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Difference between Cali and Chap neck carves


jim777

Question

Basically, do these two have the same neck carve? On the bolt on models, do they feel the same in the fretting hand? 

Thanks in advance! :)

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10 answers to this question

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My answer for this one is not helpful - they all feel different - even same model, from same and similar years - I would warrant.

I have two Californians, one Ebony boarded 88, and a 90 standard. the necks are completely different, the 88 is narrower across the board than the standard, and feels rounder, and the standard feels pretty skinny - certainly skinnier than the 88.

 

They are both good - they just feel completely different.

 

As I say... not helpful I know!

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Another unhelpful answer: I've had three of each (or so, I think....) and as I recall the necks were all very similar - none stood out as being radically different. But then I find ALL Hamer necks feel similar, some are just bigger and some smaller (except the Tally with the 'V' thing going on).

I could be smoking crack.weedemo3.jpg

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If you starting your guitar playing journey playing shit, $50 guitars with action like an egg slicer, then no matter what guitar you pick up later in life, with whatever type of neck, you WILL be able to play it and feel comfortable with it. If however, daddy was loaded and bought his little boy a Gibson Les Paul with a 50w Marshall and an array of BOSS effects pedals to get him started, then you will be fussy about every tiny minutia to do with you weapon. Personally I'm the egg slicer kid, the question is- which one are you😕

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19 minutes ago, fasteddie said:

If you starting your guitar playing journey playing shit, $50 guitars with action like an egg slicer, then no matter what guitar you pick up later in life, with whatever type of neck, you WILL be able to play it and feel comfortable with it. If however, daddy was loaded and bought his little boy a Gibson Les Paul with a 50w Marshall and an array of BOSS effects pedals to get him started, then you will be fussy about every tiny minutia to do with you weapon. Personally I'm the egg slicer kid, the question is- which one are you😕

First, helpful response, thanks for playing.

Second, in my 40+ years playing I've had a few hundred guitars and basses. It's what I do - I've had surgery to be able to keep playing. So, I know what I like and whether or not I can play it is irrelevant: I can. The question is do I actually want to play it. I've had Calis in the past, and am curious at to the difference between Cali necks and Chap necks as I also like a neck humbucker. If they are fairly different I'll just stick with my Jems for the neck humbucker shred guitar. I'm fine with the Calis I've played so far.

 

 

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In that context, you should get along just fine with a Chap. They - to me, a non-shred guy - are less wide/thin than the Ibanezeseses I've tried.

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They've got to be identical. I play like shit on both, ergo, they are identical. Problem solved. Carry on.

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Generally I think the 80's Chap and Cali necks (nut posts through necks) are wide/thin and the 90's necks (nuts screwed into neck) tend to be wider/chunkier.

My 80's Chap  was remarkably similar to my 80's FB in profile - wide/thin.

All 6 of the 90's Cali's I've had (or is that 7 - does a double neck count?) have had similar profiles with marginal differences.  Bolt-on 90's Cali's were always chunkier.

However, Cali Custom's - as in the set-neck 90's variations - were thinner.  Shorter bodies too by about 1cm.  At one time I had two early 90's FM bolt-on Calis and two early 90's Cali Customs.  Both Customs were the same neck profiles (different frets though) and were 1 cm shorter bodies than their bolt-on FM Cali counterparts.  Both 90's bolt-on's had similar necks and were noticeably chunkier.

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On 5/11/2018 at 9:14 AM, DBraz said:

Generally I think the 80's Chap and Cali necks (nut posts through necks) are wide/thin and the 90's necks (nuts screwed into neck) tend to be wider/chunkier.

My 80's Chap  was remarkably similar to my 80's FB in profile - wide/thin.

All 6 of the 90's Cali's I've had (or is that 7 - does a double neck count?) have had similar profiles with marginal differences.  Bolt-on 90's Cali's were always chunkier.

However, Cali Custom's - as in the set-neck 90's variations - were thinner.  Shorter bodies too by about 1cm.  At one time I had two early 90's FM bolt-on Calis and two early 90's Cali Customs.  Both Customs were the same neck profiles (different frets though) and were 1 cm shorter bodies than their bolt-on FM Cali counterparts.  Both 90's bolt-on's had similar necks and were noticeably chunkier.

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 Thanks a lot for that :) I'll definitely be looking for a bolt on.

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