Bolt-on or neck through... which do you prefer?

[nutso42]

I would personally say I like bolt-on necks better. While neck-through's don't have as many construction issues, I like the tone a bolt-on neck gives the bass. To me, it sounds more punchy. But again, that's just me.

What about you? Which way do you prefer, and why?

 

[countrybassist]

To me, there's not alot of sound difference, but I only play bolt on because it just feels better to me.

 

[Spleenface92]

Carrots.

 

[mongo2]

Bolt-on carrots.

Neck-through asparagus

 

[Gonzo476]

Bolt-on carrots.

Neck-through asparagus

Le mot juste, sir.

 

[Darkstrike]

Bolts, for sure, but set neck or neck through will never be a deal killer for me.

 

[Bardley]

For me, it totally depends on the particular bass. I own and love both.

I guess I'm Bi-neck-sual...

 

[MegaSwing]

It's not something I stress over.

 

[Thunderitter]

I own both types - no preference in my house!

 

[line6man]

Bolt on.


-Costs less to produce.

-The neck is removable/replaceable.

-Bolt on necks can be shimmed if you need lower action than your bridge will allow.

-Supposedly the bolt on tone is better than neck through, but I've never compared them personally.

 

[David1234]

Ordinarily I prefer neck-through or at least set-neck for 5-string basses, for the note definition and sustain. On these basses the attack is mostly a little burst of treble and a bit of broad-spectrum thump. This construction also tends to compress a bit, making it easier to play.

But! For 4-string I'm leaning more toward the bolt-on thing, at least if it's well built. The attack is more of a volume envelope thing rather than 'just' some treble. Like a little burp at the start of each note, which I think it why some people say bolt-ons are punchier.

I haven't found many 5-strings that work as well in bolt-on. The problem isn't just the B string, it's the feel of the whole bass. So at this stage if I'm attempting the virtuoso thing it's usually going to be on a set-neck or through-neck bass, but I think any 4-string I buy will be fender-style for the foreseeable future.

 

[bazzanderson]

own both....like both....no preference for either.

 

[christw]

Whatever I play at the time. I love Ric 400x's and P Basses.

 

[grimniggzy]

bolt for sure

 

[Cy_Miles]

I don't have enough experience building or playing a variety of basses to have an opinion.

But, I have talked to a very experienced builder (name withheld) and he says that with a neck through, the wood can get harmonics that are as long as the vibrating strings, setting up situations where you can have tones canceled out if the string vibration and body vibration are out of pahse. (I wonder then could you also have situations where certain tones are amplified if the string and body vibration are in phase?)

So his theory is that a bolt on neck creates two shorter sets of harmonics, one in the body and one (of a different length) in the neck, so that you avoid that cancelation of harmonics.

This may account for the reputaion that the bolt on seems to have for punch and the neck thru has for sustain.

The builder I know who prefers neck thru, prefers mainly from a stuctural strength perspective.

I am on my second build which is a bolton, my first was a neck thru. The neck trhu seemed like a much simpler way to build, because you don't have the issue of positioning and fastening the neck to the body. (I am building with no neck angle, that might make a difference in my perspective)

 

[bh2]

Having both my brain says the neck thru should be better but I can't tell.

 

[Leftoverchinese]

Carrots are tasty. I'm a sucker for poll answers that seemingly have nothing to do with the original query.

 

[nutso42]

Carrots are tasty. I'm a sucker for poll answers that seemingly have nothing to do with the original query.

I wanted to add bacon, but then I realized if i did no one would vote for anything else.

 

[cnltb]

my favorite fretted bass is bolt on and my fretless is neck through.
My next will be bolt on again(twins - a fretted and a fretless).

 

[Double Agent]

Carrots.

The nicest bass I've ever owned was a bolt-on, the next 3 nicest basses I've ever owned were all neck-thru. To me, the neck joint, like pickups, wood composition, etc., is just one ingredient in what makes up a bass. I have a Peavey Cirrus which sounds nothing like a Gibson T-bird which sound nothing like a Spector Euro LX. The tone of a bass is decided by many factors, I've played very punchy neck-thru basses and very smooth bolt-on basses. I'm not saying its irrelevant, but it isn't the biggest factor in what makes a bass good or bad IME.

That said, it is cheaper to make a nice bolt-on than a nice neck-thru.