Which neck has the smallest amount of shoulder?

[Dave_W]

I love the design and functionality of EBMM guitars so much but I don't have anywhere to try them before buying. I'm a strat player and prefer the Fender modern c or the Suhr slim c. Something in the .820-.880 range with minimal shoulder.

What model(s) should I be looking at for the neck profile that most resembles a modern strat neck? I have looked online at dealers that list neck sizes (music zoo, wildwood), but that doesn't explain the shape or amount of shoulder.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[jayjayjay]

My understanding is that most EBMM guitars have necks on the slimmer side. I have a strat (2018 MIM) and a couple of EBMMs. The strat feels thicker to me. Closest is probably my Axis, but that has an asymmetric carve, with thickness biased towards the bass, so it doesn't quite feel like the strat. My Sabre is thinner, more like an Ibanez. I've heard that the Stingray has a thicker profile neck, so that may be your best bet - but I haven't tried one, so I don't have first hand experience there.

 

[elvisdog]

I can move back and forth between my Cutlass and my American Standard Strat (circa 2015 or so) without a thought. Pretty similar feel in my hands. The StingRay is super-comfortable but takes some getting used to, a little thicker & offset. Valentine feels slimmer than either. That's all I got!

 

[racerx]

Anecdotally I'd say the Cutlass or Valentine are probably closest to what you're describing. If you really like the slim-side of slim, then you might also like the JPs, Majesty, or Sabres.

I don't think any of my experiences with EBMM necks really have a noticeable shoulder outside of their bound necks. All are comfortable, none are unpleasant, and my preference is the Axis/L3/StingRay profiles (a little on the beefier side).

 

[Mosswalker]

I just received my Valentine today. Also owning a Cutlass, I'd say that the Cutlass has a smaller feeling neck and a smaller shoulder. My Valentine has binding on the neck, though, so I think that makes it feel a bit beefier, kind of like a slim Gibson neck.