Acoustic Bolt on Neck

[Cantplay]

Any reason an acoustic body wouldn't work if it was built to accept a bolt on Strat neck?

John

[cpollack]

Fender did this on their acoustics in the '60s, so yes, it will work. How well is open to debate.

I used a neck from a donor Fender 12-string acoustic to make a 12-string Telecaster. The body had begun to delaminate and the bracing was bizarre. I bought it as scrap at Elderly Instruments' garage sale about 20 years ago for $30 IIRC.

[Phil_S]

It'll work. The better question is, how well? Unlike an electric, which will forgive a multitude of sins as a consequence of amplification, an acoustic is not at all forgiving. Everything in the vibration path contributes to tone. A bolt on does not make contact they way a fitted and glued neck does. The transmission capacity is likely reduced and some harmonic content is probably lost. It could be OK, but I don't think it will ever be great.

[Randy Magee]

Aren't all the current Taylor guitars bolt on necks? I can't say that I've heard many of them that didn't sound pretty darn good...

[Structo]

Many acoustics have bolt on necks nowadays but they are still in a V slot so there is a lot of contact between neck and body.

My Tacoma has a bolt.

The old Stratacoustics and Telecoustics were pretty cool little guitars.
I played with a touring pro once that had a Telecoustic that was tricked out with an extra pickup and controls and man that thing sounded great.

[img402]http://media.fmicdirect.com/fender/imag ... lg_001.jpg[/img]

I see Fender is going to reissue these, different pickup and controls now.

Here is a refirb for $178

http://www.newsongmusicsupply.com/fende ... re=newsong

[Reeltarded]

It's been done since the modern acoustic guitar made it's debut in the early part of the last century, and I have seen even a 180 year old instrument with a spiked neck set that I couldn't replicate or explain if I tried really hard.

It works.

It's not as simple a thing to say that it won't sound as good. No comparison.

[martin manning]

Not like Fender, but Taylor necks are bolted on. http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier ... joint.html

[oldhousescott]

Certain Epiphone acoustics from the '70s had bolt-on necks similar to an electric bolt-on.

[tribi9]

Some EKO acoustics have bolt on necks. I used to own a Ranger 6 string, sounded alright. Wasn't very loud tho.

[Cliff Schecht]

My Simon and Patrick D-28 style acoustic sure does sound and play great for a bolt on guitar. Thing is it's not a low dollar guitar either, my dad said he paid like $1200 for it in the early 90's, and it sits well next to any Martin I've put it up against. Bolt-on necks are not a bad thing at all if done right..

[tribi9]

Oh and I do own a baby Taylor with a bolt on neck. I love the sound, its an awesome little guitar.

[jaysg]

My brother has a Yamaki from the 70's. It's got a bolt on neck. Decent for a cheap guitar, though the original bridge was in the wrong place. I think the scale might be 25", so you'd have to get a conversion neck.

[Phil_S]

Aren't all the current Taylor guitars bolt on necks? I can't say that I've heard many of them that didn't sound pretty darn good...

Good point! Yes, I think that's right, and they use CNC technology that probably produces a micro fit. And yes, they are great guitars.

I don't think the OP imagined that sort of fitting technique.

[Reeltarded]

A Fender style maple neck will sound much different from a mahogany neck. Those Malibu and similar Fenders have a very weak projection compared to modern Taylors or most anything else mentioned here except the Danny Ferrington designed Kramers which don't project anything in particular.

[Cliff Schecht]

Aren't all the current Taylor guitars bolt on necks? I can't say that I've heard many of them that didn't sound pretty darn good...

And yes, they are great guitars.

That's debatable. I've always found Taylors to play like the el-cheapo Ibanez's that are typically accompanying them in the same room. I've played $4k+ Taylors that weren't worth a fraction of the cost in terms of sound quality and playability (although a setup can usually fix the latter). I think where Taylors do shine (and IMO what they were made for) is playing acoustic-electrically onstage.