Neck-thru/Bolt-on?

[VitaminG]

Oh my, I may have kicked up a hornet's nest here. Flame on, you crazy bolt-on playing diamonds!!!

if they disagree with you, they must all play bolt-ons....

[zenridaz]

all the best players,all the best guitars have been bolt on users.

[VitaminG]

Marty Friedman - neckthru Kelly
Steve Vai - Soloist
Randy Rhoads - Concorde
Jeff Loomis - neckthru Rhoads
Alexi Laiho & Roope Latvalla - neckthru Rhoads
Zakk Wylde - neckthru Rhoads
Vinnie Vincent - VVV
Troy Stetina - Soloist
Kirk Hammet - neckthru Rhoads
Buckethead - custom King V
Rusty Cooley - 7 string Soloist

...for a start....

and that's just Jackson users. There are a bunch of other cool non-bolt-ons, like Dime's Deans, Zakk's Les Pauls, Tony MacAlpine's BC Riches & Carvins, Hanneman & King's ESP & Riches respectively, etc

[rjohnstone]

Like I said earlier... it's a preference thing.
Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one and they all stink.

Buy/build what YOU like.

[skarhead]

now :

Steve Vai - Bolt on IBZ Jem :

Rusty Cooley - 7 string Soloist - BS - Rusty's Jackson was a Bolt-on - you can see it watching some of his older vids.

[Norton]

Marty Friedman - neckthru Kelly
Steve Vai - Soloist
Randy Rhoads - Concorde
Jeff Loomis - neckthru Rhoads
Alexi Laiho & Roope Latvalla - neckthru Rhoads
Zakk Wylde - neckthru Rhoads
Vinnie Vincent - VVV
Troy Stetina - Soloist
Kirk Hammet - neckthru Rhoads
Buckethead - custom King V
Rusty Cooley - 7 string Soloist

...for a start....

and that's just Jackson users. There are a bunch of other cool non-bolt-ons, like Dime's Deans, Zakk's Les Pauls, Tony MacAlpine's BC Riches & Carvins, Hanneman & King's ESP & Riches respectively, etc

I think it's 7 string dinky.

[VitaminG]

Rusty Cooley - 7 string Soloist - BS - Rusty's Jackson was a Bolt-on - you can see it watching some of his older vids.

BS? Whatever, man. I made a mistake. Never really got into what Rusty is doing so I haven't seen the guitar in action and I always thought it was a neckthru. Interesting then that he had that extended cutaway/bevel on it since he'd have the bulky heel in his way anyway

regardless, my point was made - you can't say that one construction method is king any more than you can say that "all the best players use" one over the other. As others have already stated, it's a matter of preference

[soc_monki]

if they disagree with you, they must all play bolt-ons....

i have a set neck schecter as well. and its possibly my favorite guitar! but i still have no problem with bolt-ons, or neck thrus. they all have their place, but none are superior IMO.

[Robert Burns]

Well...of the 3 i have that are the best sustainers... my bolt on Ibanez
USA Custom with zero tension neck is the best sustainer i own other
than the PC-1! And its "Cheating!"
But i really like the playability of my new Carvin Neck thru...and its
got great sustain..just a bit LESS than the bolt on Ibanez! Weird, but
i can tell. But then the Ibanez has a 3/8" steel rod in the neck!
Plus brass end pieces at the string thru tree...and at the 1st fret
"Bow". I think this may be Ibanez's finest "Sustainer".

[Robert Burns]

BS? Whatever, man. I made a mistake. Never really got into what Rusty is doing so I haven't seen the guitar in action and I always thought it was a neckthru. Interesting then that he had that extended cutaway/bevel on it since he'd have the bulky heel in his way anyway

regardless, my point was made - you can't say that one construction method is king any more than you can say that "all the best players use" one over the other. As others have already stated, it's a matter of preference

Isnt "Rusty Cooley" and "Sustain" ...an oxymoron? I mean who can
tell?? He's blurring 64th notes all over the fretboard... does he ever
pause for sustain?

[straycat]

Vai's Charvel was a bolt on

[DonP]

I love neck thrus, ut I just got done playing a Jackson Fusion Professional, and I just love this axe! I have 4 LPs, a pair of SGs, a couple of RRs, and love the idea of neck thrus, but I'd never kick a blt-on out of bed without taking it for a spin first.

Bolt on players:
EVH
George Lynch
Dave Murray
...

The idea is, you can make a good argument for either. What I found interesting, is that there was a thread titled "Post your #1 axe" or something like that, and I was surprised at how many people had a bolt-on for their #1 axe.

[Axewielder]

The worst thing about the Jackson neck-throughs IMHO is that Jackson usually paints them. More oiled neck neckthroughs pleeeze!

On really nitpicky issue with the neckthroughs is that you can sometimes see where the neck and wings on the body were joined through the finish.

[secks]

they all have pros and cons and I prefer to look at the sonic differences. a bolt-on lets you combine two (or more) different woods without loosing wood-to-wood contact, upper frequences are transmitted with little loss. a set-neck uses glue to combine different woods and some frequences (usually the upper and lower parts of the frequency curve) are absorbed by the glue. a neck thru has many advantages ergonomically but doesn't let you to combine different woods (wings don't count btw)

[demeyes]

I prefer neck thru guitars because the upper access is so much better on most guitars.
However I'd let this guy build a bolt on as there is more chances to do things over or replace the neck if you have to. If its the first guitar then that would be the better option. Bolt-on doesn't mean worse either, as you can see from the discussion many people prefer them.