# Bolt-On vs Neck-Thru



## HungryGuitarStudent (Nov 5, 2019)

I’ve read/heard people mentioning differences in tone between neck thru and bolt-on guitars (more “twang” for bolt-ons). I’ve only owned bolt-ons and the few neck thrus I’ve tried didn’t sound that much different. What’s your take on that?


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 5, 2019)

I've worked on hundreds of guitars (maybe thousands?) and have owned a whole bunch over the years. 

My take: 

Everything matters, but the amount that individual things like this matter isn't much.

Basically, take in the instrument as a whole because it is just that, a whole instrument. You're not hearing bits and pieces, you're hearing the whole thing, rig included. 

Guitarists have been programmed by the industry to nitpick specs down into the most obscure minutiae.


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## budda (Nov 5, 2019)

Do you like the guitar? Start there.


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Nov 5, 2019)

I started this thread mostly to get an idea of the general consensus. My mind is pretty made up on that (and on tone wood). Fingers + pickups + rig can get me the tone I want, regardless of neck and wood.


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 5, 2019)

HungryGuitarStudent said:


> I started this thread mostly to get an idea of the general consensus. My mind is pretty made up on that (and on tone wood). Fingers + pickups + rig can get me the tone I want, regardless of neck and wood.



The general _consensus_ is that it's a huge deal and matters a lot.


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## Scordare (Nov 5, 2019)

I’ve owned and worked on a lot of guitars and basses too.. and really haven’t noticed a difference between neck attachment styles with guitars. The mythical, longer sustain with neck-thrus just isn’t there.. In fact, my longest sustaining instruments are bolt-ons. The main advantage neck thru has is upper fret access. 
On Basses though..I HAVE noticed a tonal difference. Neck-thru basses seem to have a softer, slower attack..which I don’t like. Bolt-on basses have a faster, snappy attack..which for fast, precise playing is ideal for me.


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Nov 5, 2019)

@Scordare : Yeah, I’m considering a neck thru guitar solely for upper fret access. Thanks for the info on basses, it’s good to know.



MaxOfMetal said:


> The general _consensus_ is that it's a huge deal and matters a lot.



Damn, really? I don’t go out much hehe


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## fproject (Nov 5, 2019)

HungryGuitarStudent said:


> I started this thread mostly to get an idea of the general consensus. My mind is pretty made up on that (and on tone wood). Fingers + pickups + rig can get me the tone I want, regardless of neck and wood.



There should not be a consensus on things like these IMO. Play what feels good to you and sounds good to you. That's all that matters. There is no tonal superiority between bolt-on, set neck or neck through. Its the instrument as a whole that matters.


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Nov 5, 2019)

I agree. I was interested in the average opinion on the matter only as a curiosity, i.e. it’ll not matter in my decision process at all.


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## Mathemagician (Nov 5, 2019)

There will be people who will tell you they can hear they difference between a rosewood fretboard and an ebony fretboard. 

They fall into 2 camps: those who are lying and those who don’t know they’re lying. 

Whatever the case may be, personally a guitar may FEEL different or better than another to someone and THATS all that matters. 

So imo, if someone swears that a specific body color or neck construction is better, then that’s what is going to inspire them to play their best.


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## sezna (Nov 5, 2019)

My two cents: neck through may or may not make a tonal difference, but what really matters is that it is so much comfier.


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## Scordare (Nov 5, 2019)

There is also set/glued-on necks..like a Les Paul. ..Which I think falls into the bolt-on category.. Regardless of the attachment method, you have two different pieces of wood coming together in the middle vs 1 piece. I particularly like the ultra-fast response & FEEL of a nice Les Paul and I think a mahogany neck plays a factor there.. but now we’re going into tone wood category.. danger, danger, danger! The consensus is crumbling!


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## c7spheres (Nov 5, 2019)

I like bolt-on necks more because you can easily shim them and get everything exactly how you want. Neck thru's might get tempemental over time and after a certain point there may be nothing you can do to make it better. Neck-thru's don't always have better upper fret access as commonlythought either. If you really look at them a lot of them have less access or way fatter heels than even a bolt on in real world playing, but the ones that do have better access are certainly a nice luxury to have. For sound it all just depends on the guitar itself. Technically there's arguments for both ways as to which would be better. I do find it interesting that the majority of "guitar gods" seem to use bolt on neck's even though they could use anything they wanted to. I think there's a reason for that. It's because bolt on necks are better workhorse guitars. With these new materials like the Aristides stuff I'm currently interested in, there seems to be some promise of the best of all worlds going on there.


