Why it's much harder to find neck-thru geetars than basses?

CrazyArcher · #1 03-05-2008, 08:25 AM

It's a prety odd phenomenon: when you look at the basses, neck-thu-body construction is much more wide-sppread and even low/mid-level models are made neck-thru. On the contrary, even among high-end guitar models neck-thru construction is relatively rare.
My guess is that when one goes distorted sustain doesn't really matter, hence no need to make the manufacturing process more complicated, but that's just me. Other opinions?

mjolnir · #2 03-05-2008, 08:50 AM

...Maybe they just don't realize that's an option.

*smb · #3 03-05-2008, 08:53 AM

Most guitars are either Strat/Tele copies or Les Paul copies, so are bolt-on or set neck accordingly.

I would think if Rickenbacker guitars had been as popular as their basses then neck-through would be a more popular guitar option.

MurvintheWalrus · #4 03-05-2008, 09:08 AM

my brother got a epi les paul for 500 at sam ash several years ago and it has a neck thru, it is great and cheap.

CrazyArcher · #5 03-05-2008, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *smb

Most guitars are either Strat/Tele copies or Les Paul copies, so are bolt-on or set neck accordingly.
I would think if Rickenbacker guitars had been as popular as their basses then neck-through would be a more popular guitar option.

In the same vein you can say that most basses are Fender Precision/Jazz copies - does it mean that they all should have bolt-on neck?

Ibanez/ESP/Jackson - yes, they all use super-strat shapes (mostly), yet nothing prevents them to make neck-thru instruments.

Neck-thru Epiphone?

Wow, that's weird. Good to know!

Barkless Dog · #6 03-05-2008, 09:29 AM

firebirds are neck through

*smb · #7 03-05-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyArcher

In the same vein you can say that most basses are Fender Precision/Jazz copies - does it mean that they all should have bolt-on neck?

Well I said nothing about "should" or "ought". Fender copies generally are bolt-on but I do think the popularity of neck-through for basses is entirely due to Rickenbacker basses.

T-Bird · #8 03-05-2008, 10:50 AM

Hi.

Most probably the reason is that bolt-ons and set-necks are easier to produce and the benefits just doesn't justify the added cost.

OR, bassplayers are just easier to fool into thinking that neck through is the best construction method there is. Yes, I belong to that "neck-throughs rule" group of people

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barkless Dog

firebirds are neck through

Some Carvins were also neck through.

I'd like the model # of the neck through Epi LP, I had the impression that the Epi Frebird 300 & 500 (Korea) were the only neck throughs in the Epi line. Might be wrong as usual.

Regards
Sam

CrazyArcher · #9 03-05-2008, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *smb

Well I said nothing about "should" or "ought". Fender copies generally are bolt-on but I do think the popularity of neck-through for basses is entirely due to Rickenbacker basses.

I really disagree with your opinion that most guitars are Strat/LesPaul copies. Inspired - yes, but copies - hell no.
I didn't mean that anyone "should" do anything, I just think Ibanez SR basses bear as much similarity to the origianl Precision bass as Jackson S guitars to the original Strat, yet even those SRs are available in neckthrough construction.
I also doubt that it were Ricks that contributed the most to popularity of neck-thru design. Ricks were probably the first to introduce it (were they?), but over the years it ceased to play any significant role. People don't buy neck-thru basses because Ricks are neck-through, do they?

T-Bird: I tend to agree. Probably the whole neck-thru thing is over-rated, after all there is a plenty of darn-fine bolt-on instruments, starting with Fenders themselves. The benefit of greater sustain is doubted, where the neck-thru construction really shines is the neck-body joint, which can be shaped in such an awesome way that bolt-on necks will never achieve. Actually, this is the spot where guitar-players would benefit from a neck-through construction - they play in high position much more than bassists.

bassteban · #10 03-05-2008, 11:26 AM

I think it's misleading to call the actual instrument a g-tard. I save that insult for the poor sucker who plays it.

CrazyArcher · #11 03-05-2008, 11:33 AM

I accept this comment. Fixed it 'cuz you asked (admit that you wanted it to be changed!)

MyUsernameHere · #12 03-05-2008, 02:58 PM

I think it boils down to two things. The first is a neck through construction, with visible body wings looks odd on a guitar. Probably has to do with the smaller body size of a guitar. Body wings and multi-piece necks just look to busy for most people.

The second is that the neck/body joint in a guitar is smaller and easier to get around than a bass'. There's no need for anyone to spend the extra cost and time building a neck through to fix a problem that isn't there to begin with.

**embellisher** · #13 03-07-2008, 07:33 PM

Because guitarists are not as open minded as bass players.

Most guitarists want something that looks like a Fender or Gibson, and something that is functionally similar.

That's why you don't see many guitars with active preamps, exotic wood tops other than curly maple or flamed maple, necks other than maple or mahogany, fingerboards other than rosewood, maple or ebony, etc.

Bassists have always been more open minded than guitarists. That is why there are about a dozen boutique guitar manufacturers, and over a hundred boutique bass manufacturers.

Even active pickups, other than the EMG CS series are a rarity on guitars. So are things like graphite necks, graphite reinforced necks, quad and hex coil pickups, piezo, Lightwave systems, etc.

Illbay · #14 03-07-2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyArcher

My guess is that when one goes distorted sustain doesn't really matter, hence no need to make the manufacturing process more complicated, but that's just me. Other opinions?

Because the "neck-through" option in the guitar world is called a "semi-hollowbody."

Actually, guitars were the first on the market with this concept, with the Gibson ES-335. And one of the reasons for it's popularity was "the sustain." The acoustics do work the same, it's just a different kind of mindset.

peterbright · #15 03-07-2008, 07:52 PM

Buy a Carvin...lots of neck thru guitars

TrooperFarva · #16 03-07-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MurvintheWalrus

my brother got a epi les paul for 500 at sam ash several years ago and it has a neck thru, it is great and cheap.

I've never once seen a neck-through Les Paul. I think you're confusing neck-through with set-neck.

**embellisher** · #17 03-07-2008, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrooperFarva

I've never once seen a neck-through Les Paul. I think you're confusing neck-through with set-neck.

I agree. They are easily confused, especially if they are painted a solid color.

MyUsernameHere · #18 03-07-2008, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illbay

Because the "neck-through" option in the guitar world is called a "semi-hollowbody."

Actually, guitars were the first on the market with this concept, with the Gibson ES-335. And one of the reasons for it's popularity was "the sustain." The acoustics do work the same, it's just a different kind of mindset.

Es-335 have set necks. You might be thinking of Gibson's use of a center block to help with sustain.

bigthemat · #19 03-08-2008, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyArcher

Neck-thru Epiphone?

Wow, that's weird. Good to know!

I think my epi EB3 is neckthrough. I could be wrong, don't really know how to tell. The guy who sold it to me said it was.

**embellisher** · #20 03-08-2008, 03:04 AM

It's set neck. Just like the original Gibson EB3.