Are bolt-ons more articulate?
- Thread starter big_black
- Start date
aleclee
Major General GAS
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
I don't believe most guitarists could hear the difference between a bolt-on neck and the same guitar with the neck glued it. I think that materials make a much bigger difference. Most bolt-neck guitars have maple necks while many (but far from all) set necks are mahogany.
Then there's the Strat-o-factor. There's a lot more to the distinctive tone of classic bolt-neck guitars (e.g. Strat, Tele) than the means of neck attachment.
My $0.02, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.
I don't believe most guitarists could hear the difference between a bolt-on neck and the same guitar with the neck glued it. I think that materials make a much bigger difference. Most bolt-neck guitars have maple necks while many (but far from all) set necks are mahogany.
Then there's the Strat-o-factor. There's a lot more to the distinctive tone of classic bolt-neck guitars (e.g. Strat, Tele) than the means of neck attachment.
My $0.02, IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.
Quencho092
New member
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
yeah, as long as the contact surfaces are smooth and tightly joined together, the tone is tone.
But something tells me that the glue in set necks might have some effect. The advantage lies in either easier access, or ease of replacing.
yeah, as long as the contact surfaces are smooth and tightly joined together, the tone is tone.
But something tells me that the glue in set necks might have some effect. The advantage lies in either easier access, or ease of replacing.
big_black
Opaqueologist
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
I know it's not something you would be able to pick out by ear, maybe feel. I know in the end it all comes down to materials. It's just not the first time I have heard it. I was just wondering if anyone that is of this opinion could explain it. There must be a reasoning behind it if I have heard it in different places.
I know it's not something you would be able to pick out by ear, maybe feel. I know in the end it all comes down to materials. It's just not the first time I have heard it. I was just wondering if anyone that is of this opinion could explain it. There must be a reasoning behind it if I have heard it in different places.
Boston Joe
New member
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
Due to the utilitarian nature of bolt-ons, they have the advantage of becoming more articulate with a little manipulation. Once a neck is set-- and it's a dud-- there is not much you can do other than change hardware and electronics. Neck reset? The horrors!!!!
:eek2:
Due to the utilitarian nature of bolt-ons, they have the advantage of becoming more articulate with a little manipulation. Once a neck is set-- and it's a dud-- there is not much you can do other than change hardware and electronics. Neck reset? The horrors!!!!
:eek2:
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Boston Joe
New member
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
It's not so much tone as it is response-- how it feels and translates your playing style. A lot of players may sacrifice the perfect tone just so they can properly express the notes-- hence the subjectivity of tone.
big_black said:
It's not so much tone as it is response-- how it feels and translates your playing style. A lot of players may sacrifice the perfect tone just so they can properly express the notes-- hence the subjectivity of tone.
Hot _Grits
Buttery Toneologist
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
I think scale length and wood choice have far more effect on articulation that whether a neck is glued or not.
I think scale length and wood choice have far more effect on articulation that whether a neck is glued or not.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
To me, maple is just brighter and more articulate than mahogany, but mahogany has an edge with warmth.
To me, maple is just brighter and more articulate than mahogany, but mahogany has an edge with warmth.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
Really if the coupling between the neck and the body is solid whether it be from screws or glue i dont see how it would make a huge difference if any at all... but thats just me
Really if the coupling between the neck and the body is solid whether it be from screws or glue i dont see how it would make a huge difference if any at all... but thats just me
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
ive had many of both bolt and neck thru's. bolt ons are brighter and the notes tend to be more shrill makeing it easy to get your guitar to squeel or chirp or articulate notes easy. Neck thru's tend to be more smooth and the notes more rounded and the sustain tends to last longer. after haveing both kinds for years I like bolt ons cuz they are brighter and to me more expressive and tend to sparkle on cleans and realy get pronounced gainy attack and yes- articulate the notes such as squeels and chirps but thats with a vintage humbucker. bolt ons can also become too trebley or bright with the wrong pickups or single 8 or 10 inch speaker. it realy depends on your gear and playing style. if your drop d tuneing alot or even lower- you may want to stay with a neck thru as I think it sounds better on a neck thru. I also dont like bolt ons thru any less than 2/12 inch speaker cabs cuz they do have alot of natural treble and need bigger and more speakers to give this style of guitar more base. 4/10 cabs are ok but again can sound too trebley at times. -I know, alot of info to think about-but I think you would want to hear all the facts from someone who's had both rather than just random opinions. Gear Joneser has both and I think Curly and Lew? you may want to ask them as well. Ive heard drop D tuned Les Pauls thru 4/12 cabs that have had great smooth basey thunk in punk or thrash metal bands. it all depends on the sound your after. :beerchug:
ive had many of both bolt and neck thru's. bolt ons are brighter and the notes tend to be more shrill makeing it easy to get your guitar to squeel or chirp or articulate notes easy. Neck thru's tend to be more smooth and the notes more rounded and the sustain tends to last longer. after haveing both kinds for years I like bolt ons cuz they are brighter and to me more expressive and tend to sparkle on cleans and realy get pronounced gainy attack and yes- articulate the notes such as squeels and chirps but thats with a vintage humbucker. bolt ons can also become too trebley or bright with the wrong pickups or single 8 or 10 inch speaker. it realy depends on your gear and playing style. if your drop d tuneing alot or even lower- you may want to stay with a neck thru as I think it sounds better on a neck thru. I also dont like bolt ons thru any less than 2/12 inch speaker cabs cuz they do have alot of natural treble and need bigger and more speakers to give this style of guitar more base. 4/10 cabs are ok but again can sound too trebley at times. -I know, alot of info to think about-but I think you would want to hear all the facts from someone who's had both rather than just random opinions. Gear Joneser has both and I think Curly and Lew? you may want to ask them as well. Ive heard drop D tuned Les Pauls thru 4/12 cabs that have had great smooth basey thunk in punk or thrash metal bands. it all depends on the sound your after. :beerchug:
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
Also the main contact point for a bolt on is on the 1 face. On a set neck the points of contact tend to be on all faces. Having said that, I used to own a Gibson MIII with a set neck and it's tone could be very bright and sparkly.