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## Mathemagician (Nov 5, 2019)

Counterpoints: 
No one looking for better upper fret access is buying a neckthrough with shitty fret access, that would be pointless. 

If my neckthrough has some magical issue 10-15+ years down the road then I’ll buy a new one. It’s a tool and I want it to be as comfortable as possible TODAY. I have no interest in worrying about whether a guitar I have today will be playable a decade later. 

At least we both agree that tone wood is almost nonsense.


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## c7spheres (Nov 5, 2019)

Tonewood is a misunderstood thing I think. People hear a Les Paul or Strat or Ibanez and think this is how Mahogany, Alder/Ash, Basswood sounds, which isn't true. I think it has more to do with the density and resonant properties of the material more than anything. It's almost impossible to create two identical guitars. Even the clone Ibanez's I've owned over the years sound totally different. Some guitars just have mojo and most don't.


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## aesthyrian (Nov 6, 2019)

It's mostly a matter of personal opinion and preference. Many opinions and preferences about this subject in this thread https://www.sevenstring.org/threads/neck-through-versus-bolt-on.338121/


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## Sollipsist (Nov 6, 2019)

I also like the look of a nice neck-thru, which is totally a subjective taste thing. There's been a lot of guitars that I've wished looked as good in front as they do from the back.


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## Lorcan Ward (Nov 6, 2019)

There’s a massive difference between neck constructions, anyone with a remotely experienced ear should be able to pick up on the differences.

A bolt-on has a directness to a note, like it’s instant, some people call this attack but that’s a very vague term that is used for countless things. It’s consistent across every Bolt-on I’ve ever played. The downsides here is a note decays a bit quicker and that directness isn’t ideal for some people’s sound. It can emphasis the treble too much with the way it jumps out. 

Compared to a set-neck you don’t have that directness to a note, not that’s it’s less tight but you don’t have that instantness response. On the other hand there’s more of a fullness to notes across the board. 

It’s not something you can really change with your rig. I spent 2 hours in a studio going through countless pedals, amps, cabs, mics etc with my setneck guitars and just couldn’t get the tightness I wanted. Came back with a bolt-on and got the tone I wanted in 5 minutes. 

Is it something that matters in a full mix? Well I can think of a lot of players I wish used bolt-ons the same way I’d prefer they didn’t use certain pickups or amps. In the end try as many guitars as possible and find out what works best for you.


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## GuitarBizarre (Nov 6, 2019)

I concur that what matters is the whole. 

I have a 25.5" bolt-on 7 string, a 24.75" Set-neck LP type, and a 28.625" neckthrough baritone tuned a step down.

The quickest attack comes from the LP. The longest sustain too.

The tone varies dramatically between all 3, but not in a way that any particular specification explains on it's own. The tone varies because of the combination of factors involved. Scale length, bridge type, pickups, construction etc all combine to make these instruments what they are.

The single biggest difference is simply the quality of fit & finish on the parts.


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## fproject (Nov 6, 2019)

Lorcan Ward said:


> It’s not something you can really change with your rig. I spent 2 hours in a studio going through countless pedals, amps, cabs, mics etc with my setneck guitars and just couldn’t get the tightness I wanted. Came back with a bolt-on and got the tone I wanted in 5 minutes.



What you're saying here is that there is a massive difference the two guitars you played. Its not a Bolt-on vs neck-through thing.


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## Lorcan Ward (Nov 6, 2019)

fproject said:


> What you're saying here is that there is a massive difference the two guitars you played. Its not a Bolt-on vs neck-through thing.





I’ve played a lot more than 2 guitars.....


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## Frostbite (Nov 6, 2019)

Lorcan Ward said:


> I’ve played a lot more than 2 guitars.....


Stop lying to all these people. How could you


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## Tuned (Nov 6, 2019)

with the years I've come to the conclusion that there is no safe way to tell the difference. I've had a very nice top-of-the-line late eighties' MIJ neck-thru guitar that appeared to not have much sustain at all. I've had hand-built boutique LAKLAND USA bolt-on basses that were built meticulously and had sustain for days.
Here's what the world-famous Ken Smith the owner-founder of boutique Ken Smith basses and KSD basses (particularly known for a pocedure of pre-building neck-thru blanks and then cutting them to finalize as bolt-on) says:

"Like the difference between the ride of a car and a truck. Depends on the car or truck. Too many variables involved for an accurate answer. Do you mean the both basses compared would be built exactly the same except for the 4 screws? Or, one with a simple neck and body bolt model and the NT have 59 laminates? If so, you are comparing way way more than the neck joint difference.

