Do Thin Neck Guitars Designed Only For Small Hands
Having a thin neck guitar ensures comfortable playing and also gives you greater control over your playability.
When the neck of the guitar is thin there is more room for your hands to straighten and it also provides you more grip because of which your hands don’t have to exert much pressure to play the strings.
So, like most of the other instruments, thin neck guitars can be economical as well as be quite expensive and you have numerous thin neck guitar models present in the market.
This list contains the best models of thin neck guitars having different price ranges and styles.
While researching for this article I tried my best to include a superior collection of guitars, so that there is something stored in for everyone be it any style they have or any preference.
An Honest Note:Â
​The list does not comprise all of the best guitars with a thin neck present in the market, as I focused mainly on including the ones which according to have a good value.
No doubt that some of the great ones have been missed since I chose the brands and models that are well-known to me and have played beforehand. Â
Thin Neck Guitars Under Budget
Ovation CE48P-KOAB Celebrity Elite Plus Super Shallow Koa Burst
This particular Ovation guitar is an extremely striking deal, as the price is really low and you get lots in return.
The neck as well as the body of the guitar is quite thin and does complete justice to the name- super shallow.
Many a times, when the body width of the guitar is low then we see that there is compromise in the tones, but that isn’t the scenario with the Ovation Elite.
Much like the other models of the brand, the tone of this guitar is also bright yet not too much due to which you can very well hear the low tones also.
The Ovation Elite super shallow also has the OP-4BT preamp, and the 3-band EQ, plus the body has Lyrachord backing which in turn produces the distinct tone.
The different thing about this guitar is that the body lacks the usual soundhole at the center of the body, instead it has some little sound holes towards the outer portion of the body.
This unique feature of Ovation Elite enables it in shaping the tones of the guitar. The X-bracing facilitates in better projection of the guitar.
Seagull Coastline S6 Slim CW Spruce QI Guitar
The Seagull guitars are basic ones, having superb tone and really low price.
In case the only requirements in your guitar is the thin neck and good sound quality, then this is the most perfect choice for you to make as per the price too.
At this price, the tone of this guitar is something that you must die for as they blend well with any style of music.
Though I usually don’t admire all the Seagull guitars, this one surely grabs my attention.
The top of the Seagull S6 is of cedar, cherry back, maple neck and comes with Godin Q1 electronics.
Note: The guitar is available in 2 versions- the thin neck and the non-slim version, so you can choose as per your need. And I know which option you are going for.
Takamine GN93CE-NAT Gloss Natural NEX
This model of guitar, the Takamine GN93CE is undoubtedly the most preferred guitar of mine amongst those present in this list.
The guitar sounds amazing as they have enriched tone and plus it isn’t that bright or sweet like the one from the Taylor.
Apart from all this, the midrange and bass are well propagated without compromising the highs.
Besides the good sound of the guitar, the looks are also complimentary.
The backside pattern of its crafted with black walnut and maple is lovely, with the front being amazing as expected.
The look of the guitar overall is quite elegant with the gold tuners acting as the cherry on the pie.
The guitar has thin neck and it also has a TK-40 preamp and in-built tuners.
Taylor 114ce 100 Series Acoustic Guitar
The 114ce guitar is a well-known guitar of the Taylor lineage and it’s designed in such a way that you can comfortably play it with low action and thin neck.
The regular design of Taylor guitars are built in a similar way, so whenever you are selecting any of Taylor guitars there isn’t any need to dive deep into the specifications like is the neck of the guitar thin or not?
This is so because all Taylor guitars surely have these features and are actually sorted.
You may wonder that what makes the Taylor 114ce such an amazing guitar?
The tone of the guitar is mellow and charming, and the highs are much more defined than the lows due to which we get a brighter tone.
The X bracing present at the back of the guitar enhances the low bass tone yet the tone usually being highs or mids.
Therefore if you are in search of a thin neck acoustic guitar with superb sounds, then this acoustic guitar is the ultimate answer and you must give it a try.
Let’s take a quick glance at the history:
The brand has its presence in this market segment and has been producing guitars since 1974, and it’s the thin neck acoustic guitars that has made the brand stand apart from the other acoustic guitars present in the market and also a major reason contributing to its rising popularity.
Pro Tip:
The Taylor 114ce is bit different from rest cause its a cutaway version, and in case you don’t find the guitar interesting, you can opt for the non- cutaway version for a lesser price as compared to the cutaway version and also that it has more benefits especially for playing over the higher notes.
Taylor BBT Big Baby Taylor Acoustic Guitar
The next famous guitar from the collection is the Big Baby Taylor, which is well known for its comfort level when you play it.
The acoustic guitar is of full length and has a graded body depth of 4″.
The neck of the guitar is a similar to the other Taylor guitars thin and sleek design which is effortless to play.
Besides the comfortability factor, these guitars are also renowned as they are budget friendly and a good deal to consider when it comes to the deals offered by Taylor.
The tone of the Big Baby Taylor is a sweet one like the ones Taylor is best known for.
While playing any of the tones one can easily see that the mid and high tones basically outshine the bass tones.
AEG10II Acoustic Electric Guitar From Ibanez
Ibanez isn’t a familiar name due to its acoustic guitars, but other acoustic guitars too with specific features, and the great creations must not be ignored.
You have a fair chance of striking a balanced deal as the price of few of the Ibanez guitars are weirdly cheap and easily affordable.
This particular model of Ibanez is also economical and worth considering due to its features.
The guitar has thin neck alongside thin body, measuring at only 31/4″.
The model is equipped with an aeg-spl preamp and dushman sonicore pickup.
