The same kind of neck is in tons and tons of guitars (Les Pauls, SGs, and basically all acoustics) and tons of basses. It's been used for centuries now (with acoustic instruments).
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I'm Afraid of Set Necks
- Thread starter FingerDub
- Start date
Why would it lose its integrity? And are you intending on abusing your instruments thusly?
Thousands upon thousands of guitars have been made with set necks. While most basses copy Fender, the bolt-on neck was done for manufacturing convenience, not because it's better or worse than a set neck.
A good neck joint is stronger than the wood around it.
I think the question for the OP is, are you convinced yet? Go get your bass and enjoy it! 
Let me tell you a story. I have a Hamer USA bass - set neck, mahogany neck/body (AFAIK). I once fell from a stage, to on top of that particular bass. Neck and body join is still solid and the bass has no tuning issues. So quality construction + luck = no problem.
I own both bolt-on and set-neck instruments, both guitar and bass.
It makes so little difference to me that, upon reading this thread, I actually had to think through each one to remember how they were built.
It makes so little difference to me that, upon reading this thread, I actually had to think through each one to remember how they were built.
Oh! You just reminded me that I actually have a bolt-on acoustic guitar! The Taylor Big Baby uses two screws THOUGH THE FRETBOARD. it's wild. IIRC, they're just bog standard home depot wood screws too.
My Gibson G3 neck is still going strong. I highly suspect it will last longer than the neck holding my head to my body.
I would say the main company that does this type construction (Gibson) doesn't really take us seriously. - Fodera still does a set neck.
Yes. This is an important "note".
Most bolt ons are just screwed in, which is a much lousier way to secure a neck than glue... now if they really were bolted, that would be very strong. To add insult to injury... After losing a strap button in 1992, I got into the silly habit of removing the strap button screws of all new guitars, and then reinstalling them with crazy glue on the threads.
As the years went on and I started installing strap locks, machine heads, bridges, pups, and different PG's on ALL of my new basses, I began using the crazy glue technique on all of the screws. Guess what I found?
Better than 35% of the screws on all of my USA Fenders and G&Ls were stripped from the factory. So, my trick works very well, but the glue is better than the screw...
I too have always been scared of set necks and I try to avoid them, but I'm also smart enough to know that I'm basing it on foolish OCD nonsense. If Slash, ACE, and Angus are using them, then I suspect you can too.
To me it is not about strength, but cost of fixing/replacing a neck. I can work on a bolt on myself, but would need a luthier to fix a set neck (if at all possible).
That said, I think I want to look into better bolt on methods than wood screws. Like thread inserts or something...
I was not aware of this. I thought they were all neck through basses. If I may ask, what model?
The two designs will respond differently. A bolt-on neck can, and will, shift in the pocket. This will throw off string alignment. A set neck might not do anything. Traditionally in set-neck instruments the headstock is the weak link. If you look at images of smashed Fenders, it seems fairly rare for the neck bolts to rip out the neck itself, before the neck of body decides to break.
I dislike set necks and neckthroughs because I like to tinker with my instruments, the "cool factor" of the guitar for me is that I can do anything I want with it. Set necks and neck throughs seem limiting in terms of modding. Aside from that, they're solid, as is bolt on construction.
you can actually remove the taylor big baby neck if you're traveling, stick it and the neck in a suitcase - with the strings still on - and thus protect the neck joint (which isn't a neck joint while it's separated) while traveling. easiest guitar to do a neck reset on anywhere
Interestingly enough, unless you got a really top notch neck-through, you’re taking a bigger chance. Damage a neck-through and you’re out the entire bass. Replacement is impossible since the neck is effectively the instrument.
In my experience, many neck-through basses also have truss rod issues because you’re attempting to put a forward or back bow on only half the length of a piece of wood. And that piece of wood is also the body. I’ve noticed in many less expensive neck-throughs that adjusting the truss does absolutely nothing. Sometimes you can see warping at the spot where the truss rod anchors. On the hippie sandwich style basses you’ll even see minute stress fractures and delamination on the side wings since the body part of the neck is starting to bend at that point. So if you get a neck-through, buy the best you can possibly afford. Because you’re putting all your eggs in one basket.
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Lol. I only have one neck through, but I often envision having to rout it for a G&L neck some day. Hopefully not!!!!