To answer this question fairly, both basses must be made exactly the same with the exception of the neck joint. The problem with that is that on our basses, the bolt model neck has a slight pitch in the neck of 1 degree to reach the bridge height with the neck set above the body. The NT sits flush and has a 3 degree pitch to reach the same bridge height. So, even with the exact build specs (if that's your query), the tension design but angle is different between the two. Any other differences in the build and you might as well ask the guy in Tools at Home Depot. No telling what is doing exactly what!"


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## spudmunkey (Nov 6, 2019)

I've seen people say everything from:
- neck-through sustains better than bolt-on
- nuh-uh, see this study says they it's the opposite
- well, neck-throughs sound dull because they emphazise the fundamental, and don't have the same harmonic richness of a bolt on
- Oh yeah? Well...wait, what?
- Cheap guitars are bolt-ons, therefore an expensive guitar shouldn't be.
- Yeah but cheap guitars are bolt-ons because they are the best way to do something cheaply, but that doesn't automatically make it inferior. And also, it depends on the work put into it in the end...a sloppy, neck-joint won't matter on a $100 strat knock-off, but sure-as-shit won't fly on a $2K+ guitar.


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## diagrammatiks (Nov 6, 2019)

GuitarBizarre said:


> I concur that what matters is the whole.
> 
> I have a 25.5" bolt-on 7 string, a 24.75" Set-neck LP type, and a 28.625" neckthrough baritone tuned a step down.
> 
> ...



show me this neckthrough baritone.


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## spudmunkey (Nov 6, 2019)

diagrammatiks said:


> show me this neckthrough baritone.



Agile Intrepids can come in that scale.


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## gnoll (Nov 7, 2019)

I would really like to see/hear a controlled test of bolt-on vs neck-through with all other variables being as similar as possible. Since almost everyone seems to agree about this bolt-on "snappiness" I want to believe it's true, but I have never been able to hear it myself.

Either way, if the guitar sounds good and has good upper fret access then I won't worry about the type of neck joint. If it doesn't, I'll look for another guitar. Of course, I could completely dismiss all neck-through guitars without playing them on the basis of them "not having enough snap" but I think I won't.


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 7, 2019)

gnoll said:


> I would really like to see/hear a controlled test of bolt-on vs neck-through with all other variables being as similar as possible. Since almost everyone seems to agree about this bolt-on "snappiness" I want to believe it's true, but I have never been able to hear it myself.
> 
> Either way, if the guitar sounds good and has good upper fret access then I won't worry about the type of neck joint. If it doesn't, I'll look for another guitar. Of course, I could completely dismiss all neck-through guitars without playing them on the basis of them "not having enough snap" but I think I won't.



The problem is, it's impossible to isolate the neck joint like this. 

Even two of the exact same model of guitar built consecutively (or even concurrently) can sound different. 

A good is example is that when Steve Vai wants a new JEM Ibanez sends him a batch of them (I've heads between five and ten) and he'll pick the one or two that sounds best to him. 

Go to any guitar store and grab two or three of the same model. You'll notice small differences typically.


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## gnoll (Nov 7, 2019)

MaxOfMetal said:


> The problem is, it's impossible to isolate the neck joint like this.
> 
> Even two of the exact same model of guitar built consecutively (or even concurrently) can sound different.
> 
> ...



Yeah, true...

I do think theoretically it's totally possible to design an experiment to investigate bolt-on vs. neck-through, but in practice it's probably not plausible.


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## MaxOfMetal (Nov 7, 2019)

gnoll said:


> Yeah, true...
> 
> I do think theoretically it's totally possible to design an experiment to investigate bolt-on vs. neck-through, but in practice it's probably not plausible.



In the end it would be a whole lot of work to basically say "told you so" and probably wouldn't change anyone's mind.

This is just one of those things that doesn't matter. If someone doesn't want a given neck joint...cool. Let them be. 

Guitars are tools of expression. If someone feels they can better express themselves with a guitar because it has a certain spec, who am I or anyone to tell them "no"?


