Heel Design

As more and more acoustic players use the dusty end of the fingerboard, whether the guitar is a cutaway or not, I have thought more about making these higher frets easier to reach.

To this end, I have developed a heel design that has a lower profile than the traditional triangular section that allows the thumb behind the neck to travel higher before it hits the stop at the heel. This makes access easier and more comfortable when playing a non-cutaway. Also note the strap button is below the area where the thumb is positioned so as not to cause obstruction.

I have also taken another look at the aesthetics, and the heel design on my New Generation models is now tapered in the width, which gives the heel a touch of elegance over the previous non tapered design.  So far so good; it looks great on a non-cutaway . On a cutaway guitar it can look a bit like an after thought if the neck heel tapers but the sides at the cutaway are still straight. Even if it does not impede playability it is, to my mind, clumsy and far from elegant.

To solve this mostly aesthetic issue my  New Generation cutaway models now feature matched side to heel contour so the new neck heel design blends perfectly with the side going into the cutaway.

I like the overall result but take some time to have a good look at the pictures yourself and let me know what you think.