Five "Invisible" Specs Critical to Your Guitar or Bass

If you’ve ever wondered why someone would choose to build a guitar from parts when they could simply buy an off-the-shelf one that looks exactly the same, this article is for you!

When confronted with the option of customizing your guitar or bass with parts or buying an off-the-shelf axe that looks exactly the same, it is important to remember that the most important options for comfort and playability are essentially invisible. In other words, they aren’t apparent to the casual eye. So while two guitars might look very similar in photos or on a website, they could be completely different in ways that aren’t easy to spot.

Today I’m going to run down five critical, albeit “invisible”, specs and explain what makes them so important.

1: Neck Back Profile

Neck back profile refers to the thickness and shape of the neck shaft. There are many combinations of thickness and back profile. While “C” is the most popular, there are also V, U, D, and others. Each shape has its own set of peculiarities. Necks with a C shape are the most rounded. V shapes come to a soft point in the back. The D shape is characterized by its flat back and rounded shoulders, while U shapes are typically deeper and rounded.

“Compound profile” necks that gradually transition from one shape to another along the length of the neck have also become a trend over the last decade. Such a neck might shift from a C shape in the lower frets to a D in the higher ones.

Whatever your preference, the shape and size of the neck is key in getting the best playing experience, and can't be discerned at a glance.

Learn more about Guitar Neck Back Profiles here.

Learn about Bass Neck Back Prodiles here.

2: Nut Width

Nut width is another critical aspect of comfort and playability. Not just because one size or another might fit your hand better, but also because it affects the spacing of the strings. Wider or narrow string spacing changes the feel of chord grips, especially in the lower frets.

String spacing also affects the feel of bends and vibratos. Wider spacing gives your fingers more clearance on either side before they encounter the tension of adjacent strings.

It’s also worth mentioning that the nut width and neck back profile are inextricably linked. Different nut widths will change the feel of the same neck back profile. For example, our 59 Roundback with a nut width of 1-5/8” will feel different in your hand than the same profile with a 1-11/16” nut width.

Learn more about Guitar Nut Widths here.

Learn about Bass Nut Widths here.

3: Nut Material

String nuts can be cut from many different materials. A few are easy to identify by sight, like brass. But most are simply black or white. They can be made of bone, plastic, or branded materials like Corian or GraphTech TUSQ.

Each material has strengths and weaknesses, and which one is best is matter of opinion. For example, many players prefer the tone of a bone nuts. However, bone can have soft spots, and stinks when filed or sanded. On the other hand, synthetic materials like GraphTech TUSQ don’t have soft spots and don’t stink, but may sound different to some players.

Some nut materials also contain graphite or other self-lubricating components that make them more slippery, thus improving tuning stability.

Learn more about Guitar Nut Materials here.

Learn about Bass Nut Materials here.

4: Fretboard Radius

The radius of your fretboard, or the slight curvature across its width, makes a massive difference in the playability and comfort of your guitar. Smaller and rounder radii typically make chord grips and rhythm work easier, while flatter fretboards allow more precise lead playing and bending.

Fretboard radii can range from a vintage style 7-1/4” to modern super flat 16”, or sometimes even flatter. Since the 80’s manufacturers have also made compound radius fretboards that gradually transition from one radius to another along the length of the fretboard. For example, from a rounder 10” radius in the low frets to a flatter 16” radius up high.

Like all the options talked about here, the radius of a fretboard is invisible.

Learn more about Guitar Fretboard Radius here.

5: Fretwire Material and Size

These days fret wire on electric guitars falls into two main camps: nickel silver and stainless steel. The former has been the traditional choice since the 50’s, while stainless didn’t arrive on the scene until the 2000’s.

Some players claim to hear a difference in the materials, while others do not. But everyone agrees that stainless steel frets outlast nickel silver by large margin. Necks with nickel silver frets will need fretwork many times over before stainless steel frets show any signs of wear at all.

There is also a significant difference in feel between the two materials. The extreme hardness of stainless steel means strings glide more easily across them, which makes bends and vibrato easier.

The size and shape of the fretwire can also dramatically change the feel of a neck. Fretwire shapes can range from small or even nearly flat (common on vintage instruments) to super jumbo, which is tall and wide. The most popular choices are those in the medium jumbo range (Dunlop 6105 or 6150, for example) but every player’s preference will be different.

Hanging on a hook in a guitar store or in website photos, fretwires of all sizes, shapes, and materials look essentially the same.

Learn more about Fretwire Material and Size here.

Summary

The five options mentioned above aren't the only "invisible" specs. Options like weight and body wood are also impossible to discern, and might be miles apart on two "identical" guitars.

Every player eventually develops their own preferences based on their hands and fingers, playing style, and taste.  When you build a guitar from parts you are able to choose the specs that suit those preferences. When buying something off the shelf you must accept whatever the manufacturer has decided suits the widest array of players.

Don’t be fooled by photos, and remember that some of the most important specs on an electric guitar are “invisible”. Two axes that appear identical might offer a wildly different playing experience in your hands.