All I wanted to do was change a control plate and some pickups. That's it. Nothing unusual that I haven't done dozens of times.  However, things are often more difficult than expected. Like when I knock over the cup of coffee I just made, for instance. In the guitar world, this can amount to dozens of unforeseen scenarios. Like, when new tuning pegs don't fit pre-existing holes. Or perhaps your new stacked single-coil pickups require deeper body cavity routes. Ever purchase a new pickguard only to discover the mounting holes don't line up? So much fun!

A piece of wood considered 'Tonewood' is free of bug holes and defects, it is lighter in weight, clearer looking (less discoloration, knots, etc), and is straighter in grain. There are outliers like Spalted Woods, Burled Woods, and Knotty Pine but those are all aesthetic choices. 

We will focus on neck depth since that is the critical spec in the thin vs. fat conversation. Depth is measured from the face of the fingerboard through to the deepest part on the back of the neck. This area provides the deepest measurable part of a neck. We measure neck depth using a digital caliper with the strings either removed or pulled to the side. Including the strings in this measurement will bloat depth measurements considerably.