Neck shapes

[Pspguitar]

I have owned and continue to own several EBMM guitars. Including st Vincent, Cutlass, Albert Lee, Mariposa.

I just recently picked up a 2021 sterling Cutlass ct50 HSS... I have never owned a Sterling model before, but was curious. One of the big differences I immediately noticed was that the neck was chunkier vs the EBMM counterpart.

Those of you that may have owned, other EBMM guitars and their Sterling counterparts can you comment on neck profile comparisons?

I need to take measurements again but there was about 1mm difference at the 5-7 fret... That's a huge difference in my opinion.

Curious your thoughts?

Other than the neck on feeling a little dry on the Cutlass the guitar plays very well. I will give it a nice wax with Birchwood's Gunstock wax and polish the frets some more, but I'm as a bit disappointed with the chunkier feel....becomes a different guitar completely with a a different neck profile...which is fine...but interesting nonetheless.

Albert Lee EBMM and the Mariposa EBMM necks are most comfortable for me and best suited for my playing style I have found. Was wanting to pick up the Sterling version of each for comparison...but maybe the factory in Indonesia has standardized neck profiles? Being a bit chunkier on all models?

 

[St_G]

There's a semi-standard fattish-D neck that seems very common across a bunch of imports, including Sterling.

It's not my favorite, but it's... fine?

 

[Pspguitar]

Interesting that the profiles are not mentioned in the specs for the SBMM guitars. I have read many forums and people have a variety of letters they call the neck profiles some are opposite.. so not vary accurate. It would be nice to see a comparison from SBMM.

 

[Pspguitar]

Interesting that the profiles are not mentioned in the specs for the SBMM guitars. I have read many forums and people have a variety of letters they call the neck profiles some are opposite.. so not vary accurate. It would be nice to see a comparison from SBMM.

I just watched a youtube video:

He compared the closest neck profile of the SBMM Cutlass to the '59 Les Paul. That is on the thicker side for sure

 

[St_G]

They're a bit wider too.

Sterlings are better than average and a truly amazing value for the money, but that thing that EBMM necks have that makes you want to only ever play them? They don't have that.

 

[edhalen]

They're a bit wider too.

Sterlings are better than average and a truly amazing value for the money, but that thing that EBMM necks have that makes you want to only ever play them? They don't have that.

And it’s that way for a reason….


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[St_G]

Heh. I suppose so.

Anyone wanna start a company that programs their Indonesian CNC machines to carve necks to EBMM shapes?

And it’s that way for a reason….��


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[Magic Jason]

The Sterling AL is a bit wider than the MM. It has a D shape while the MM is a C. It is NOT quite as pleasing as the MM... But perfectly usable. No problem for me.

 

[Magic Jason]

They're a bit wider too.

Sterlings are better than average and a truly amazing value for the money, but that thing that EBMM necks have that makes you want to only ever play them? They don't have that.

No other guitar has that!

 

[msquared]

Even on the EBMM guitars the neck profiles are not exactly the same. The published specs are guidelines, nothing more.

I've been pretty surprised at the differences between my EBMM guitars and the same models I've picked up in stores.

 

[St_G]

I took a tour of a MAJOR guitar factory and the guide bragged that they carved the necks to a tolerance of +/- 1/16th of an inch. All I could think was "HOLY CRAP DO YOU KNOW HOW BIG A SWING AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH IS FOR SOMETHING THAT SIZE?"

Even on the EBMM guitars the neck profiles are not exactly the same. The published specs are guidelines, nothing more.

I've been pretty surprised at the differences between my EBMM guitars and the same models I've picked up in stores.

 

[jayjayjay]

I have an SBMM Axis and an EBMM Axis. Both have the asymmetric carve profile, but the SBMM Axis is flatter - 12" radius per their website, vs. 10" radius on the EBMM, per their website. The SBMM Axis neck is also slightly wider (.7mm at the nut to 1.4mm at fret 22).

It's enough that they feel different. Not that the SBMM Axis feels bad, but the EBMM neck feels that much better.