Most electric guitar kit necks will come in either bolt in or set neck options, there also are neck-thru options but these are less common. Bolt in necks are generally utilized by Fender for the bulk of their guitars while set necks are usually employed by Gibson and there are lots who credit Gibson guitars with having superior sustain and warmth of tone. While others argue that Fender offer better clarity and a brighter tone.
To be honest there is evidence to support these claims but there are also many examples where this is proved to be wrong Would anybody truthfully argue the point that Gary Moore (who played a Gibson Les Paul in 'Still got the Blues') is playing a guitar lacking a little in note definition and clearness? The idea is laughable.
Bolt In Necks
Bolt in necks are pretty simple and have the obvious benefit of being replaceable should you damage the neck in any way. The argument against bolt in necks is that glue in neck offers better sustain. In my honest opinion this is a debate that isn't technically correct. It would be more correct to say that a loose fitting bolt in neck will have an effect on. The higher quality of the join the less this is conspicuous. The common line trotted out over and over again is that a bolt in neck doesn't transfer vibration as quickly from the body thru to the neck thus impacting sustain but as mentioned above there's also the tightness of the neck join to take into account. In a set neck if the join is loose and there's too much glue used to fill the join sustain will also
To be honest there is evidence to support these claims but there are also many examples where this is proved to be wrong Would anybody truthfully argue the point that Gary Moore (who played a Gibson Les Paul in 'Still got the Blues') is playing a guitar lacking a little in note definition and clearness? The idea is laughable.
Bolt In Necks
Bolt in necks are pretty simple and have the obvious benefit of being replaceable should you damage the neck in any way. The argument against bolt in necks is that glue in neck offers better sustain. In my honest opinion this is a debate that isn't technically correct. It would be more correct to say that a loose fitting bolt in neck will have an effect on. The higher quality of the join the less this is conspicuous. The common line trotted out over and over again is that a bolt in neck doesn't transfer vibration as quickly from the body thru to the neck thus impacting sustain but as mentioned above there's also the tightness of the neck join to take into account. In a set neck if the join is loose and there's too much glue used to fill the join sustain will also
largely be impacted. Many also argue that bolt in necks offer more clearness and a brighter tone but as demonstrated in the Gary Moore example above this may also be a complete nonsense.
Glue in Necks (Set Necks)
Set necks on the other hand are far more permanent but it has to be said how often do you really need to replace a guitar neck? It does happen now and then sure, but should this really be an important factor when deciding between a set neck or bolt in neck guitar? Ask yourself how often you have really needed to consider this up to this point. Set necks typically are mortise-and-tenon joins and many individuals are stunned to find out that this type of join can actually be stronger than a bolt in neck once finished.
The Final word
There's plenty of reason to believe that with some guitars there's a noticeable difference in tone between set neck and bolt in but typically it's a combination of factors that really decide the tonal quality of a guitar. No two guitars really are made equal and the best information we will be able to offer is to try the guitar out before you purchase and make sure you are buying based on the actual guitar in your hands and not the reputation or rumored tonal quality of a specific make or model of electric guitar.
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Glue in Necks (Set Necks)
Set necks on the other hand are far more permanent but it has to be said how often do you really need to replace a guitar neck? It does happen now and then sure, but should this really be an important factor when deciding between a set neck or bolt in neck guitar? Ask yourself how often you have really needed to consider this up to this point. Set necks typically are mortise-and-tenon joins and many individuals are stunned to find out that this type of join can actually be stronger than a bolt in neck once finished.
The Final word
There's plenty of reason to believe that with some guitars there's a noticeable difference in tone between set neck and bolt in but typically it's a combination of factors that really decide the tonal quality of a guitar. No two guitars really are made equal and the best information we will be able to offer is to try the guitar out before you purchase and make sure you are buying based on the actual guitar in your hands and not the reputation or rumored tonal quality of a specific make or model of electric guitar.
About the Author:
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