Who Popularized the use of Bolt-On Necks?

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Right, I suppose we can dispute which was the first genuine popularizer, Kay Kraft or Taylor, but I don't think there can be much debate about which company has been far more influential to the rest of the acoustic guitar manufacturing industry.

This being the Internet, of course, I guess we CAN debate that. But Kay Kraft's approach to manufacturing was not widely copied the way Taylor's innovations have been, nor nearly as well-respected. Not by other people in the business.

But I don't care to debate this ad infinitum OR ad nauseam. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on who the first important popularizer was. I can't see where it matters a great deal either way...


whm

Hi Wade, not attempting to disparage your comments, just address the OP's question. If you add the distinction of "important" then it's certainly Taylor. I play a Taylor and love them, as well as everything about the entire Taylor business model.

Although I give credit to Kay Kraft as an early "popularizer", I've re-worked two of the guitars and have to say they were a pretty miserable example of what I'd consider good engineering practice. Not so with Taylor, that exemplifies what good engineering and current technology can achieve.

I agree that there's very little that really matters either way, it's just a forum. There are worse (and better) ways to pass time.

[Drak]

I'm relatively new to acoustic guitar history, the question was authentic.
Seems the vote goes to Taylor more or less for bringing it to mass markets, which is what I was really after.

[Tony Burns]

Charles Fox had alot to do with that

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Hi Wade, not attempting to disparage your comments, just address the OP's question. If you add the distinction of "important" then it's certainly Taylor. I play a Taylor and love them, as well as everything about the entire Taylor business model.

Although I give credit to Kay Kraft as an early "popularizer", I've re-worked two of the guitars and have to say they were a pretty miserable example of what I'd consider good engineering practice. Not so with Taylor, that exemplifies what good engineering and current technology can achieve.

I agree that there's very little that really matters either way, it's just a forum. There are worse (and better) ways to pass time.

That's more than fair, Rudy, and I hope I didn't come across as either peeved or exasperated in my reply to you, as I was neither. What I was trying to get across from my own perspective is that it was Taylor that opened the door wide and showed the rest of of the acoustic guitar industry that bolt-on necks could be done well without sacrificing musical tone.

Back in the 1970's, when we were all fairly Martin-centric in our thinking about guitars in the musical circles in which I traveled, it was an article of faith that bolt-on necks killed a lot of tone on acoustic guitars. For us those hideous 1960's-vintage Fender acoustic guitars were Exhibit A.

It wasn't until a couple of decades later, when I learned that Collings guitars had bolt-on necks, that I made a 180˚ turn and realized that a well-executed bolt-on neck attachment didn't HAVE to sound terrible! By that point I'd played a lot of Collings guitars and had been suitably impressed by how good they sounded, so learning that they have bolt-on necks was a real eye-opener for me.

Every once in a great while there will be some old-timer show up on this forum who'll trot out that same "bolt-on necks kill a lot of tone on acoustic guitars!" urban legend that I once believed, but those folks generally get corrected very quickly.

Some of them are gracious about it, while others among them are obviously annoyed, but it doesn't make any difference: bolt-on necks aren't the tonekillers that many of us once thought they were.


Wade Hampton Miller

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

Charles Fox had alot to do with that

A lot to do with what, exactly, and how so?

[archerscreek]

I wish I had the chance to read Frankenstein and Dracula before the stories became clouded by multiple movies, especially the movies claiming to be faithful adaptations of the novels but were not. I kept expecting one thing or another to occur while reading the books and the events never came about.

Regarding bolt on necks, I think Fender demonstrated that guitars built with such necks could be a tonal and commercial success. Fender's level of success regarding electrics then spurred builders like Taylor to go all in on their acoustics.

No doubt Taylor is as successful a builder and marketing genius as there can be. It seems like every thread discussing neck attachments eventually becomes dominated by bolt on neck fans that rip modern guitars built without them. Taylor has done more than popularized the bolt on neck. They've swung the pendulum of those who judge guitars by construction rather than tone.

[Edgar Poe]

Kay used many bolt on necks.

Ed

[Sonics]

It begins with an 'O'.

Charlie Kaman knew what he was doing...

[merlin666]

Originally Posted by Sonics

It begins with an 'O'.

Charlie Kaman knew what he was doing...

Indeed tens of thousands of Ovations were built with bolt on necks before Taylor existed .

[PHJim]

Originally Posted by merlin666

Indeed tens of thousands of Ovations were built with bolt on necks before Taylor existed .

Probably as many Levin/Goyas, with a two bolt neck were built starting in the fifties and sixties. These were professional quality guitars until Martin bought the name and used it on entry level imports; still quite playable guitars, but not up to the quality of the Swedish Levins/Goyas.


Mason Williams used a Goya classical guitar.
Jimi Hendrix played a solid body Goya.
Pete Townsend played a Levin.
Robin Williamson played a Levin or Goya with the Incredible String Band.
Oscar Brand played a Goya.
Allan Frazer of Fraser & DeBolt played a Goya.
Julie Andrews played a Goya in The Sound Of Music.

[musicman1951]

Fender in 1950.

[PAPADON]

1968 Fender (Broomstick) Palomino. Bolt on neck, adjustable bridge saddles and aluminum support tube inside the body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjbuRFB2zvA&t=98s

1968