set necks

[rocket]

I was just wondering, with all the current talk about bolt on and adjustable necks, do alot of builders prefer bolt on to set necks? and if so why? I've only used the dovetail set neck on the archtops i build and quite happy with the result, do others others steer away from this sort of join for any particular reason, or is it just peronal choice?
Cheers,,, Rod.

[DarwinStrings]

My reason for using bolt on is that it is easier or less time consuming to re-set in the future.

Jim

Someone please turn up the Tele!

[Allen]

On guitars I've always used a bolt on. On Ukes they are Spanish Heels. Not set in stone on either front. Just what works for me right now.

[P Bill]

I glued my archtop but only becauce time was running out and I could'nt think of an alternative. Everything else is bolted except the viola which is very easy to remove. I had misgivings about glueing in a parallel dovetail, it will be hell to remove even with hide glue.In the end I decided to follow Bededetto's instrustions. If his guitars were comming back on him he would have changed joints.

[Nick]

I've always used the glued in style, only because that's how I originally read others recommended to do it (Cumpiano/Natelson, Benedetto, e.t.c) so that's how I'm tooled up to do it. I do like the idea of a bolt-on's ease of any latter neck reset, so may look at changing somewhere down the line. But for the time being I do like the feeling (& the work involved) of getting a dovetail fitting right, it's one of satisfaction (& therapeutic) for me.

[kiwigeo]

But for the time being I do like the feeling (& the work involved) of getting a dovetail fitting right, it's one of satisfaction (& therapeutic) for me.

Ditto for me. The beer at the end of a neck fit job tastes so much nicer if the neck joint has been a dovetail M and T.

[Dominic]

Hey Rod, I use bolt on necks for flat tops and electrics. For flat tops it is the ease of re setting the neck. Because my guitars have not been around for long (oldest 4 years) and I don't know what they are going to do I want an way to easily correct future problems so they keep being playable.
For electrics a metal style (ie RG) guitar with big bolts looks cool. I use bolts into tee nuts under the FB and not screws like fender so you can really crank them down. And you may get a better transfer of sound with the tight wood to wood connection.
I know this goes against conventional wisdom and intuition but it was confirmed in the GAL journal a few years ago where someone published tests of bolt on, set and through necks.
I also used a bolt on for my recent and first archtop, again in case something goes wrong down the track but also to show it can be done.
And every bolt on neck guitar is a travel guitar is disguise.
Cheers
Dom