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I was curious how many people are using bolt on necks with inserts and how it compares to glueing in the neck. I just did one with brass inserts and I can't really tell a difference, but I wanted to try some steel inserts (which I just got) before I come to a final conclusion. I know that the inserts have been used in acoustic guitars for quite some time, and Taylor, which I believe started that, is now making electrics with just one bolt holding the neck on. So, for those of you who have done both, can you tell a difference in sustain and tone? I like the idea of being able to take the neck off easily and/or adjust the neck angle easily but don't want to sacrifice tone and sustain.

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

i prefer bolt on for the reason of, if the neck breaks its easier to replace. A LOT easier

I prefer set necks because it allows smoother neck joints that, to my eye, are also more attractive visually. Slightly different sounds, though.

Re: 'easily replaced', how often have you broken a neck? I mean, really? Electrics don't move much, and there's no need to adjust the neck angle like there is on an acoustic - that's what your bridge is for. Get it right the first time, and it'll stay there for decades. On acoustics, everything will move around at some point, sometimes even as the seasons shift, so bolt-on necks are de rigeur.

I probably should have worded that a little differently. I am not really concerned with necks breaking or having to replace a neck. Tweaking the neck angle is really more of a preference than it is a set up issue. If you need to adjust the angle back because the action can't get low enough, you screwed something up (assuming you have a fully adjustable bridge). I see how it is a much bigger issue on an acoustic. However, taking the neck off for a re-fret etc. makes it a lot easier, that is really more of my concern. As far as asthetics and the heel, on my guitars nothing would change except that you would see some bots on the back. All of my necks extend under the neck pickup, and there is minimal heel. Everything would fit together the same, just either with glue, or bolts. Also, I normally do an oiled neck and lacquered body, if it is bolted on it makes this a little easier to do. I don't want to sacrifice tone or sustain for this, but supposedly using the inserts is just as good, and some opinions I have read think it is better than glue.

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

It really doesn't matter. Guitars are evaluated subjectively, and every guitar is different including electrics.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

my opinion is this, a refret is really not much different with the neck attached to the body, and glue is a lot less expensive than bolts, and theres no drilling, no neck plate or washers, just squirt in some glue and clamp it fast. i have done oiled necks with set joints before, just wait until after you spray your lacquer before you glue the pieces together.

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~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/