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## c7spheres (Nov 7, 2019)

I find if you want more "snap" it's easier to achieve when you have a trem guitar. Higher tension will give it to you for sure. You can adjust where the tension is coming from based on find tuner loctaion vs tuning machine vs spring tension and still be in tune but with different tensions and amounts of "snap". Also, making sure the intonation is as perfect as possible too. It seems even when the saddle is a little to forward it will affect the "snap" factor toogiving you more of a loose feeling. I use really high tensionon my springs plus use 5 springs and when setting up a new action or setup it can take literally dozens of attempts to get it just right for my taste rather than just techincally having the boxes checked. Action also plays a factor. Not so much action but bridge height in realtion to the nut. Lower action or extra high action will give more tension but the middle not so much. Extra high will make intonation impossible without a neck shim angle in being performed. I'd get a cheap beater guitar and strings and just keep messing it up until you get a feel for it. Properly stretching new strings will give more snap too.


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## GuitarBizarre (Nov 7, 2019)

diagrammatiks said:


> show me this neckthrough baritone.


https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ST2FPPB--steinberger-st-2fpa-pitch-black

One of these. It's a maple body, maple neck with graphite U channel reinforcement, neckthrough, phenolic fretboard, headless 28.625" scale guitar with EMG 81/85 set, Piezo bridge and active EQ controls.

And every time I post about it all anyone can focus on is "But it's ugly"


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## Pat (Nov 7, 2019)

I personally feel the whole thing with bolt on vs. neck thru, tone woods, 'snappyness', is mostly nonsense. 

Bolt on vs. neck thru - I don't buy into the theory that one is "snappier" or provides more sustain. If anything I think sustain has more to do with the bridge, as this is where the string joins the guitar body, or the nut if playing open strings. 

Different woods - the woods will probably vibrate differently, but this will have such a tiny effect on the sound of the note that it's pretty much unnoticeable (for electric guitars at least).

People who claim certain fretboards provide different tones? Makes no sense to me - you are cutting off a note behind a fret, so the string ideally shouldn't even touch the fretboard.


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## Lemonbaby (Nov 7, 2019)

Lorcan Ward said:


> It’s not something you can really change with your rig. I spent 2 hours in a studio going through countless pedals, amps, cabs, mics etc with my setneck guitars and just couldn’t get the tightness I wanted. Came back with a bolt-on and got the tone I wanted in 5 minutes.


I see - case indisputably proven.


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## Sollipsist (Nov 9, 2019)

Take a neck- thru, cut off the neck, and then bolt it back on. I guarantee the tone will suffer. Case closed


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## Cynicanal (Nov 9, 2019)

Pat said:


> Different woods - the woods will probably vibrate differently, but this will have such a tiny effect on the sound of the note that it's pretty much unnoticeable (for electric guitars at least).


Based on this, I'm guessing you've never played a hollowbody electric with magnetic pickups. Body vibrations absolutely affect the sound.


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## Tuned (Nov 9, 2019)

Sollipsist said:


> Take a neck- thru, cut off the neck, and then bolt it back on. I guarantee the tone will suffer. Case closed


...And you'll be wrong. That's what Ken Smith Basses do a lot and there's consensus it helps the tone.
Now. You were saying you guaranteed ? I take credit cards too


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## Sollipsist (Nov 9, 2019)

Tuned said:


> ...And you'll be wrong. That's what Ken Smith Basses do a lot and there's consensus it helps the tone.
> Now. You were saying you guaranteed ? I take credit cards too


Offer void in... wherever you live


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## diagrammatiks (Nov 9, 2019)

Cynicanal said:


> Based on this, I'm guessing you've never played a hollowbody electric with magnetic pickups. Body vibrations absolutely affect the sound.



great. This is now a shitty tone wood thread.


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## Tuned (Nov 10, 2019)

Sollipsist said:


> Offer void in... wherever you live


 I should've known!


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## Pat (Nov 10, 2019)

Cynicanal said:


> Based on this, I'm guessing you've never played a hollowbody electric with magnetic pickups. Body vibrations absolutely affect the sound.


I'd probably liken hollowbodies more to acoustics than solid body electrics - i.e. a slab of wood (like an electric guitar) is not going to be as affected by vibrations the same way a hollow piece of wood is, so tone woods for electrics don't really impact the sound - it's more to do with the rest of the rig.


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## Tuned (Nov 12, 2019)

1.


