The Official BKP "Bolt-On vs. Set-Neck vs. Neck-Thru" Thread

[Crunch]

I'm a huge fan of mahogany and rosewood (occasionally with a top). There aren't many options for mahogany on mahogany that are neck-thru or properly bolted on.
After a while, anything else sounds a bit off, to me- granted, I've owned, heard, and played some truly wonderful guitars that had nothing to do with mahogany or rosewood.

I don't particularly care about the upper frets, so the joint isn't terribly important.

[dani]

i am a big fan of bolt-ons since i prefer the faster response of the initial attack over that of a neck-thru or set-neck. perfect for technical metal rhythm work.

otoh, i will choose a set-neck and shorter scale for leads as the note tends to bloom.

maybe it is just me but most neck-thrus i played tend to sound a tad nasally in the high mids that is pretty tough to dial out.

[Thrull]

I am a neck through till death here. All my guitars are Mahogany wings Maple neck, perfect combo IMO. really articulate and lots of body

[Alex]

I think it's best to own one of each and enjoy each for what it is.

[doomcaster]

It's certainly a case where nothing's "better" or "worse", just different.

Most of the time my favourite guitars are set-necks, but I go through Fender phases occasionally. 

To my shame, I must admit I have never owned a neck-thru, despite 30 years of GASing over old BC Riches, Yamaha SG2000s and Wahburn Falcons.  :oops:

Washburn Falcons ain't nothing to GAS over ;) The four I've had were all dogs and the one I've got needed nearly everything re locating because it was so badly made, And these were the "desirable" late 70s models...

And neck joints don't make any real difference that a drunken audience will ever notice.

[Philly Q]

Washburn Falcons ain't nothing to GAS over ;) The four I've had were all dogs and the one I've got needed nearly everything re locating because it was so badly made, And these were the "desirable" late 70s models...

Well that's surprising.  I'll probably never buy one anyway.  :lol:

And neck joints don't make any real difference that a drunken audience will ever notice.

True, but if we choose guitars based on the perceptions of drunken audiences, we might as well all buy Squiers or Epiphones and spend the rest of our money on something else.

[gwEm]

I'm a huge fan of mahogany and rosewood (occasionally with a top). There aren't many options for mahogany on mahogany that are neck-thru...

theres the gibson firebird of course. i have a sort-of copy made by Wez here, and the sustain and resonance is absolutely top draw. really lively sounding guitar

[darkbluemurder]

Washburn Falcons ain't nothing to GAS over ;) The four I've had were all dogs and the one I've got needed nearly everything re locating because it was so badly made, And these were the "desirable" late 70s models...

They are quite rare now - probably they all disintegrated by now. I only had the chance to play one in the mid-eighties, and that was a nice guitar. Damn heavy though - nothing you would want to play on a four hour gig unless you absolutely insist to combine each gig and practice with a workout.

And neck joints don't make any real difference that a drunken audience will ever notice.

True, but that could also be said about pickups. What matters is how you feel about your set up. If you feel good about your set up then you will have more fun playing - and that is what the audience will notice - at least before they are really drunk.

Cheers Stephan

[Philly Q]

Washburn Falcons ain't nothing to GAS over ;) The four I've had were all dogs and the one I've got needed nearly everything re locating because it was so badly made, And these were the "desirable" late 70s models...

They are quite rare now - probably they all disintegrated by now. I only had the chance to play one in the mid-eighties, and that was a nice guitar. Damn heavy though - nothing you would want to play on a four hour gig unless you absolutely insist to combine each gig and practice with a workout.

You do see them on eBay from time to time, sometimes a bit bashed-up.  I missed out on a really nice, near-mint one a few months ago.  Could be a long wait for another.

I know they're heavy, which actually puts me off - I want one for '80s nostalgia reasons more than anything else, really.  I'd have bought one ages ago if it wasn't for the weight issue.  Same reason I don't have a Yamaha SG2000!

[Frank]

I've always been a Fender player, always will be ... so bolt-on necks feel right to me, I need to feel that nasty lump of squared-off wood digging into the palm of my hand to tell me I'm playing too high up the neck.

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

[Philly Q]

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

I like the Carlos Santana/Gary Moore/Dave Meniketti "hold that sucker forever" school of playing. 

[darkbluemurder]

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

Indeed - it's much less than you think. It comes down to the difference between home playing and band playing. With the band I found I never had a problem of getting not enough sustain. It was a bigger problem to get the guitar clear enough to be heard in the band context without overpowering everybody.

My no. 1 stage guitar (a MIJ Charvel Strat with three non-BKP single coils) is no guitar I really enjoy playing at home. But on stage it simply works - it stays in tune, it's not too heavy, it does not hum and it sounds good within the band - even in the fourth set of an evening. BTW it's a bolt-on neck.

Cheers Stephan

[MDV]

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

I'm the same. I dont sustain a damned thing. Much of the time I'm up at 200bpm+ playing something daft with lots of palm muted 16ths. I dont need sustain. Or very rarely at least.

But my top 2 guitars (both Legras) sustain more than any other I've played (they're a through and a bolt on, and both sustain more than my other 2 main guitars; both MIJ jacksons, one a through and one a bolt on).

BUT, sustain goes hand in hand with something vital: vibration transmission. With vibration transmission theres transient response, note defintion, sensitivity and dynamics, and resonance. Sustain might not be what youre directly after, but its part and parcel with many other highly desirable features in a guitar.

[FELINEGUITARS]

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

I like the Carlos Santana/Gary Moore/Dave Meniketti "hold that sucker forever" school of playing. 

I'll check it out on Friday when Y&T play in London

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

BUT, sustain goes hand in hand with something vital: vibration transmission.
With vibration transmission theres transient response, note definition, sensitivity and dynamics, and resonance.
Sustain might not be what you're directly after, but its part and parcel with many other highly desirable features in a guitar.

I'd agree with that - it's all about responsiveness and something the player can interact with

[Philly Q]

On the subject of sustain, I honestly never got that argument. How long do you need a note to sustain for? A couple of seconds at most?

I like the Carlos Santana/Gary Moore/Dave Meniketti "hold that sucker forever" school of playing. 

I'll check it out on Friday when Y&T play in London

Another Y&T tour missed!  I really should read those emails..... what's the venue?