Affordable Strat with wider nut?

Like you i prefer the wider 1.65 nut. GC has 2 player models, I think they call them limited edition, that show spec of the USA size nut. They are shell pink and sea foam green. There was also a black with black guard maple neck that looked like Gilmore’s marked as 1.65 as well. If you got a GC near you go try them out and see if it feels the same compared to a USA model. I have tried them and they do feel wider but I’d put it in your hands first. If you browse the player models there are some specs for that width but I’d see how they feel to you first. Hope this helps

 

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The 2020 Fender Vintera 60s Strat neck I just got from The Stratosphere is listed as having a 1.65" nut width and feels nice and wide the way I like it. I'm also currently looking at a Fender American Original 60s Strat neck which has the 1.65" nut width as well.

My 2020 Gibson SG Standard has a 1.69" (1.685"?) nut width and feels fairly similar.

It's just a little over 1/32" difference, which isn't too much of a leap in my book...


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I'm in the same boat. For me, the difference between an Affinity (40.6mm/1.6") and the one on Squier SE, MIM standard, Squier Bullet and others (42mm/1.65") is significant--even though it's only a 1.4mm/.05" difference.

It is my understanding that early Fenders had a letter stamped on the heel of the neck to indicate nut width:

• A = 1½"
• B = 1⅝"
• C = 1¾"
• D = 1⅞"

It is my understanding that B (41.275mm) was the most common. My acoustic has a 1.75" nut so I guess it would be a C. My classical has a 2" nut, which I suppose would be an E. IDK whether Fender offers guitars with C & D necks anymore, but I will be watching to see if anybody knows a model. I'm guessing if you want wider you'll have to go with an aftermarket neck.

 

Warmouth - super wide 1-7/8 stainless steel frets

 

I have similar trouble with narrow necks, @GeorgeGilmour. On my old Strat with a really narrow nut, I can't always finger a string on the low frets without contacting a neighboring string. It's not a matter of practicing for me, my fingertips are just too wide unless I play everything with my pinky and ring fingers.

I found that a 1-3/4" nut width cures the problem without requiring too much readjustment going between my guitars. 1-3/4" is a standard option at Warmoth, and so far I have two necks of that width. The second one I bought is bare roasted maple with an Indian rosewood board and big stainless frets. It quickly became my favorite neck. It was about $250 + shipping, without the nut and tuners. Not needing a sprayed finish saved money, and I love the feel of the very smooth bare roasted maple.

Here's that one:

 

Welcome to the forum! You already have some good answers so I'll just skip to the part of - WE WANT PICS OF YOUR CURRENT GUITARS! (price of admission)

 

I wish I could offer you some helpful info on Fender nut width. I never paid attention to the nut width specs. I go back and forth between my Gibson’s, Fender’s and acoustic with no noticeable difference between nut width. The guys on the acoustic forums stress non stop over nut width. I focus on neck thickness and profile. I find those two factors have the biggest impact on playing comfort. Nut width and radius are far less important to me.

 

Lou will help you out
https://www.biglouguitar.com/product/big-lou-wide-necks/

 

It is a strange quirk of the Fender lineup that you have to buy an American Performer to get the 43mm nut.

 

Good luck finding a wide nut neck. I have same issue and concentrate on doing the best I can. My fingertips are all at least 3/4" wide, so making pretty cowboy chords can be a chore. My fingers are also not as long as a lot of better players. Like playing with vienna sausages. But you can do it with more practice. You learn to move your fingers around somewhat and compensate on things like A chords to use 2 fingers instead of 3.

And please measure your body thickness. I'm not 100% sure on body thickness on those. I may have to look for an affinity just to be able to prove what the body thickness is. Or at least that's my excuse.

Even so, a nice expensive neck can stay with you. Put it on the Affinity, play the crap out of it. Save the old neck. When you get ready to sell, put the Affinity neck back on and move your Warmoth to a new body.

 

Or almost any American model.

 

I figure that the neck is about 90% of the guitar. I liked the Bullet body, and despite the fact that I bought it for $40, I think it's totally worthy of the Warmoth neck.

As far as the skinny body, the Bullet body is skinny. It measures 40mm, or about 1.57" thick. The neck went right on with no shim required, and the saddles are in good mid-adjustment settings. To me, a thin body is lighter and more comfortable than a full-thickness body.

 

We love a acoustics too. We have a section of the forum just for them. I actually play my three acoustics triple the amount I play my electrics.

 

Just be aware that even a top quality custom neck will need some care installing the tuners, and it's not out of the question that a little shimming could be needed. I like to level the frets too. Of course that all applies to a Fender neck too.