Pat said:


> a slab of wood (like an electric guitar) is not going to be as affected by vibrations the same way a hollow piece of wood is


 so
2.


Pat said:


> tone woods for electrics don't really impact the sound


 3.


Pat said:


> it's more to do with the rest of the rig.


As much as I second pt.1 and do agree that in pt.3 you have a point, I can't agree with pt.2 nor with the 'so' between pt.1 and pt.2

Sure thing,a slab of wood is not going to vibrate like a hollow piece of wood. Nor will a slab of wood vibrate like a bigger or a smaller slab of wood, or a slab of wood of the same size but different density and weight. That said, a semiacoustic doesn't vibrate like a full acoustic as well, and not even like a semiacoustic of a different construction. There is a reason behind Gibson using a massive 'rough' mahogany center block on the hollowbody ES-Les Paul, a noticeably smaller mahogany contoured 'spiderblock' running the full length of the ES137, a chromite centerblock with only head- and tailpieces of mahogany on the Howard Roberts model, and no centerblock at all with a tail and head blocks only in the body of the ES-175. Mind you,we're talking about solid pieces of tone wood (tone material) inside the bodies of semiacoustic guitars [of the same builder in one and the same Memphis factory].

If this isn't enough to change your mind yet, then try to explain this: if the tone woods for electrcis don't really impact the sound, does the acoustic chamber of the semiacoustic really impact the characteristics of the electromagnetic field and the current?

In the LAKLAND Bass official site, older version, they had sound samples of the same model basses but in ash, alder and with maple, rosewood or ebony. I just checked and, unortunately, they have changed everything. But before, I am sure, you would be able to tell the difference blindfolded. If not like, 'ok, I am positive this is swamp ash body and maple fretboard', then at least like, 'ok, this sample is snappier and a bit on the brittle side than the previous one'. Does this count?

And not only tone woods. Tone materials. I used to play a luthite-bodied Ibanez ErgoDyne back in the day, and a Zon Sonus with a graphite neck. There is a good reason why Ibanez later changed to tonewood bodies on their Ergodynes, and I guess any guitarist can tell a graphite instrument blindfolded. Just turn on the 'SMV' album and you can tell each and every time Stanley Clarke is in the game without knowing who he is, what his manner of playing is, or what instrument he uses. 'Oh, here's that odd sound again!'

I do agree there is more you can do to your sound through your rig (and, I feel obliged to mention, with the pickups and strings of your choice). The tone woods, however, are inherent to the construction of the guitar and as such are characteristic of the nature of your sound. If you cut out a substantial part of the body (i.e. change its mass), or replace the body, the neck or both with those made of different woods you will definitely hear the difference.


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## Nicki (Nov 13, 2019)

This again? Look.. it's on page 2 of this section of the forum..


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## NoodleFace (Nov 14, 2019)

I've felt that bolt-ons have a bit more attack and a quicker sonic fall-off, something that I like better in a guitar personally. I have a couple neck throughs and they're definitely different sounding and feeling.


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## IbanezDaemon (Nov 14, 2019)

I prefer the feel of set necks or neck thru. Have found they sustain slightly better and I mean slightly better. Most of my Bolt on neck guitars do suffer from finish cracks (apart from the mighty J Customs) and some of them do look quite alarming but they are mostly lacquer cracks. If you bust the neck on a neck thru you're screwed and you have less leeway for adjustments on set necks or neck thru guitars. Bolt on neck's are usually a good thing:


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## HungryGuitarStudent (Nov 14, 2019)

Nicki said:


> This again? Look.. it's on page 2 of this section of the forum..



Although thread titles are almost the same, my original question was specifically about tone. That being said, I should have done my homework and foreseen that this thread would degenerate and that both threads end up having similar discussions.


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## Kruegmeister (Nov 21, 2019)

No one is "lying", if you can't hear a difference that's an Amp or Gain thing. When I used an AxeFX II for a year, I couldn't tell a difference between my Guitars.
Now that I use a Tube Amp (Diezel D-Moll) and all Analog effects save for Reverb I can hear a Huge Difference between my Guiars.

Now given all the Above I made 2 Identical "Parts Casters" All woods are identical. Differences being Old Firestorm Body has a Swimming Pool Route & is early 90s, My Guitar #1 is a newer HSH routing. Both Alder. Electronics identical down to String spacing to pickups. I ended up changing a Neck on the Firestorm to one of the Same Age & that brought them much closer.

