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Is there a significant difference in tone between neck-through and bolt-on basses?
- Thread starter capnsandwich
- Start date
I have both types of basses and I think neck through models feel more stable and solid. Would I pay a substantial bit more to get a neck through if all the other features and tone woods were the same? No - I wouldn’t.
It’s worth some extra cost, but nowhere near $2K more.
It’s worth some extra cost, but nowhere near $2K more.
Fodera thinks so, and built three identical basses with the only difference being neck joint. Recordings are at the bottom of this page.
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I own two basses that are very similar except for the neck joint. I have a MIJ BB3000s which is neck thru and a MIJ BB1600 which is a bolt on. Identical pickups, bridge, tuners. The woods are close but not exact - the BB3000s has ebony fretboard and the BB1600 has rosewood fretboard. I happen to like the feel of ebony fretboard and I like the feel of neckthru. But other than that - I can't hear a difference. I certainly wouldn't pay an extra $2000 for the difference.
Wow, THAT'S A RARE BIRD!
I had a bolt-neck model 3000 that had great sustain AND an amazingly "simultaneously-deep-but-twangy" timbre".
It was mentioned earlier in this thread, but I must reiterate: ABSOLUTELY the most sustain out of any popular mass-produced (or even boutique custom) bass guitar comes from the BOLT-NECK (Aluminum neck!) Kramers from the 1970s-early 80s. Disclaimer: I have not tried the Gittler bass, nor that new steel thing from Quebec. (Name escapes me).
But during the past 40 years I have played virtually every kind of bolt-neck, set-neck, neck-thru wooden bass out there, as well as the Modulus, Status, Moses graphites, and the Travis Bean, Vaccaro & Hartke Aluminum necks. If it's sustain yer looking for: Kramer Aluminum BOLT-ON for the WIN! (some have said "too much sustain"...)
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You're planning on buying a Fodera, buy the damn neck through one already! Why would you waste all of their woodworking talent on a bolt on? That's what cookie cutter basses are for.
Juat ask yourself this. You've always wanted a Fodera, were you always wanting the bolt on model? If I was spending Fodera money and went the cheaper route I would always wonder if the neck through version would have been better... I would not want to invest that much money only to have a tiny seed of doubt rattling around in my neurotic brain every time I played my new Fodera.
Have fun playing expensive basses Sunday and get what you like! Keep us posted.
Juat ask yourself this. You've always wanted a Fodera, were you always wanting the bolt on model? If I was spending Fodera money and went the cheaper route I would always wonder if the neck through version would have been better... I would not want to invest that much money only to have a tiny seed of doubt rattling around in my neurotic brain every time I played my new Fodera.
Have fun playing expensive basses Sunday and get what you like! Keep us posted.
And this is probably what's going through my head. I had a gig tonight and all I could think about is this. The neck-throughs are gorgeous and I would want the most gorgeous bass I could get. Thanks for reassuring me!
Buy once, cry once. It is an investment for a master built instrument.
Go for it. No regrets.
Go for it. No regrets.
fwiw, I prefer the dovetail joint. I've owned a number of Foderas, some neck-through, some bolt-on, some dovetail. The two that have remained in the house are a dovetail YYD and bolt-on fretless that I made by swapping necks on two standards (yes, I'm nuts).
IME anyone who says that electronics and amp dictate the "whole sonic story" either haven't played a lot basses or have spent too much time in front of loud Marshall stacks. Wood and construction matter - it is only a question of what constitutes "significant" and the problem is that the impact isn't always predictable. If you play enough of them, some trends emerge but there are always exceptions and the rules are fuzzy at best. I've had a number of basses with identical electronics, same amp, same player, and they sounded different. And not just to me, but also the blind listening tests with others.
IME anyone who says that electronics and amp dictate the "whole sonic story" either haven't played a lot basses or have spent too much time in front of loud Marshall stacks. Wood and construction matter - it is only a question of what constitutes "significant" and the problem is that the impact isn't always predictable. If you play enough of them, some trends emerge but there are always exceptions and the rules are fuzzy at best. I've had a number of basses with identical electronics, same amp, same player, and they sounded different. And not just to me, but also the blind listening tests with others.
ahh - is this a TK custom vs TK bolt-on? Have you played that body shape? I didn't dig it due to the placement of the top horn. Preferred the MGS Imperial shape or a Monarch but ergonomics are highly personal.
I've always liked both but no, I've never played this model. Tom Kennedy's model, IIRC, is a 35" scale and this one is 34". But yeah, I'm a fan of Tom Kennedy and his tone, especially on the Dave Weckl albums.
I will say this about those sound clips. The neck-through seems a bit clearer and cleaner than the bolt on. Just my opinion. YMMV
My short answer is... nope.
Pickups / electronics / strings / hardware / woods / amplification are the things that I hear, not neck construction.
I was a true "bolt-on believer" because of the opinions and common cliches that you read on the internet (bolt-on -> more cut in the mix, neck-thru -> more sustain etc.), until I had the opportunity to test and try by first experience.
I got neck-thru instruments that - same woods / electronics / hardware / pups position / number of frets / strings / etc. - as my favorite bolt-on, guess what?
Sounded exactly the same, eventually with the added advantage of the better/unrestricted upper fretboard access. My current Fodera is an example of that (dovetail construction)... IMHO and IMHE as always.
Pickups / electronics / strings / hardware / woods / amplification are the things that I hear, not neck construction.
I was a true "bolt-on believer" because of the opinions and common cliches that you read on the internet (bolt-on -> more cut in the mix, neck-thru -> more sustain etc.), until I had the opportunity to test and try by first experience.
I got neck-thru instruments that - same woods / electronics / hardware / pups position / number of frets / strings / etc. - as my favorite bolt-on, guess what?
Sounded exactly the same, eventually with the added advantage of the better/unrestricted upper fretboard access. My current Fodera is an example of that (dovetail construction)... IMHO and IMHE as always.
To me the difference that I hear may be more likely because each recorded "take" is played slightly different... at the end of the day, even a master like MG is still a human lol.
It could be that we all like the same take just because it's played better. Even a slightly different setup (action) could make the basses sound different.
I know that sounds like it makes sense. The problem I have with it is that between my neck through and bolt-on Foderas my BO gets the lion's share of the work. Because it's killing. Killing. The NT is great, the BO is wt_?
Play both and decide. Price is only one line item.
