Pattern vs. Wide Fat – Can You Tell the Difference?

[flatfeed611]

I’ve often read that many people struggle to tell the difference between the Pattern and Wide Fat neck profiles, which I honestly find puzzling.

For reference, I have a 2018 (or maybe 2017—not entirely sure) SE SC-245 with a Wide Fat neck, as well as a PS Paul’s Guitar with a Pattern neck. To me, the two necks feel noticeably different. The Pattern neck seems to have a soft V-like feel, while the Wide Fat feels fuller overall.

When I switch from the Wide Fat to the Pattern, it’s as though there’s “meat” missing, particularly in the shoulder area of the neck. I’m not sure if that’s the best way to describe it, but the difference feels very obvious to me.

I’m curious—have others experienced this as well? Or is the general consensus that these neck profiles are hard to distinguish?

 

[Russ73]

I can feel it as well OP...the pattern feels not as round to me?? I think the nut width is a miniscule smaller as well...I happen to get along with all the PRS necks and patten regular being my favorite found on the S2 22s...

 

[dmatthews]

Pattern Vintage and Wide Fat are my favs, and Pattern is so close it almost doesn't matter.

 

[Rider1260]

It would not surprise me if the wide fat on an SE feels different from a Pattern from a Pauls guitar.
The original "pattern" name ( to all neck shape ) was meant be a more consistent neck size.
I have both Core Wide Fat and Pattern , I can't feel the difference , The Pattern Regular is 1/32" more narrow at the nut and a bit rounder feeling

 

[andy474x]

Pattern feels ever so slightly leaner to me as well, can't put my finger on it exactly.

Or maybe I should say that's all I can do.

 

[makam]

I like both but prefer the wide fat, as it's rounder and a bit 'meatier” in the shoulder area of the neck!

 

[László]

I didn't notice a significant difference when I had both.

 

[JasonE]

I have both Wide Fat and Pattern and I can't really tell a difference. My WF necks are from back in the mid 2000's. There is variation between the WF necks I have. I have a couple that are a little chunkier than others. I don't find as much variation in the Pattern profile. I also have a couple of Pattern Regular profiles. Those definitely feel different. The nut width is the thing I notice the most, then it is a little thinner is what I notice next.

 

[SinSir]

The WF difference is more to do with se and the individual neck than the profile names.

 

[Rod/]

The pattern neck on my P-22 feels very much on the thin side… wide fat necks are much larger

 

[Maertl513]

My PRS related profiles:
- SE Mark Holcomb with WT, 20" radius
- 513 with WF, 10" radius
- 513 with Pat.Reg., 10" radius
- Linus Custom Thinline with WF, 12" radius
- Linus Red Scorpion with WF, 20" radius.

There is no relevant difference among the 513s and the Linus CT.
The WT with 20" feels more like WF. The ordinary WT is - my experience - similar to Wizard profiles.
A different league is WF plus 20", really chunky.

 

[vchizzle]

I could definitely feel the difference between WF when they changed to pattern. It wasn’t massive, but enough that I specified WF on my PS because I liked it better.

 

[DISTORT6]

I can feel the difference between all of my WF necks.
So definitely maybe.