So if you think Stuff like wood makes no difference then you:
A) Play with a Ton of Gain (Not uncommon here)
B) Use a Modeler & have no valid opinion cause you're tone deaf which is why you think a Modeler sounds the Same as a real Amp... on a Recording sure, but on Stage it lacks


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## Emperoff (Nov 21, 2019)

Well, for starters. Neck-thru construction "more sustain" is a myth marketed by companies around the 80s. Neckthrus were far more expensive to produce and they were very few models on the market compared to bolt ons. It was a way to set them apart as high end instruments. The seamless feel and high fret access did the rest. Remember than until Ibanez's AANJ, bolt-on neck joints were atrocious.

Nowadays there is much more information available and we know this just isn't true. Bolt ons have smooth joints which made them desirable for lead players again. What it really does make a difference is the bridge. A fixed bridge has heaps more sustain than a tremolo, and don't get me started with the "fat block" nonsense, because that myth is busted as well. I have three neckthru guitars. The ones with fixed bridge sustain forever, the one with the Floyd does not. All three sound great to me so unless you're Gary Moore reincarnation who cares.

I always loved neckthrus, because I just love the "one piece" feel they give (instead of two things bolted together). It gives me more of an "entity" feeling, like a violin. An extension of me when I'm playing.

That being said, bolt-ons are definetely snappier than neckthrus and in my experience neckthrus tend to have more midrange focus. The moment I pick my bolt-on bastard strat it changes my playing style into a more SRV vibe. Can't help it. So if you're tracking guitars in the studio and need a certain tone, you should choose your weapon wisely.


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## Voron (Nov 22, 2019)

if you want more attack use PUPs with less output, they have more dynamics. If you need more sustain use high output PUPs they have more compression. It can help to compensate bolt-on or neckthru construction problems if any.


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## Merrekof (Nov 22, 2019)

I own several bolt-ons and one neck thru. They almost all sound different because they are different guitars. Different pups, different body, different strings,.. I can't really point out a big advantage over one or the other. Next to no one shims a bolton neck, the Ibanez AANJ is imo just as good as neck thru fret access..

Just pick a guitar that you like and sounds good. Neck construction is a tiny variable in the equation.

Also:


Mathemagician said:


> There will be people who will tell you they can hear they difference between a rosewood fretboard and an ebony fretboard.
> 
> They fall into 2 camps: those who are lying and those who don’t know they’re lying.


Same goes for guys who only want the original TS808 because it is so much better than...


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## TheRealMikeD (Nov 26, 2019)

Lots of good comments here. I’ll throw in a little anecdotal/ absolutely inconclusive evidence. I’ve owned a few bolt-ons and set/glued neck guitars that I have loved. I recently bought the only neck-through guitar that I have ever owned - a Jackson SL2H Soloist. I absolutely love the way it feels and plays, but it has been a struggle to corral the tone into something that fits my style. I’ve tried a dozen different pickups, and with all of them, there is too much muddy low end and more twangy high end than I care for. Now it’s totally possible that the tone has nothing (or only a little) to do with the neck construction. It could be any number of other factors. But so far, in my sample size of one, my survey says neck-through feels vastly superior, but doesn’t sound as good (for my musical tastes).


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## Aewrik (Nov 26, 2019)

Here are two reasons why I GAS for neckthroughs, even though I've never owned one. If Strandberg releases a neck-thru 8 string, that may change though. I have nothing practical to contribute.


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## Emperoff (Nov 27, 2019)

TheRealMikeD said:


> Lots of good comments here. I’ll throw in a little anecdotal/ absolutely inconclusive evidence. I’ve owned a few bolt-ons and set/glued neck guitars that I have loved. I recently bought the only neck-through guitar that I have ever owned - a Jackson SL2H Soloist. I absolutely love the way it feels and plays, but it has been a struggle to corral the tone into something that fits my style. I’ve tried a dozen different pickups, and with all of them, there is too much muddy low end and more twangy high end than I care for. Now it’s totally possible that the tone has nothing (or only a little) to do with the neck construction. It could be any number of other factors. But so far, in my sample size of one, my survey says neck-through feels vastly superior, but doesn’t sound as good (for my musical tastes).



Alder body I suppose. What pickups you have in there? I have a Pegasus/Sentient set on my Soloist and it sounds bananas. Moderate output and pretty balanced and tight.


