Bolt On Neck Questions

[Steadfastly]

Many people praise Taylor's bold on necks and for what I can see are good reasons.

When that subject comes up with electric guitars, there is usually an endless argument of why it is good or bad. I don't see that on the acoustic side of things. Why is that? Also, is the bolt on acoustic neck easier/quicker to manufacture and if it is, I wonder why more acoustic manufacturers wouldn't choose to go that route. One more thing I think makes the bolt on neck an advantage is it allows manufacturers to offer different neck options which Taylor seems to do more than others.

[Russ C]

I'd say we get plenty of dispute on that topic, and since no-one's likely to rebuid a guitar after exhaustive high quality recordings to repeat the process with a new neck fitting I reckon there's a basis for ongoing conversation.

Certainly the neck reset issue is giving bolt-ons more favourable press as the years tick by but modernists and traditionalists will always manage to disagree.

If there is a mellowing in the opinions of acoustic guitarists perhaps it just suggests we're easier to get on with .. nah, that's not gonna happen.

[1neeto]

Ooooh the rabbit hole is deep in this one.

[Paddy1951]

I would suggest that there is even more debate, dovetail vs bolt-on, amongst acoustic players.
That said, my last electric was a Fender Tele, but I think Les Pauls are excellent too... As well as many others.

[Wade Hampton]

Steadfastly, there is a bit of controversy remaining about bolt-on necks amongst acoustic guitarists, but it’s no longer the fiercely raging dispute it once was, for the simple reason that so many fine acoustic guitars are being built with bolt-on necks these days. I used to believe the traditionalist line that bolt-on necks automatically had a negative impact on acoustic guitar tone, until someone told me that Collings guitars have them.

Collings guitars are extraordinary instruments, so once I learned that, I did a complete hundred and eighty degree turn on the subject.

Something else to ponder is that neck attachment systems plausibly DO have more of an impact on the tone of solid body electric guitars when compared to acoustics, just as the weight of the hardware and the wood species used for the neck have more tonal impact on an electric than on an acoustic. Acoustics and electrics are very different instruments in that regard.

Anyway, short version: yes, twenty years ago on unmoderated UseNet acoustic guitar newsgroups the night skies glowed cherry red from all the flame wars on the pros and cons of neck attachment systems for acoustic guitars. For the most part, though, these days most folks seem to take a “been there, done that” attitude about the subject. That’s not to say that there’s complete consensus on the matter (it wouldn’t be the Internet if there was!) but overall no one seems to get fiery and fierce about it any more.

Plus, on this forum the moderators intervene if folks start getting too strident about this stuff - which is one of the main reasons this is such a useful, friendly and helpful forum. Let’s hear it for the moderators, who gently insist that participants not act like road rage warriors when someone dares to disagree with them! Hooray for temperate discussion and friendly persuasion!!


Wade Hampton Miller

[Paddy1951]

+1, What Wade said.

[Silly Moustache]

I (for one as one is all I am) have a great respect for the designs and innovations or of the company C.F. Martin who, I believe are still using the methods used for a century or so.

However the constant fear with owning a Martin in the UK "back in the day" was when the need for a reset arose, as there were very few, to no luthiers, prepared to do the job. (there are still relatively few who relish the process).

I play mostly Collings , so I have no issues with more modern techniques.

[BluesKing777]

I have had a guitar with a neck reset on a dovetail joint.....so I am fairly aware of the procedure.... Can someone explain the reset procedure on a bolt on neck, please?
(I have a couple of Waterloos by Collings - do I assume these are bolt on necks? I am afraid I didn’t look or ask about the neck joints.)


BluesKing777.

[pbla4024]

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

I have had a guitar with a neck reset on a dovetail joint.....so I am fairly aware of the procedure.... Can someone explain the reset procedure on a bolt on neck, please?
(I have a couple of Waterloos by Collings - do I assume these are bolt on necks? I am afraid I didn’t look or ask about the neck joints.)


BluesKing777.

Remove the neck, put in the shim, put back the neck.
Or alternatively remove the neck, reshape the heel as needed, put back the neck.

[mercy]

a dovetail you have to fiddle with to get it to fit correctly, a bolt on is less fiddling. Which is easier, that should tell you. Why do builders that could do dovetails do bolt ons, what do you think. I dont believe they do that out of concern for your difficulty/cost of a reset. As any other business, guitar building is about making money and time is money.

[Mr. Jelly]

I believe it has an impact on the sound of the guitar. Beyond that it's a whole lot of plus and minuses along with if ands and buts. Sound is a subjective area. I see no reason to debate it.

[fazool]

I see exactly the same dispute and same argumentation (pro and con) in the electric world as in the acoustic world.


On both sides people argue whether a bolt on neck creates as good of a connection, and questioning, usually, the sustain.

[Paddy1951]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

I believe it has an impact on the sound of the guitar. Beyond that it's a whole lot of plus and minuses along with if ands and buts. Sound is a subjective area. I see no reason to debate it.

The problem with believing a good bolt on neck has impact on the sound of the guitar is that nobody has proven that it does (or doesn't.) The other part of this is that those who are using bolt on designs are not trying to achieve a tradtional sound but rather, their own sound.

It is not likely anybody will pursue it. Makers will do what they do and let us argue for the side of the debate we choose to.

[H165]

until someone told me that Collings guitars have them.

Piling on, Kevin Ryan's guitars also have them.....

This is one of those subjects that get discussed only because the different neck joints actually exist. Completely subjective.

nobody has proven that it does (or doesn't.)

There's probably a thesis out there with repeatable results on the subject, buried at MIT or Caltch. If not, there should be

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by Paddy1951

It is not likely anybody will pursue it. Makers will do what they do and let us argue for the side of the debate we choose to.

Guitar builders have pursued it and there is no strong evidence that there is any discernible difference. But people continue to follow traditional methods simply because that's what they're set up to do.