Neck Thru or Bolt on

[ped]

Probably just coincidence but al my faves of my 15 or so basses I have had have been neck-through designs. I think I like the more open top end.

[BB2000]

[quote name='eude' post='91528' date='Nov 20 2007, 03:12 PM']I prefer bolt-on's sound wise, and they're cheaper [/quote]


I don't think that's true nowadays, a lot of high end basses are bolt on (I guess Wall is the obvious example).

[silverfoxnik]

I've had a few Neck Thru basses over the years; a couple of BC Rich Eagles, a Tobias Classic 5, Warwick Thumb and the one thing I noticed with all of them was that they were more resonant than any Bolt-on basses I've had..

However, as Warwickhunt pointed out, sometimes those differences are felt rather than heard so maybe the benefit is felt in the playing of the bass rather than heard in the sound of it??

[BB2000]

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='91898' date='Nov 20 2007, 11:04 PM']However, as Warwickhunt pointed out, sometimes those differences are felt rather than heard so maybe the benefit is felt in the playing of the bass rather than heard in the sound of it??[/quote]

I've never given much thought to that, but it's probably very true. One of the reasons I like my MK1 Wall's is because the plane of the finger board (and hence the strings) are quite far from the body (something that would require quite a ramp to the fingerboard on a neck through). I think that this in some way makes it easy to play (for me at least).

[Mr. Foxen]

I thought neck through was what I was after, but I got a Peavey neck through (I only tinker with cheapies, cause I can't help carving them up and modding) and just didn't like it. Made me much happier with my bolt ons. Fitting inserts and machine screws on my favourite bolt on is the next plan.

[jwbassman]

I've gone for the neck thru option because my main bass is an Overwater Fretless 5 - I think this construction style is well suited to fretless.

That said it really is horses for courses - my recently accquired US Fender Precision is bolt on and sounds great, clearly more edge than the Overwater but it also has a maple neck and board so that too will be a contributing factor.

Different tools for different jobs...

Yet to try a set neck - maybe next time