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Set Necks

_jojo_bass

_jojo_bass

Supporting Member
Dec 13, 2009
478
726
Los Angeles, CA
#1
I have always been a bolt on neck guy and probably be one for the rest of my life. I was looking for a new bass that is more of a vintage thump tone. I found a lot of basses that have the tone I crave, but I resist because they are set-neck. I LOVE HOLLOW-BODYS. What good things come out of a set neck?
 
#4
Set in to me are horrible they are a pain in butt to travel with and even more of a pain too take care of. The slightest bit of humidity or temapture change can really do a number on it. I live in Texas so I can't even get one for fear of it bowing and potentaily snapping off.

I always wanted a EB-3 guess what I haven't got...
 
#5
I'm in the HUMID part Texas and while I've never had a set neck bass, I have set neck guitars and the humidity has not given me any problems at all. I do own a few neck-thru basses and have never had any setup issues or neck bowing when the humidity fluctuates up and down. As far as the sustain, I have never noticed a difference between the neck-thru and the bolt-on for basses, but a big difference in the guitars.
 
#7
Austin area here. I've owned mainly bolt neck instruments, a few set necks, and a couple of neck throughs. Neck stability is probably more a result of proper craftmanship and materials than the mounting of the neck.
 
#8
XtheDeadPawn said:
Set in to me are horrible they are a pain in butt to travel with and even more of a pain too take care of. The slightest bit of humidity or temapture change can really do a number on it. I live in Texas so I can't even get one for fear of it bowing and potentaily snapping off.

I always wanted a EB-3 guess what I haven't got...
Click to expand...

I think it depends on the brand. I have an Alembic with a set in neck. I live in New England and the temperature and humidity fluctuate quite a bit. I didn't play my Alembic in a month because I had shoulder surgery. When I took it out of the case, it was in perfect tune. I played it for several hours and it never went out of tune. I put in the case and picked it up one week later and it was still in tune.

I do not like bolt on necks. I find them to be much less stable.

The bottom line (no pun intended), is play what you like.
 
#10
XtheDeadPawn said:
Really? All the guitar guys at my local shops told me to stay away from set necks.

I was gonna get a set neck Warlock with double P pickups it sounded great. But, they convinced not to get it.
Click to expand...


Theres no such thing as set neck warlocks or other basses from BC Rich. They are all either bolt on or neck thru body construction.

A properly constructed set neck is not a problem. If its a cheapo then it could be an issue. Anything at least as well made as epiphone set neck SG & LP guitars and EB3 bass is gonna be fine.

The problem with set neck instruments originated with Gibson useing overly short neck tenon and overly steep rearward tilt. As a result they had a history of breaking. Not from weather issues but from falls etc. Once gibson switched to longer tenons yrs after, the problem wasnt as bad. But the oversteep rearward tilt still results in the guitar laying silly on flat surface cause too much rearward tilt of the neck. Epiphone has allways used longer neck tenon and doesnt use so steep a tilt for the neck. Theyre actually better set neck joints imo then the gibsons. (Ive owned both).

Neck thru body construction can result in more treble to the voice due to the extra maple that makes up the body centerline. Properly done set neck typically adds a little more sustain compared to average bolt on joints. Bolt ons tend to have a little bit more midrange. Set necks a little bit fuller or darker tone.
 
#11
I guess you have not tried one from a good luthier. I live in San Diego and the humidity can range from 90+% to 3% (not a typo) in a day or two. I have a Ken Lawrence Brase (set neck) 5 that needs a truss rod adjustment if I change the make or sizes of strings. Other than that, it is about as stable as my old Zon.

BTW - which bass did you actually try?

Dan K.

XtheDeadPawn said:
Set in to me are horrible they are a pain in butt to travel with and even more of a pain too take care of. The slightest bit of humidity or temapture change can really do a number on it. I live in Texas so I can't even get one for fear of it bowing and potentaily snapping off.

I always wanted a EB-3 guess what I haven't got...
Click to expand...
 
#12
It may have been a neckthrough didn't notice it had wings on it though. Then again this was in my infancy of bass playing back then I thought only active pickups had pickup covers!

I know it was nice though really nice. I heard they sold it not too long ago. Broke my heart.
 
#14
Dan Knowlton said:
I guess you have not tried one from a good luthier. I live in San Diego and the humidity can range from 90+% to 3% (not a typo) in a day or two. I have a Ken Lawrence Brase (set neck) 5 that needs a truss rod adjustment if I change the make or sizes of strings. Other than that, it is about as stable as my old Zon.

BTW - which bass did you actually try?

Dan K.
Click to expand...

I've only tried one set neck the EB-3. I thought the Warlock was a set neck but, Darkstorm set me straight on it being a neck through.
 
#15
According to what all I have heard over the years:
Bolt on: more punch and attack, less sustain, more fundamental
Neck-through: more sustain, superior fretless basses, stronger necks that are less likely to break.

My conclusion: I've owned both. There's very little difference in sound, and most of the difference beween the two is minimal at the most. So, buy whatever melts your butter regardless whether its one or the other. If it sounds good and feels right, play it.
 
#16
fretlessguy said:
According to what all I have heard over the years:
Bolt on: more punch and attack, less sustain, more fundamental
Neck-through: more sustain, superior fretless basses, stronger necks that are less likely to break.

My conclusion: I've owned both. There's very little difference in sound, and most of the difference beween the two is minimal at the most. So, buy whatever melts your butter regardless whether its one or the other. If it sounds good and feels right, play it.
Click to expand...

+1

I own all three flavors of necks...they all "melt the butter".
 
#17
Western New York resident... the weather here has been around 90 degrees and almost unbearably humid lately. In winter we'll be in the single digits again. I've never had problems with my basses (owned neckthru, several set, and a bunch of bolt basses).

I think it honestly just comes down to having good cases and keeping your house (or where ever you store your basses) at a reasonable temperature. Also, give them time to acclimate in their cases before taking them out when changing temperature environment.
 
#20
My set neck basses all sound great, but do need periodic tweaking once or twice a year to keep the ultra low action I like. Just like my neck throughs and bolt ons. New England, severe swings in weather conditions, blah blah woof woof. Only one that has never needed an adjustment is my L2. But hey, if you're dead set against one type of neck joint, whatever floats your boat. Or sinks it, or whatever.
 

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