks. By rolling the fingerboard edges that measurement would be reduced even though the width and depth of the neck stayed the same.

Which by itself would make the neck feel smaller even if it wasn't.

All of that said, as The_Nutter and I were discussing just the other day, my hands seem to be strangely insensitive to this stuff. I can switch between radically different shaped necks without the slightest inconvenience or discomfort. I'm not at all sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing...

Cheers - C

It's a good thing, mate, saves you a lot of searching.

BTW, you could also take a piece of string, wind it round the neck, mark the position where the string touches the tip of the string and then measure the string on a conventional tape measure or such. Quite a conventional trick I learnt from my Granddad.
Also, since our hands "wrap" around the neck like a sling, it's only logical there is more room to move around when you have rolled edges.
As we now heard through Martian, rolling your edges is a piece of cake...

-Nutter