Brook guitar neck profiles!

Sammy · January 2018

I am very interested in a Brook Torridge that has been offered to me, unfortuantely it is quite a way to go and see. Have seen various videos of the actual guitar and it is just the right size and looks and sounds great, but on looking at several peoples views about Brook they say the necks are very shallow!
I don't like really chunky necks but am also not keen on wide. thin depth necks, similar to Taylors. As it appears their are no current Brooks for sale anywhere near me, I cannot try one out to see what the necks are like and are loathe to travel all that way to find its just the neck which puts me off!
So any views on these necks, especially the Torridge would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Basher · January 2018

I owned a Brook Taw once (bought new from Hanks in Denmark Street).

Certainly a slim neck profile. Trouble is that these things are so subjective and a tiny difference divides players.

I could have lived with it but the guitar itself was a bit of a dog. It had a neck angle problem and it meant it had a high action even with the saddle taken down to barely peeping out of the bridge slot. I think I was going mad but it seemed to get worse over the time I owned it. I took it to a luthier to try and get it playable but it never felt right to me. A massive disappointment having spent the most I'd ever spent on a guitar.

I realise that many other people (and some brilliant players) rave over them but my experience was not good.

crunchman · January 2018

I had a Teign for while. The neck profile and fingerboard radius are why I sold it. It's not just that the neck is shallow, but the fingerboard radius is very flat as well.

I'm sure they would make one to the specs you wanted, but that will cost a lot more than a second hand one.

AliGorie · January 2018

Sammy said:

I don't like really chunky necks but am also not keen on wide. thin depth necks, similar to Taylors.
So any views on these necks, especially the Torridge would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

not 'chunky' or 'electric necks on acoustic' - nicely in between - in a modern way.
phone the Brook guys and ask u'r questions

TheBigDipper · January 2018

My Taw has a fairly flat radius, standard width and quite narrow front-to-back. The scale length is the same as the Torridge (more Gibson than Fender) and it's a 14-fret to the body build. In comparison, a Lowden neck feels like a baseball bat. However, I like both and could play both - they're just different, that's all.

AliGorie · January 2018

TheBigDipper said:

In comparison, a Lowden neck feels like a baseball bat. However, I like both and could play both - they're just different, that's all.

what's the year - Sn of your Lowden BD , outa curiosity.

Sammy · January 2018

TheBigDipper said:

My Taw has a fairly flat radius, standard width and quite narrow front-to-back. The scale length is the same as the Torridge (more Gibson than Fender) and it's a 14-fret to the body build. In comparison, a Lowden neck feels like a baseball bat. However, I like both and could play both - they're just different, that's all.

I recently tried a Lowden S35 and the neck was one of the best necks I have ever played, unfortuantely the guitar had a very bright sound, otherwise i would have bought it. So if that is a baseball bat neck to you I suspect a a Brook is not going to be suitable for me!

TheBigDipper · January 2018

AliGorie said:

TheBigDipper said:

In comparison, a Lowden neck feels like a baseball bat. However, I like both and could play both - they're just different, that's all.

what's the year - Sn of your Lowden BD , outa curiosity.

I don't own one. When I bought my Brook at Project Music, I tried every Brook they had in stock plus several other guitars as a sort of "control" test, including a Lowden. It was a new S model, but that’s all I remember. I've played other Lowdens in guitar shops before. I like Lowdens, BTW, but they're different to a Brook.

TheBigDipper · January 2018

Sammy said:

TheBigDipper said:

My Taw has a fairly flat radius, standard width and quite narrow front-to-back. The scale length is the same as the Torridge (more Gibson than Fender) and it's a 14-fret to the body build. In comparison, a Lowden neck feels like a baseball bat. However, I like both and could play both - they're just different, that's all.

I recently tried a Lowden S35 and the neck was one of the best necks I have ever played, unfortuantely the guitar had a very bright sound, otherwise i would have bought it. So if that is a baseball bat neck to you I suspect a a Brook is not going to be suitable for me!

I wouldn't make a decision that's personal to you based on the words of a stranger... You've no idea if my opinion can be trusted!

AliGorie · January 2018

TheBigDipper said:

AliGorie said:

TheBigDipper said:

In comparison, a Lowden neck feels like a baseball bat. However, I like both and could play both - they're just different, that's all.

what's the year - Sn of your Lowden BD , outa curiosity.

I don't own one. When I bought my Brook at Project Music, I tried every Brook they had in stock plus several other guitars as a sort of "control" test, including a Lowden. It was a new S model, but that’s all I remember. I've played other Lowdens in guitar shops before. I like Lowdens, BTW, but they're different to a Brook.

reason I asked was that I've followed Lowdens output since the mid '80's - buying one and still owning it since '88 and the changed over that period. Sometimes immediately noticeably so, like neck proportions and other times - the acoustic philosophy in they're construction - like modifying the 'Dolphin' bracing, which had an effect on how they sounded.
I had a local store that always had upwards to a dozen in stock and a few times a year I'd try 'em out.
Suffice to say the chunky necks came into being to varying degrees during the 'Built Under License' period, see their 'history' for more.
I can say that since 2004 and GL taking back full control that things have reverted back to the Lowdens we know and love.
heres a quote on the subject -
“I brace my own guitars individually according to the overall design concept of the instrument. The original “dolphin profile” Lowden system requires considerable judgment and careful work in order to achieve best results. It is possible to overdo it, seeing the design is a little more 'on the edge' but when good it is really good! In the factory though, the adapted system was a better choice at least until such time as a working method could be devised which creates totally consistent strut profiles with all those parabolic curves!..........”

2004 till present all models feature the return to original ‘dolphin’ hand carved bracing.

suffice to say my '88 L25's neck / f-board feels fantastic - in my hand

TheBigDipper · January 2018

AliGorie said:

TheBigDipper said:

<huge snip>

suffice to say my '88 L25's neck / f-board feels fantastic - in my hand

And that's what counts. The neck of my Les Paul 59 VOS is huge compared to my Strat, but I play either neck with equal relish.

Back to the OP - I'm one of those peeps who has to play a guitar before buying. I couldn't do mail order...

Sammy · January 2018

TheBigDipper said:

AliGorie said:

TheBigDipper said:

<huge snip>

suffice to say my '88 L25's neck / f-board feels fantastic - in my hand

And that's what counts. The neck of my Les Paul 59 VOS is huge compared to my Strat, but I play either neck with equal relish.

Back to the OP - I'm one of those peeps who has to play a guitar before buying. I couldn't do mail order...

Same with me can't buy a guitar without trying it first, especially acoustics, can be so much variation from exactly the same models!

Sammy · January 2018

Thanks for the comments, fortunately I went up to London yesterday and low and behold someone had a second hand Torridge hanging on the wall! So I quickly asked to try it as it looked great, but just as quickly gave it back to him to put back on the wall, a small thin neck, definately not for me. So thats a Brook now of my list!

VimFuego · January 2018

cool, often when it comes to buying high end instruments, the bigger battle is deciding what you don't like. There aren't really any bad instruments there, just ones you don't like, so once you eliminate them you are automatically left with one you do.

EDIT: caveat, did play a new gibson that had a broken strut, so there are the odd ones that are bad.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Brook guitar neck profiles!

Comments