Dean Zelinsky’s z-glide neck... BS or what?

[zorrow]

Has anyone here tried the Dean Zelinsky’s z-glide neck? Please see the pic below. I don’t really get the logic behind its design, given the smaller the area of contact, the higher the friction —according to my quite rudimentary physics.  So, what’s the deal here? Are those necks really more slippery or that’s just BS?

PS: I’m still intrigued, as the backs of those necks look very much like my grandma’s chair when I was a little kid.

[MCChris]

Yet another example of answering a question nobody asked.

Probably something he created in conjunction with that jackass Michael Angelo Batio. If so, you can be assured that it's garbage and utterly pointless.

[scottcald]

11 minutes ago, MCChris said:

Yet another example of answering a question nobody asked.

Probably something he created in conjunction with that jackass Michael Angelo Batio. If so, you can be assured that it's garbage and utterly pointless.

No MAB, this is Dean's new company, Dean Zelinsky Private Label.   MAB is with Dean Guitars.  I've gotten emails and been curious, but of course, you'd have to buy one to find out, though apparently they have a showroom in or near Chicago if any of you brave souls in that area want to stop by:itars

In the Chicagoland area?

Stop in to check out all of the Dean Zelinsky Private Label Models!

3080 Skokie Valley Road
Highland Park, IL 60035

M-F (9AM-5PM)
(p) - 847.613.6020
(e) - info@deanzelinsky.com

[Steve Haynie]

Put me down on the list of those who want to try a Z-Glide neck. 

Something about new guitars with gloss finishes is that the necks can sometimes have a little drag on them.  An older guitar with a nitrocellulose finish will feel a little different, and a guitar with a lot of wear will feel a little better.  That was the reason I wanted to keep the original finish on the neck of one of my guitars that was partially refinished.  One of the things I noticed with some relics is that the new finish sprayed on the neck feels a little different than on a guitar that aged naturally. 

The Z-Glide eliminates the glassy finish of a new instrument that would naturally get more comfortable over time.  So, on a new guitar the Z-Glide might benefit a player who normally would strip the finish off the back of a neck, or maybe just sand it a little.  I have seen a textured finish sprayed on the back of a neck.  Dean Zelinsky is catering to those people. 

[hamerhead]

What Steve said. A death grip and sweaty hands on a glossy neck feels sticky. I get Dean's reasoning behind it, but would rather have a smooth surface with a flat or semi-gloss finish. I have a couple of Tru-oil necks that feel fantastic.

[SSII x 2]

Give me an EBMM gunstock oil and wax treatment on the neck anyday...

[veatch]

I would sure love to try one, I am a friend of all guitars, after all. 

But what occurs to me is, how in the world would you keep that clean?  Couple of months of gigs,  and those dimples and channels would get a bit skunky....

[kizanski]

I can't get past the idea of my sweaty hands leaving dirt and grime in those 1,000,000 nooks and crannies and never being able to clean it.

Gross.

 

[DBraz]

I bit of padded wet 'n dry is much cheaper and equally efficient if you ask me.

[diablo175]

I dunno. Is this more of the whole Stone Tone snake oil or creating a niche/need where one isn't needed? Oiled or satin finish to start with and if already gloss, scuff it up with some 3M Scotchbrite, 1000 grit sandpaper or 0000 steel wool. Problem solved.

 

 

[Sugartune]

I tried something like it on my own. Just took a hacksaw and started sawing a bunch of little x's across the neck. Pretty much the same thing. I wouldn't recommend it.

[Biz Prof]

2 hours ago, Ed Rechts said:

Well...did you continually have to pick grandma up off the floor after she kept sliding out of that chair?

[Biz Prof]

I think Mr. Zelinsky would have been better served to have employed slightly thicker bodies (and more aesthetically appropriate and functional headstocks) on his namesake guitars back in the 1970s.

[cmatthes]

Okay...for everybody here...

Who plays so blindingly fast - we're talking speed of sound kind of stuff here - where you really can't play as fast as you need to because it's THE NECK'S FAULT?!

 

Something about the bad carpenter and his tools, I think.

[BubbaVO]

Hmmm...  From the abstract: 

Abstract

Some or all, of the surface area of the back neck of a guitar is reduced to for a continuous geometric pattern, with spaced depressions or raised ridges, leaving less surface area for the palm of the hand and/or thumb to contact, thereby reducing or eliminating tackiness so that the grip on the neck can be better controlled.

 

Smelling some snake oil here.

[kizanski]

7 minutes ago, cmatthes said:

Okay...for everybody here...

Who plays so blindingly fast - we're talking speed of sound kind of stuff here - where you really can't play as fast as you need to because it's THE NECK'S FAULT?!

 

Something about the bad carpenter and his tools, I think.

Come on, man! Don't poke holes in my list of excuses!

[hirah]

I tried a used one. Not a fan. As mentioned, I can't see how to keep it clean. Plus there was not less friction  and it felt weird.

But the coolest part about those guitars is the toggle switch pot. If someone has a line on those I would buy a few.

 

[Steve Haynie]

Cleaning your guitar removes the mojo. 

[scottcald]

6 minutes ago, hirah said:

I tried a used one. Not a fan. As mentioned, I can't see how to keep it clean. Plus there was not less friction  and it felt weird.

But the coolest part about those guitars is the toggle switch pot. If someone has a line on those I would buy a few.

 

So you tried this one?

https://deanzelinsky.com/guitars/lavoce

[diablo175]

35 minutes ago, cmatthes said:

Okay...for everybody here...

Who plays so blindingly fast - we're talking speed of sound kind of stuff here - where you really can't play as fast as you need to because it's THE NECK'S FAULT?!

 

Something about the bad carpenter and his tools, I think.

This.  I was looking for another, fresh excuse for playing poorly. Think I just found it. Yeahhhh, it's the fault of the neck, ya see? There's too much friction and as a result, I can't shred. Yeah, that's the ticket...

 

[tbonesullivan]

If you are someone who really likes to get your whole palm on the neck, I can see how this helps.

For me, it's mostly my thumb on the back of the neck, so I don't really have any thoughts about this.

[jettster]

Can't say that it looks like it would be comfortable. For me its not so much about having a neck that is conducive to fast playing, its more about being able to shift positions on the neck. Many of the guitars I've had with gloss type neck finishes start to feel like you removed a piece of tape and restrict movement. I don't know what type of neck finish Suhr uses but it's by far my favorite. It feels unfinished and super smooth and you can play for hours without it ever feeling sticky.  My G&L Legacy Deluxe is also similar.

[scottcald]

6 hours ago, diablo175 said:

This.  I was looking for another, fresh excuse for playing poorly. Think I just found it. Yeahhhh, it's the fault of the neck, ya see? There's too much friction and as a result, I can't shred. Yeah, that's the ticket...

 

I'll need this on the front too, cause my forearm touches the guitar.  

[veatch]

 Hah. Good point. If it works,  why not do the fretboard that way, too?  And the frets. And the strings. And my shorts. Definitely too much friction there...

[RobB]

Been reading Dean's blog story of the founding of the company. Really interesting read!