I have both an original and a Goldie, I don't get any neck dive from either. The length of the body and where the strap pegs are located, to me, position the guitar really well when standing. I feel I can move with the guitar better than any of my others. As far as upper register shredding, single notes are mostly fine, it might prevent your pinky from getting involved, and it does get a little awkward with certain arpeggios and chord voicings. None of those things are real problems for me personally (they held up great gigging in a Prince tribute band). AND what's nice is, because the neck is an inch or two out further to the left (think Jazzmaser), I find my hand doesn't get bunched up against my body when playing in the upper areas. More difficult chords in the middle a d lower registers are also more comfortable. Where the instrument positions sitting is really nice as well-very natural height for the strumming hand, natural position for optimal tone relative to bridge and neck, and again because the length of the body puts the neck out to the left a couple inches it winds up playing in some ways like an acoustic. A smaller body guitar playing like a bigger body guitar. Seriously overall one of the most comfortable guitars I've played.