Neck thru basses???

[Robbase]

Can somebody tell me what is the advantage of having a neck thru bass?? Is it worth it to give up better electronics for a neck thru?
Thanks for your help

 

[lowphatbass]

There is no real "advantage" with a neck-through bass when compared to a "bolt-on", there are just trade-offs. It is all about what kind of sound and feel you like, one is not better that the other.

 

[DeepDeath]

only real physical advatange is that with neck-thru the next pocket is smooth and gives better access to the higher frets, but i've seen a few basses that are bolt-on with shaved neck joints.

 

[5stringDNA]

Lots of threads on this, and I do mean LOTS. To cut to the chase, neckthroughs generally (not always) have better sustain and warmer tone, whereas bolt-ons have a snappier or sharper sound. A high quality bolt-on can still have good sustain. Fretless players often prefer neck-through, and slap players often prefer bolt-ons. don't look at the individual elements- pre-amp, pickups, contruction.. play teh bass and listen to it as a total package and decide if that sound works for you. As much people buy basses blind on the net', you'll hear most of them say it is much better to play the actual bass you are buying. No two are ever exactly the same sound.

 

[hasbeen]

bolt-ons in general have more punch and meat to them. Neck-thru's are more transparent sounding.

I like neck-thru's back in the early 80's when I was a "fancy" bassists looking for a hi-fi sound. I actually changed my strings every two days and wanted it to sound like a grand piano. These days I want my bass to sound like a ...well, a bass. Imagine that. All my basses are bolt-on's now except for a 25 year old Ken Smith which I only play when I want to feel "fancy" again.

 

[NOLA Bass]

I would decide what works for you between the neck-through and bolt-on. You can always updgrade electronics later on. I like neck-through basses because of the smooth heel and nice sustain. It really is personal preference, one is not inherently better than the other.

 

[Pickebass]

Can somebody tell me what is the advantage of having a neck thru bass?? Is it worth it to give up better electronics for a neck thru?
Thanks for your help

Why would you have to give up better electronics for a neck thru?

Upgraded electronics may only add around $200 but going with a neck thru, depending on the builder could add $500 or more.

Like a few have said already, it depends what you are looking for. I have both and I would have to agree that neck thrus tend to be warmer than bolt-ons and bolt-ons definitely have more snap. I have a bolt on ken smith that has a better neck joint and easier to play than many neck thru basses. If you're looking at this debate also consider what woods will achieve the tone you are looking for. Different woods can alter you sound more than the neck thru/bolt-on comparison.

 

[MrBonex]

My experience also suggests that bolt-ons tend to have more dead spots on the neck. All my Fenders (and Fender-types) have had dead spots. The neck-throughs don't. I think the separate pieces of a bolt-on create a "filter" of sorts, and change the way the instrument vibrates. A neck-through tends to vibrate more as one piece.

And I hear that the addition of graphite rods and bars (or whatever) to bolt-ons help to reduce that problem. Although all the Lakelands I've played have had dead spots, and I think they're supposed to have graphite in the necks.

Also there is nothing nicer looking than that smooth heel on a neck-through. It feels nice, too.

I own both, so I'm not just automatically favoring neck-throughs. It's just my own personal experience.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

The only thing that puts me personally off neck-thru's, is that, what happens if the neck warps??, whole thing is screwed :S

 

[MrBonex]

Adjust the truss rod.

 

[nastyn8c]

sustain. That's what you get from a neck through. I have 2, and I love how they sound. The bolt-ons have a little more bite though, so it all depends on what you're going for.