Neck-through Guitars

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Do they really have better sustain and/or tone?

Are they really the sign of top-notch quality?

What are your general neck-through thoughts and experiences?

I had a neck-through Vandenberg that I sold because I could get more selling it than it was worth to me, and I don't regret selling it. Great guitar, but not noticeably better in tone, sustain or action than my standard Vandenberg, and the white paint w/ flamed maple fretboard just didn't please me.

Since I sold it, I picked up a Yamaha RGX 1212 and a Yamaha SE 1220, both neck-through, and they both rock. It noticeably better in sustain, but I like the tone, appearance, action, and trem stability much better. Well worth it, got two neck-throughs for less than 1/3 the price of the Vandy.

On the other hand, the Hamer Centaura standard I got is every bit as good as the neck-through Yamahas, from what I can tell., and smack in the middle of them price-wise, at $350.

Expanding my mild confusion is the blueburst Centaura Deluxe that is virtually identical to the standard Centaura in playability, sustain, etc. It has the advantage of ebony fretboard and gorgeous paint job...but has the drawback of somewhat sterile EMG pickups. Yet it is worth approximately 3x the standard Centaura.

And then the Yamaha Pacifica 1221, the Yamaha Pacifica 812s, the Yamaha RGX 612s, and the Yamaha SE 603 all cost me about $200 and have (again) indistinguishable tone, sustain, playability, and trem sustain as the neck-throughs and Centauras.

So am I just too inexperienced as a guitarist to really appreciate the subtle differences?

[Feynman]

I think they are super cool. I like having no heel, and I have deep Jackson lust implanted by my MTV in the 1980s.

I believe that Internet concensus came up with a lack of note definition/clarity with neckthrus. Bolt-ons are back!

i am guessing that like most things, none of this stuff even matters...but we do like what we like.

If I think it has more sustain, it does have more sustain.

[murkat]

personal taste,

and just like any other type of guitar out there,

each are there own cartoon character.

10 les pauls, maybe one is the shznit

10 Jackson soloists, neck thru, there should be at least one in the bunch...

10 strats... als oapplies

yada yada and so on it goes.

I like neck thru construction.

Some do it well and get it right, (early Jackson's, BC Rich),

most do not, or sound funky... (Carvin)

The key, like any other type of build,

Neck break angle

Neck angle pitch off the body top.

[spanky]

My old Japanese Washburn Eagle had great sustain and was built like a tank. If you can get one in decent shape cheap, try it out. It is one of the guitars that I wished I had never sold. It was heavy, had brass hardware (including nut) and the original pickups sounded decent. My Carvin didn't last long because it didn't have the character I expected a custom order to. My partscaster strat..warmoth,...usacustoms.. sustains better than anything I've ever had so it depends on the guitar. I guess that was no help at all.

[crunchee]

On a neck through, you're relying on a chunk of wood that is HOW long? Three feet long? More?

Wood does what wood wants to do. Good luck finding a piece of wood that long that's consistent.

[Armitage]

[Armitage]

I've got lots of neck-thru, and if I have to generalize, they're just a touch fatter, while bolt-ons have more snap to their tone.

[zorrow]

I have two Hoyers which are neck-through. They sound great , but not necessarily better (or worst) than other guitars I have. Sustain-wise, I'm not sure they are superior than others. I guess it depends on many factors, such as the headstock angle and the angle between the strings and the body, right behind the bridge. String-through-body is said to have more sustain too, but I cannot confirm. I think each guitar is just unique, that's all.

[veatch]

Zoiks, Armitage. Good stuff. Those Eagles with the wide stringers are the shizzle.

Regarding the Washburns, they are decent guitars for cheap. I have a couple of A20s that are a lot of fun to play. I wouldn't put them in the same class as the early BC Riches or the Jacksons, but still fun guitars.

If you're asking what is a better design, set neck, bolt on or neck through, all I can say is that I'm a friend of all guitars.

[zorrow]

Well guys, you posted pics, so I will.

This is my black Hoyer, nicknamed "Beyoncé".

And this is the white one, which I nicknamed "Lady Gaga":

I got them new for $375 + S&H. For the price I dare to say there's no better guitar. But are they good just because they are neck-through? Nah. BS!

[Jakeboy]

I had a neck-thru Rickenbacker 650 Dakota in oil finish that I could fly on.....only issue the neck had a dead spot on the G string 12-14th frets.....deal breaker. Anywhere below the 12th fret it would sustain forever.....

[mc2]

I prefer the lack of a neck heel sometimes found on neck- thru builds. But you can get close on blended heels on set-necks and bolt-ons, so it becomes a moot point. But if it is an expensive axe, I almost feel like it needs to not be a bolt-on...like those builds are lower -end in my mind. I just think it takes more time, patience and skill to build a great neck-thru or set-neck.

But, aurally, I think you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the best bolt-ons and great neck-thrus or set-necks. There has certainly been great playing recorded on each.

Ultimately, it's the player and not the guitar that makes the magic IMO.

[Nathan of Brainfertilizer Fame]

Ultimately, it's the player and not the guitar that makes the magic IMO.

Guess I'm screwed, then.

[KH Guitar Freak]

Never really thought one was better than another, especially after owning guitars with both neck joint. I guess it depends on the neck wood. On maple neck throughs, the tone is ever so slightly brighter IMO...

[Disturber]

Neck through body can be really painful... If you want to create some screaming sounds with your guitar, it's the way to go!

[gorch]

Don't know what to say really here. I had neck through guitars in hand that in addition were string through body guitars too. So, what makes it? A stable guitar construction generally delivers great sustain I think.

[Steve Haynie]

I had a neck-thru Rickenbacker 650 Dakota in oil finish that I could fly on.....only issue the neck had a dead spot on the G string 12-14th frets.....deal breaker. Anywhere below the 12th fret it would sustain forever.....

Over the years we have had discussions of Hamers with a similar problem around the 13th fret on the G string. So, if this problem can happen on neck-through and set-neck guitars, does it also happen with bolt-ons? Scale length could be a factor, too.

[Jakeboy]

I had a neck-thru Rickenbacker 650 Dakota in oil finish that I could fly on.....only issue the neck had a dead spot on the G string 12-14th frets.....deal breaker. Anywhere below the 12th fret it would sustain forever.....

Over the years we have had discussions of Hamers with a similar problem around the 13th fret on the G string. So, if this problem can happen on neck-through and set-neck guitars, does it also happen with bolt-ons? Scale length could be a factor, too.

Good question.....I would certainly think so......wood is what it is and can, for whatever reason have a dead spot....I have never had a Hamer do this and as a result of the Ric having one, I always check the entire fretboard when I am considering a guitar, unless it is a Hamer as I am confident enough to buy them sight unseen.....

[KH Guitar Freak]

I had a neck-thru Rickenbacker 650 Dakota in oil finish that I could fly on.....only issue the neck had a dead spot on the G string 12-14th frets.....deal breaker. Anywhere below the 12th fret it would sustain forever.....

Over the years we have had discussions of Hamers with a similar problem around the 13th fret on the G string. So, if this problem can happen on neck-through and set-neck guitars, does it also happen with bolt-ons? Scale length could be a factor, too.

Could that be due to not having "perfect" fretwork done???