• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan

vuduhwy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
212
Hey everyone, new here and this is my first post. Sorry if this is the wrong spot for this, but I was curious to see if you guys have noticed the difference in neck sizes on the Morse guitars depending upon what era they are from? I had a Standard from like 2010 and the neck felt really really thin to me. I have a 2001 thats a little thicker than that and 2 from the 90's that are chunky (which I love, especially my 95) While I haven't actually measured them, there is absolutley no denying that the necks are different thicknesses (front to back, not width).
Anywho, I just wanted to see what you guys had to say. Thanks!
BTW these are all Standards. I don't have the Y2D....anymore...sold them both
 

banjoplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
2,683
Location
Ulm, Germany
Welcome on board, hope you enjoy.
It is commom that EBMM introduced a slightly thinner neck with the Y2D in 2005 an put it also on the Standard Morse from there on. Mine is just before that change, early 2005.
I got to try out an early 90s Morse (one with 6 bolts) last year and also had the impression that the neck was a bit more chunky than mine. Don´t know if there was a earlier change or if it is just because sanding is/was done by hand.
 

beej

Moderator
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
11,963
Location
Toronto, Canada
I think that's right, beyond the two profiles (well, three if you count the early ones with lacquered necks- that adds thickness), it's the differences you notice due to hand sanding.
 

A.J.

Moderator
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Messages
1,855
Location
SLO
The dark lord and the BFRs that we released last year (and one that will come this year) all have a fatter profile too.
 

BUC

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
387
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
I thought they got smaller because Steve had actually worn down the neck of his guitars with his bare hand...
 

vuduhwy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
212
The last time I saw a video with #1 it looked like it had a newer neck which wouldn't even begin to shock me. It appeared to be one of those roasted maple or whatever it's called.
 

vuduhwy

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
212
Just to preface, I'm not saying this to argue because I truly don't know, but I have a '98 that has the same profile as my '95. The 2001 I have is waaaaaay thinner. Even as much as I'm sure Steve plays, I can't see the neck wearing down that much in 3 years. I'm not sure about the idea of wearing down. I'm thinking it's just more of an immediate model change.
Anywho, for us guys that like a chunkier neck, the Morse guitars from the 90's seem to be the ticket. It just makes me kinda wonder what the earliest versions play like......then again, maybe I don't wanna know :)
 

banjoplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
2,683
Location
Ulm, Germany
neck profiles are strange sometimes. For the neck profile thread, that was made by Spudmurphy a couple of years, I made profiles of my AL, Morse and my silo back then. On paper they looked very similar (especially Morse and silo), but they felt very different.

The dark lord and the BFRs that we released last year (and one that will come this year) all have a fatter profile too.
is there something we should know about the one that comes this year? :eek::D
 
Last edited:

beej

Moderator
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
11,963
Location
Toronto, Canada
The last time I saw a video with #1 it looked like it had a newer neck which wouldn't even begin to shock me. It appeared to be one of those roasted maple or whatever it's called.
Yeah- the neck on Steve's #1 was retired, replaced with a roasted one. According to Tommy, the fretboard on the original neck was too worn down to take another refret.

I'm thinking it's just more of an immediate model change.
Fwiw, when they released the Y2D, Sterling mentioned that they re-scanned #1's neck, and the wear due to playing/refrets, etc. had resulted in a slimmer profile.

I've found the Morses to have very consistent profiles- both the original size, and the post-Y2D size. I had one of first 50 Morses, and I mostly play a 90s Morse which had a lacquered neck (has since been carved down a bit), and they had the same profile. I've had a few newer ones as well and found them to be pretty spot on. (Minus the slight variations due to hand sanding.)

I wonder why they're going to a thicker neck now? I played Steve's briefly. Not a radical change, but I personally prefer the slimmer, worn-in feel of the current Morse/Y2Ds.
 

PeteDuBaldo

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
10,149
Location
Central Connecticut (Manchester) USA
Yeah- the neck on Steve's #1 was retired, replaced with a roasted one. According to Tommy, the fretboard on the original neck was too worn down to take another refret.


Fwiw, when they released the Y2D, Sterling mentioned that they re-scanned #1's neck, and the wear due to playing/refrets, etc. had resulted in a slimmer profile.

I've found the Morses to have very consistent profiles- both the original size, and the post-Y2D size. I had one of first 50 Morses, and I mostly play a 90s Morse which had a lacquered neck (has since been carved down a bit), and they had the same profile. I've had a few newer ones as well and found them to be pretty spot on. (Minus the slight variations due to hand sanding.)

I wonder why they're going to a thicker neck now? I played Steve's briefly. Not a radical change, but I personally prefer the slimmer, worn-in feel of the current Morse/Y2Ds.

The thicker neck that is offered to the public has only been on the models with a reverse headstock. The standard Morse and the y2d still share the same thin profile
 

beej

Moderator
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
11,963
Location
Toronto, Canada
Right- sorry Pete, I misspoke (typed). I meant that I was confused as to why newer offerings (BFRs, and as A.J. said above, BFRs for the one that will come this year) would have a thicker neck profile.
 
Top Bottom