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whats the difference between a bolt on neck and a neck through guitar?

cause i need to decide to get the jackson ke3 a bolt on or the rr5 a neck through.

Check out this link:

from : localhost/www.edromanguitars.com/tech/neckconstruction.htm

Now remember that is just his opinion on the subject. Try it out yourself and see what you prefer. That's the only thing that matters.

Man, you could be about to open the flood gates on this one. So, I'll be the first. I suppose besides the obvious, you can expect a difference in sound, sustain, resonance, weight, balance, the list goes on and on and can be as important and/or unimportant as you want to make it.

However, here are my observations as I have a bolt, a set neck (Les Paul type) and a neck-thru (Jackson type):

The bolt on is just that, and I think will typically have less sustain than the other types, but that can also be dependent on how quot;tightquot; the neck is at the pocket of the body. A Tom Anderson with a super tight pocket will advertise itself as sustaining just as well as anything else. Also, the bolt neck tone will have a greater dependency on the body wood, and less dependence on the neck wood, which some people prefer. Also a plus on the bolt side is that if you don't like your neck, or if it ever gets damaged, you can get a new one. You can also shim it to change the angle.

For a neck-thru, the construction (as far as I know, but I could be off) consists of a neck running full length, with the body basically composed of wings on each side, or the body might be slotted to let the neck run through, like a rabbet joint. The pickups mount more or less on the neck that runs through the body. This has the effect of the neck wood having a greater impact on the sound. This is for better or worse, but in my experience lends itself to greater sustain since the guitar is so tight (no energy lost to quot;rattlesquot; between the neck and body), and a brighter sound since the necks are typically maple. Neck thrus seem to have greater reasonance, for better or worse. The downside to neck-thrus to me are that you can't replace the neck, and that since they have great resonance and sustain, all your mistakes show up to a higher degree.

I think of the set neck as the middle ground I guess.

If it makes any difference, my next axe will be a bolt because I'm sloppy.

Just my thoughts/observations. If I'm wrong on some of the technical aspects, please feel free to correct, and my apologies of course.

Thanks for the link Stringmachine. I guess I did get some of that right. I don't know how he can say the set neck is bad, though. A million-zillion LP's can't be wrong. But, personal taste I guess. Of course cost is a big ticket item, too.

i understand now the difference i think im going to get the ke3 cause im clumsy too and i like wammy bars


Originally Posted by JammerMattThanks for the link Stringmachine. I guess I did get some of that right. I don't know how he can say the set neck is bad, though. A million-zillion LP's can't be wrong. But, personal taste I guess. Of course cost is a big ticket item, too.

Mr. Ed Roman sure got his views on things!


Originally Posted by JammerMattThanks for the link Stringmachine. I guess I did get some of that right. I don't know how he can say the set neck is bad, though. A million-zillion LP's can't be wrong. But, personal taste I guess. Of course cost is a big ticket item, too.its just opinion really...

i really wont play a set-neck...but i do love my bolt-ons

when i have a bolt on and break the neck i could just replace it.


Originally Posted by guitarsrock5when i have a bolt on and break the neck i could just replace it.

True!


Originally Posted by guitarsrock5when i have a bolt on and break the neck i could just replace it.

Do you do that often? I plan on never breaking a neck...I play mainly SGs so I got my fingers crossed . If I had a choice and liked both guitars equally, I think I would lean toward the neck-through. Sustain-wise I would think it would beat out any bolt-on.


Originally Posted by guitarsrock5whats the difference between a bolt on neck and a neck through guitar?

A setneck is what a Les Paul is. It is a glued in neck and, therefore, does not run the entire length of the guitar from the headstock to the bottom side of the body, like the neck through does. Sustain would be the main reason to get a setneck or neck through guitar IMO. I have both a setneck and bolt ons and find that the setneck has a little more sustain than the bolt ons, but as many opinions are, where sound is concerned, it is all in the ear of the beholder.