Next talking about the electronic controls, there are bass controls, midrange treble, a switch for volume and phase respectively.
Note: They also create the nylon version of the instrument- AEG10iiN.
Ovation Legend Acoustic-Electric GuitarÂ
Ovation is an undervalued futuristic guitar brand, and if you have ever tried one, then you know quite well that it’s one of its kind and gives a memorable experience.
The acoustic-electric guitar has a bit brighter tone, though it’s not too bright.
Coming to the neck’s thickness, the neck of this guitar little large in comparison to your regular electric guitar.
You have an OP-PRO studio preamp along with an OCP-1 pickup in the Ovation Legend.
Then you have spruce solid AAA soundboard and its body is of Lyrachord material.
Note:Â This Ovation guitar has flattened back, as a curved back would lead to greater chances of slipping off of the guitar from the lap. So now, you can be relaxed as this problem is solved.
MSC380FM Montage Acoustic-Electric Guitar From Ibanez
At the very first glance, you shall consider it to be one of Ovation guitars since the sound holes are on the outer edges with a usual design.
The look is similar to the rest of the guitars manufactured by Ovation.
The Ibanez Montage is very much similar to the T5 produced by Taylor.
The guitar has numerous features that makes it an expensive one and may also feel that the price is high but it also offers to that extent.
You have 2-pickups plus a switch to toggle between them, and a gain setting as well. Then you have individual volume knobs for both the pickups respectively, and a master volume too.
Next there is the works-reverb, chorus, distortion, phase cancelling and the dual notch filter in addition to the HBP multi-functional preamp.
Note:Â The Ibanez guitar has the F.A.S.T technology, that facilitates quicker setting of action. This is almost a bonus add on besides the thin neck feature that helps you in releasing the strain from your fingers.
Famous Guitar Brands In Thin Neck Acoustic Guitars
Well, if you think that all of the above models mentioned above doesn’t suit you, you need not worry and feel lucky as we have few more brands that are good enough and fall in the thin neck category.
Let’s say that you opt for any random model from the ones mentioned in this list, we assure you that you won’t regret and would feel great to play it.
Seagull Guitars
These guitars have a very usual design and mostly ignored by the guitarists, as a greater lot isn’t that aware about them and honestly speaking in my opinion it’s a huge mistake.
This is mainly because the sound of Seagull acoustics is genuinely incredible and they have something in store for players with all sorts of styles and taste.
While searching for slim neck guitars of this brand, you must know that most of their models have slim as well as non- slim version.
Taylor Guitars
The brand came into existence in 1974 with the aim to cover the space created in the market, as people were in search of thin neck comfortable to play guitars, and Taylor turned out to be their one stop solution to such issues.Â
The fulfillment of these criterion lead Taylor to the peak of success that it reaps till date.
At a point during the initial years, they even ended up selling 3 guitars in a year, yet their dedication towards the model ultimately brought immense success.
Till date they comply with the market demands while maintaining the same parameters, and producing guitars that are comfortable to play.
If you patronize a great sounding guitar, Taylor won’t disappoint you ever.
Ovation Musical Instruments
A major segment of guitar players are well aware with this brand and recognize it in the very first instance due to the weird plastic back.
The sound of the guitar is amazing and you are surely going to love it, however before you end up purchasing any, I would suggest you to try it out personally as they deliver a different feel.
Ibanez Guitars
Nowadays, most of the renowned musicians, prefer the electric version, due to which the acoustics are ignored by the people.
The guitars have a distinctive sound with higher bass and tone as compared to the other guitars and they also have numerous guitars with slim neck and body structure.
Most of their guitars are a good deal, so make sure to keep an eye and grab the one that satisfies your needs and preferences.
Keep In Mind:
There are also other brands offering good slim neck guitars. There are big as well as small producers and the brands mentioned over here are mostly the ones that have a large collection of slim neck acoustic guitars.
What To Look When Buying Slim Neck Acoustic Guitars
Despite thinking that the list is apt, surely few of them won’t be totally perfect to one.
Additionally, searching the most accurate one is honestly a truly tough task, as there isn’t any list available on the internet that is absolutely good plus the forums usually do not have the accurate details too.
Keep In Mind:Â
A very regular issue with the people is getting confused with the term “nut width”.Â
The term doesn’t imply the width or the thickness of the guitar’s neck instead it is used in relation to the measure across the fretboard.
While doing the research I got to know that many people face problems in searching for the thin neck guitars and they end up using misguiding terms.
In case you are also facing complexities in finding the acoustic guitars online, then you should try it otherwise by searching relevant terms to get the best and accurate results.
As I have noticed that performing the search on such platforms generates positive outcomes.
Although when researching if you opt to glance at the other articles or forums, you must do a personal research yourself too.
So, if you are also in search of a slim neck guitar with the prime focus being the comfort of fingers or better chords then as per my suggestion you should go with the models that have low action.
My Experience With Above Mentioned Guitars
Getting for yourself the most suitable acoustic guitar that shall match all your preferences is a comparatively difficult task as there isn’t a list that has all of the best options included in it.
I believe that I gave my best shot at giving you a more simplified idea about the appropriate brands and their models and relevant and handy tips too.
If there exists room for betterment of the article then please do let us know.
If you have any questions feel free to drop it in the comments box provided below and hope you enjoy reading it!!
What is the neck size of Yamaha Guitars. And do you recommend Little Martin Series Guitar for small hands are they good?
Hello Cory, The neck size of Yamaha guitars is approx 1.69″. And Yes Little Martin is a wonderful option to consider for small hands. I have not detailed the Little Martin series because I didn’t spend much time with the particular guitar model.