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## Flappydoodle (Nov 27, 2019)

My opinion: yes it matters to the tone and feel, but since you won't have two guitars identical except for neck joint, it's not worth worrying about. The wood, scale length, bridge type and every other aspect of the construction and electronics impacts the tone. 

The only time it matters is if you're having a custom guitar built, in which case you just need to pick which you generally prefer.

The more important thing is whether you enjoy the whole instrument.


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## Splenetic (Nov 27, 2019)

I like some neck-thrus, some set-necks and some bolt-ons. It's not even close to being a deciding factor on how I feel about a guitar. They all have their positives and negatives.


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## dspellman (Nov 29, 2019)

Scordare said:


> I’ve owned and worked on a lot of guitars and basses too.. and really haven’t noticed a difference between neck attachment styles with guitars. The mythical, longer sustain with neck-thrus just isn’t there.. In fact, my longest sustaining instruments are bolt-ons. The main advantage neck thru has is upper fret access.
> On Basses though..I HAVE noticed a tonal difference. Neck-thru basses seem to have a softer, slower attack..which I don’t like. Bolt-on basses have a faster, snappy attack..which for fast, precise playing is ideal for me.



I'm not hearing a major difference (despite the "There’s a massive difference between neck constructions, anyone with a remotely experienced ear should be able to pick up on the differences" assertion) that I can ascribe to neck attachment construction. I've got both neck-through (Carvin) and bolt-neck (Fender) basses, and honestly, there are far too many other differences that contribute. I don't hear "softer, slower attack" on neck-through basses at all. 

I have neck-through guitars with awesome sustain (SBG-2000, Ibanez AR300, Travis Bean), but I think that has to do with other things as well, including the very heavy and solid mahogany body and the 10-ounce brass sustain block bolted to the body (and the bridge is bolted to that) on both the Yamaha and the Ibanez, and the fact that the Travis Bean has, essentially, everything bolted to a solid aluminum neck. 

In the end, I have LP-type guitars with both neck-through and set-neck construction, and they both do well, though the neck-through guitars have an edge in strength (I think) when they have carved neck heels. I'll keep you posted.


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## Kobalt (Nov 29, 2019)

Never heard a difference. Never had a preference for neither of them as I like both.


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## Politics of Ecstasy (Dec 1, 2019)

Bolt on is better. Period. Why? If the neck breaks, you just bolt on a new one....AND apparently it makes a snappier twang to your brights!

(But neck through looks better, feels better, and just is classier in general, so neck through all the way lol)

They are both awesome, but I like bolt ons, IDK why....specially i like the AANJ, but idk why


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## Merrekof (Dec 1, 2019)

Politics of Ecstasy said:


> Bolt on is better. Period. Why? If the neck breaks, you just bolt on a new one....



No one does that, usually broken necks get glued anyway. Getting a new replacement neck is hard to find and if you do, in most cases it'll cost you more than glueing or buying a new guitar alltogether. It is however better to buy a bolt on if you ever think about taking it all apart and go DIY on it. Like some dudes and me on this forum. Throw away the Ibanez RG body and buy a body black on the internet.
Imo you should start thinking about this dilemma when you are going to get a custom.


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## Politics of Ecstasy (Dec 1, 2019)

Merrekof said:


> No one does that, usually broken necks get glued anyway. Getting a new replacement neck is hard to find and if you do, in most cases it'll cost you more than glueing or buying a new guitar alltogether. It is however better to buy a bolt on if you ever think about taking it all apart and go DIY on it. Like some dudes and me on this forum. Throw away the Ibanez RG body and buy a body black on the internet.
> Imo you should start thinking about this dilemma when you are going to get a custom.


Merekoff, my American sarcasm wasn’t clear, i was kidding about the bolt on.....ALTHOUGH, I have seen many people with Ibanez buying new necks for their old RG bodies FWIW, as you said, DIY type

But absolutely, if you are referring to MY custom, I am totally with you on that, I am getting neck through for sure......Like, I love the sound of bolt on, but i wouldnt buy one (def not a custom)

Thanks for the pointers dude


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## MaxOfMetal (Dec 2, 2019)

Merrekof said:


> No one does that, usually broken necks get glued anyway. Getting a new replacement neck is hard to find and if you do, in most cases it'll cost you more than glueing or buying a new guitar alltogether. It is however better to buy a bolt on if you ever think about taking it all apart and go DIY on it. Like some dudes and me on this forum. Throw away the Ibanez RG body and buy a body black on the internet.
> Imo you should start thinking about this dilemma when you are going to get a custom.



