Hi everyone, I have an 2010 Hwy one strat.

It is probably my best sounding strat but the fingerboard is too wide for my hands.
I really can't get my thumb over the top for the blues stuff. I am thinking about replacing the neck. so I am looking for a large cbs headstock neck with a rosewood board but with a more traditional fingerboard width and string spacing. I would prefer to stay with a fender american made neck. Any suggestions other than flea bay?

Thanks!

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Totally gratuitous gear list
2011 Mustang Special LPB (pawn shop series)
2011 Les Paul 50s Tribute series
2010 Highway one Strat Satin black with maple neck
1999 Fender Toronado
1959 Strat slab neck on a 1969 Strat body
1967 Gretsch Double Anniversary

straosphere on ebay is a great place and trust worthy

hi , are you having this problem when sitting down playing ? cheers
Alan

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Its def worse when I sit down. I dont think its much wider than my 59 neck but its enough to make it impossible for my thumb to hook over the top sitting or standing.

_________________
Totally gratuitous gear list
2011 Mustang Special LPB (pawn shop series)
2011 Les Paul 50s Tribute series
2010 Highway one Strat Satin black with maple neck
1999 Fender Toronado
1959 Strat slab neck on a 1969 Strat body
1967 Gretsch Double Anniversary

Thanks

_________________
Totally gratuitous gear list
2011 Mustang Special LPB (pawn shop series)
2011 Les Paul 50s Tribute series
2010 Highway one Strat Satin black with maple neck
1999 Fender Toronado
1959 Strat slab neck on a 1969 Strat body
1967 Gretsch Double Anniversary

I know you said you would prefer to stick with American-made, but if you can get a hold of a Classic Series "70s" neck, I think you'd be very happy with it. The quality on mine is just as good if not better than a lot of American Strats I've played, and it has all the right vintage specs like the narrower nut and rounder fingerboard radius that make it easier for me to play "thumb-over" chords.

I find that I like the feel of a small neck, but I play cleaner on a larger neck. I never play with my thumb over the top though. A larger neck and wider string spacing gives me more room for my clumsy fingers to move around. Is the Highway One really that much larger? I'll have to keep it in mind to find one to play.

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'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

It's a normal size neck. I guess a lot of people have played a lot of the Squiers and other brands that have "shredder" type necks that are so skinny, a normal neck feels large to them. By vintage standards, the Hwy 1 necks would be medium, normal size, a lot of the vintage guitars have FAT necks as compared to the Hwy 1 necks.

I luv my Hwy 1, thank you Fender!!!

It absolutely is not a "normal" width across the fingerboard. its wider. pre-upgrade hwy 1s were normal .. maybe you have one of those. but I have a 59 strat neck. I have custom shop 60 nos and measured ... its WIDER lol but thanks .. yeah the hwy 1 is a great guitar

FYI the literature on fenders website described the wider finger board when I bought this in 2010. at the time i didnt think it would be a problem. but its just enough of a problem that now im going to change the neck out.

Cheers!

_________________
Totally gratuitous gear list
2011 Mustang Special LPB (pawn shop series)
2011 Les Paul 50s Tribute series
2010 Highway one Strat Satin black with maple neck
1999 Fender Toronado
1959 Strat slab neck on a 1969 Strat body
1967 Gretsch Double Anniversary

When I got my Highway 1 in 2007 I thought the neck was a bit wide, but I adjusted for it. I also found I have way more control with my regular sized necks. If it bothers you, you could go to Stratosphere for a Fender neck or have one made by a company like Warmoth.

For me it took about 2 months to master my Highway 1 neck. I would not dare change mine now.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Thanks.. I ve been trying to adapt my playing for this neck since 12/10.. Lol
but I absolutely love the guitar and the tone. Im probably going to buy a CS NOS neck from stratospere et al.

Cheers

_________________
Totally gratuitous gear list
2011 Mustang Special LPB (pawn shop series)
2011 Les Paul 50s Tribute series
2010 Highway one Strat Satin black with maple neck
1999 Fender Toronado
1959 Strat slab neck on a 1969 Strat body
1967 Gretsch Double Anniversary

The biggest mistake people make with tall frets and hefty necks is to squeeze too hard. Most people are used to playing skinny necks and their muscle tension is locked into skinny. You have to learn new muscle memory for a different size neck. If you are having grip issues, check out GuitarPrinciples.com for techniques that will help you relax into your playing so you can play the neck properly!

And Tongo, it's a normal width neck. Take out your ruler and go to a guitar shop after measuring your neck. The only thing not normal is the x-jumbo frets, those frets are huge, which makes it easier to play...if you know how to relax your hand into huge frets.

If you've got a nice tone match of body and neck working together you may not find that again with another neck. Do you know of "rolled fingerboard" edges? It's easy to do and would narrow that neck a bit. That would let you keep the same neck, get that thumb over, and keep the mojo hapnin'.