philthis said:
Also the main contact point for a bolt on is on the 1 face. On a set neck the points of contact tend to be on all faces. Having said that, I used to own a Gibson MIII with a set neck and it's tone could be very bright and sparkly.
Zerberus
Baron Von Shred
Re: Are bolt-ons more articulate?
My personal opinion is that glue dampens tone, more glue deadens tone more, and depending on how the neck is constructed this can or can´t be a good thing... Think of it like spraying that rubber stuff under a car, the more you spray the less you hear. Some is essential, but too much slows up the transfer of sound, deadening it. Same thing with paint, BTW, Less is more.
On a bolt on (a good one), there´s a solid wood-wood joint, no glue. The vibrations from the neck can travel unhindered through the joint into the body wood.
On a "classic" set neck, it´s a similar joint, surface-wise, but it´s smothered in glue. any which way the vibrations go, they have to travel through a thin laver of damening material (glue) before they reach the body. this also accounts for the slightly more sluggish response of a set-neck
On a Deep tenon (think PRS)/ set through or neck through, you have a much larger contact surface, and this counteracts the dampening effect a bit by allowing more of the vibration to travel through at the same time. On a neck thru you also have the advantage that the clamps used to fasten the body wings for drying generally give more pressure than the ones used for setting in necks, squeezíng out a bit more glue.
The neckthru has the disadvantage that it´s construction adds a strong low-mid spike to the sound because of the way the vibrations travel (they reach the end of the body much faster than the sides of the wings). The advantage is that the vibrations also reach the pickups faster, making the overall response seem a bit faster.
None are better than others, but I consider Bolt ons as "neutral", set necks as "slightly warmer and slower", and neck-thrus as even warmer still but somewhere in the middle, response-wise. Assuming , of course, that ALL other factors remain equal (admittedly making it hard to test for non-luthiers). I personally prefer neck-thrus and Bolt-ons
My personal opinion is that glue dampens tone, more glue deadens tone more, and depending on how the neck is constructed this can or can´t be a good thing... Think of it like spraying that rubber stuff under a car, the more you spray the less you hear. Some is essential, but too much slows up the transfer of sound, deadening it. Same thing with paint, BTW, Less is more.
On a bolt on (a good one), there´s a solid wood-wood joint, no glue. The vibrations from the neck can travel unhindered through the joint into the body wood.
On a "classic" set neck, it´s a similar joint, surface-wise, but it´s smothered in glue. any which way the vibrations go, they have to travel through a thin laver of damening material (glue) before they reach the body. this also accounts for the slightly more sluggish response of a set-neck
On a Deep tenon (think PRS)/ set through or neck through, you have a much larger contact surface, and this counteracts the dampening effect a bit by allowing more of the vibration to travel through at the same time. On a neck thru you also have the advantage that the clamps used to fasten the body wings for drying generally give more pressure than the ones used for setting in necks, squeezíng out a bit more glue.
The neckthru has the disadvantage that it´s construction adds a strong low-mid spike to the sound because of the way the vibrations travel (they reach the end of the body much faster than the sides of the wings). The advantage is that the vibrations also reach the pickups faster, making the overall response seem a bit faster.
None are better than others, but I consider Bolt ons as "neutral", set necks as "slightly warmer and slower", and neck-thrus as even warmer still but somewhere in the middle, response-wise. Assuming , of course, that ALL other factors remain equal (admittedly making it hard to test for non-luthiers). I personally prefer neck-thrus and Bolt-ons