It depends. 

Anything Fender compatible you can get a neck for <$100 fairly regularly. Ibanez is maybe a bit more depending on how picky you are (whole used guitars are as cheap as $200, even MIJ). Even Jackson and ESP/LTD isn't too terribly hard to source in the world of forums and gear trading site. 

You throw your old hardware and nut on the new neck and you're ready to go. You'd be surprised how popular of an option that is. 

It's only in the ERG world that neck swapping is as extremely uncommon.


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## Merrekof (Dec 2, 2019)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It depends.
> 
> Anything Fender compatible you can get a neck for <$100 fairly regularly. Ibanez is maybe a bit more depending on how picky you are (whole used guitars are as cheap as $200, even MIJ). Even Jackson and ESP/LTD isn't too terribly hard to source in the world of forums and gear trading site.
> 
> ...


You are right. I totally forgot about Fender and the massive amount of spare parts flouting around on used markets. 
It's just that 99% of guitarists I know buy a guitar, and never mod it. They might take it to a tech once in a while but they won't be bothered with shimming a neck and stuff like that. 

200$ for a MIJ? I know used prices are low but I haven't seen that before! I've seen as low as 300€ for a MIJ (pre prestige) ibanez but that's it


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## Splenetic (Dec 6, 2019)

My MIJ RG470 was 220 Canadian Dollars.

Which is like.... 12.50 US


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## Tuned (Dec 7, 2019)

Merrekof said:


> You are right. I totally forgot about Fender and the massive amount of spare parts flouting around on used markets.
> It's just that 99% of guitarists I know buy a guitar, and never mod it. They might take it to a tech once in a while but they won't be bothered with shimming a neck and stuff like that.
> 
> 200$ for a MIJ? I know used prices are low but I haven't seen that before! I've seen as low as 300€ for a MIJ (pre prestige) ibanez but that's it


I bought me 2 MIJ guitars for like 283 USD, or $141,5 per guitar. One MIJ Fernandes was intended for sacking and scavenging to liven up another late 80-ies MIJ Fernandes that I'd bought before (including MIJ GOTOH-made Fernandes OEM Floyds and some worn hardware), but eventually I just interchanged the parts between them and sold the 'newer' one for like $170.
The other, the ESP Edwards turned out to be a cool guitar actually, had a MIG OFR and Seymour Duncans TB6/SSL2RWRP/SN6 on it, sounded like an angered buzzsaw but could do decent cleans as well. Reverse ESP headstock is always cool with me too. The back of the body was badly and heavily scratched by a belt buckle... which I easily buffed it out with a hand drill, buffing circle and a few grams of auto repair polish substances that I was given free at a car rapair (they buy them by large buckets). The only bad part for me personally was the thinnest neck I've ever played (the ESP site warns you about that), but that's just me. I had to sell it when I was moving to a different city, and it went for appr. $470.


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## RBadel (Dec 10, 2019)

For me personally it all comes down to personal preference. 
I am a huge Bolt-on fan and i think its more like a feeling thing for me. 
Neck-through constructions are said to have more sustain. Bolt-on have a quicker response when you are picking the string. 

but to be honest i dont need so much sustain because i never play a note that is long enough


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## Adieu (Dec 10, 2019)

Bolt-on, because it's easy to detach the neck, shave and oil it, and then it shim it up proper for excellent playability


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## TheRealMikeD (Jan 5, 2020)

Emperoff said:


> Alder body I suppose. What pickups you have in there? I have a Pegasus/Sentient set on my Soloist and it sounds bananas. Moderate output and pretty balanced and tight.



Sorry for the delay, didn't get any alerts about this reply.

As I mentioned, I tried a lot of different pickups in the Jackson. I tried two Bareknuckles (a Warpig and a Painkiller), a SD Alternative8, a Super-Distortion, and a few others I can't even remember now. All of them had the same problems, so I eventually ruled out the pickups as the issue. I ended up with a Dimarzio AT-1 in the bridge and a D-Activator in the neck. I added a custom high-pass filter to the bridge PU to filter out the muddy low end. The tinny/twangy high end is still there, though. I could adjust my amp settings, but every other guitar that I own sounds good with my standard settings except this one. I am learning to live with it.


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