Brands With Larger Neck Profiles?

[Andrew B. Carlson]

I'm soon to be in the market for an upgrade from my Kentucky KM-1000. One of the things I'm wanting is a larger/fatter neck than the Kentucky. I've played a few Collings, a Stanley, a Red Diamond, some Eastmans and a 1924 F5, but what else should I be looking at? My price range will be used instruments from 2500-4000. How are Northfield necks? How about Gibsons F5L or F5G?

[Tom C]

There's a nice Rigel G5. They are known for great tone and have pretty chunky necks.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/113566#113566

[JEStanek]

Eastman is known for a slim neck (that I like) the chunkier necks I have played (that I didn't like as much) were Breedlove, Weber, and Rigel. Your hands may enjoy what mine did not.

Jamie

[Steve Sorensen]

Why wouldn't you do a custom build where you can specify all the details?

Steve

[Beanzy]

Yaaay +1 for the chunky necks & speccing your own.
I had mine done with more space on the lower side to stop me damping the outside e string with my fat fingers.

[Rob Norton]

The Mandolin Store, which advertises on the Cafe, seems to keep a variety of instruments with wide necks in stock. They even have a separate page for them on the website.
NFI

[Andrew B. Carlson]

I'm not concerned so much about the width of the fingerboard as much as the "girth" of the neck. My Kentucky is a bit thin for my liking.

[Ivan Kelsall]

There's a nice Lebeda F5 'Custom' mandolin for sale in the classified ads. If it's like mine,the neck is more substantial than most mandolins & they usually have a wider fingerboard as well,making them very comfortable to play,
Ivan

https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/112599#112599

[Dave1066]

I'd suggest looking at either mass produced or luthier made flat back Mandolins. In Europe most of these Mandolins have a nut / neck of 32-34 mm, which translates to a fatter neck.

My Portuguese flat back has a fat neck, one of the reasons why is because traditional flat backs don't use truss rods. So its from a strength point of view.

If you absolutely must have an F style Mandolin, then the above is useless.

[billy_v]

Andrew, PM sent.

[MikeZito]

For what it's worth - my Eastman 415 Gold Top has a significantly 'thick' neck (not wide), and (after a Mandolin Store set-up) plays great.

[MichaelW]

How are Northfield necks?

They are pretty chunky and very comfortable. More of a D shape than a V.

[Andrew B. Carlson]

They are pretty chunky and very comfortable. More of a D shape than a V.

Good to know! Northfield is high on my list of options. Also slightly more affordable than one of my other desire, a older Gibson F5L.

[Andrew B. Carlson]

I got a chance to play a newer Gibson F9, F5G and F5 Fern today. Loved the neck on the F5G! Nice and thick! I preferred the tone too to the Fern. Good to know. Just gotta play a Northfield now.

[Astro]

My F5G has a chunky neck and thick tone. I have played 2-3 other Gibsons that were also on the chunky side so maybe its a brand characteristic?

Mine has a tad more Vee shape than I like, more than the other Gibsons I've played, and I'm considering having someone shave down the apex to flatten it a bit. But since that seems drastic and irreversable, I'm dragging my feet on it.

It took me forever to get the nerve up for having a speed neck done on it and man am I happy I did. I now cant see why they all dont come as a speed neck.

[Br1ck]

With that budget I'd grap a flight or do a road trip to a major music town like Nashville or Austin. See for yourself.

[Bob A]

Pre-trussrod Gibsons have nice meaty necks, with wider fretboards than later models.

[Eric Platt]

My Breedlove Cascade definitely has a large neck. Reminds me of the Rogelio A Natural I owned years ago.

My Gibson A Jr. has a regular sized neck, even though it lacks an adjustable truss rod.

[yankees1]

The neck on the Northfield I had was thicker than the necks on the Ellis mandolins I have now.

[Bill Kammerzell]

My Breedlove Cascade definitely has a large neck. Reminds me of the Rogelio A Natural I owned years ago.

My Gibson A Jr. has a regular sized neck, even though it lacks an adjustable truss rod.

As far as width goes, the 3 Breedloves I have owned all had 1 3/16" nuts. I like it more than an 1 1/8".

[DavidKOS]

Yaaay +1 for the chunky necks & speccing your own.
I had mine done with more space on the lower side to stop me damping the outside e string with my fat fingers.

Although all of you guys are likely talking about archtop mandolins, I had my flat-top made with a wide, chunky neck with a slightly radiused fingerboard.

It's really comfortable and makes playing 4 note chords a lot easier.