Burns 2004, the neck is too wide.

[eugene]

Hi there!

I've got Burns Marvin 2004.

But I feel the neck is too wide for me.

I am Japanese, and my hand is small.

Fender Stratcaster's neck is just my size.


But I love Burns Marvin sound very much.

Would you give me any advice to play Burns Marvin 2004.

So sorry for my poor English.

Yours sincerly.

eugene

[cockroach]

Hi Eugene

I also have small hands- I find most guitar necks too wide and/or deep. I like my Squier Telecaster because it has a slim narrow neck. Also a shorter scale neck is easier to play when you have small hands(Fender is 25 1/2 inch scale, but most Gibson electrics are 24 3/4 inch, and some guitars are very short scale about 22 inches (Fender Music Master, Rickenbacker 325 John lennon type- but some of these are rare and expensive!)

If you can't get a thinner replacement neck, or do not want to change your Burns (to keep it original), maybe you could try changing your hand position when you play- put your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck, instead of curling your thumb around over the edge of the neck?

Hope this helps

[Bluesnote]

There are many players with small hands manage to play wide necks. There is quite a few women bass players(check out Jeff Becks bass player) and classical guitar players that have small hands, and manage to tear along the neck much better than I can
I'd suggest doing stretching exercises starting on the 13th fret bottom string with your index then 14th fret with middle 15th fret
ring finger then finally 16th fret with pinky taking care to keep all your fingers on the note played as you go up the neck. Do this on all the other strings then go down the neck to the 9th up to the 12th fret. Do this on the whole neck right down to the bottom F and it will really work your fingers. You'll notice a difference in no time. You must start off on the high frets to give your hands a chance to loosen off.
I got this from a classical guitar tutor and I still do them almost every day before I start playing my music.
I've got the opposite problem in that my hands are on the big side and I find a narrow neck somewhat awkward to play at times. But these exercises still help me with that problem too.
Another suggestion would be to pick up a really cheap classical guitar or wide neck acoustic and do these exercises on it and you'll find your Burns no problem at all pretty soon.
Hope this helps.....Hugh.

[burnsbonkers]

Try and find a Vibra Artiste..beleive me, a baby could shred on them things! the one i have has a neck like a broom handle!.

[mgeek]

Try a sixties Burns instead.

I'm moving my Vista Sonic on because I can't get used to the slimness of the neck. It's about regular width, just too skinny.

I've got big hands, and it just makes me cramp up!

[eugene]

Hi ! cockroach,Bluesnote,burnsbokers&mgeek,

Thanks,very very much for your great advices.

I won't forget your warm&kind letters.

I've made it a rule to do the spanish guitar excersices every morning for thirty minuetes.

And, I will try to play a sixtees Burns someday.

Thank you again.

So sorry for my English.

Truely yours.

eugene

[JimN]

Eugene,

Burns guitars (especially the Marvin) are noted for their wide necks. It's an advantage in at least one way: it means that the strings needn't be too near the edge of the fretboard (as is sometimes the case with a Stratocaster).

Paul Reed Smith guitars have something of the same feature (but Burns was first!).

The truth is probably that if you don't like (or can't get used to) the feel of the wide neck, a Burns guitar is not for you.

JN