You'll hear a lot of opinions about the kind of shape or profile that makes a neck fast. It's [u]all[/u] just personal opinion. I find the skinny necks give me cramps, but most speed freaks use 'em. I do my fast stuff on a big, thick, fence post size neck. Fret size and scale length are a bit more important. The longer scale lengths provide a little more room between the frets in the upper register, above the 12th fret. And tall, narrow frets leave more space between adjacent frets while enhancing the scalloped effect.

The only thing everybody seems to agree on is the finish. A 'satin' finish is much less likely to 'grab' the web between your thumb and index finger than a glossy, smooth finish. Don't get sucked into paying extra for this feature. Just lightly rub the back of the neck with some fine steel wool, or a fine grade of abrasive cloth like Scotchbrite. Don't rub hard - just scratch up the surface a bit to take the shine off.