Guitar Neck Joint Types
Guitar is one of the most popular music instruments that you can use. If you are planning to buy a guitar for you, then make sure to consider the guitar neck joint before buying. The guitar neck joint is one of the crucial parts of a guitar construction. There are different types of neck joints available and each of them can affect the playability, tone as well as the overall quality of your guitar. Each of these types also comes with a different set of advantages (pros) and disadvantages (cons). Understanding all the popular guitar neck joint variations and their pros and cons is necessary while you are looking to buy this music instrument. Read on to know about the different styles of guitar neck joint and the pros and cons of each.
5 TYPES OF NECK JOINTS IN GUITAR
There are mainly 5 varieties of guitar neck joints available and each of them comes with a set of pros and cons. To determine which type of neck joint is the ideal one for you, know about all of them. This will help you to make the right decision. Here is a complete list of different varieties of guitar neck joints along with their pros and cons for you:
1. BOLT-ON NECK JOINT
In the guitar construction, the bolt-on neck joint is the most popular type of neck joint available. As the guitar’s neck is joined to the body using screws or bolts, the name is bolt-on guitar neck joint. It is quite popular because it is quite easy to manufacture as well as easy to repair. This can produce slight different tones when compared to other types of neck joints. Also, this kind of neck joint comes with some tangible benefits that can actually help you to play the guitar more efficiently.
Pros:
* Quite an affordable option
* Very easy to replace the neck
* Easy to adjust the neck too
* Plenty of options in the market
Cons:
* Not for playing with higher tones
2. SET NECK JOINT
This is the second most popular type of neck joint. In this case, the neck is glued to the guitar body. This sort of neck joint in guitar can provide excellent resonance and sustain. You can see this sort of joint mainly in the high-end guitar construction. But when it comes to repairing or manufacturing, this can be a bit more difficult than that of the bolt-on guitar neck joint.
Pros:
* Transfers resonance quite easily
* Sounds well-rounded and warmer
* Can provide tonal transfer and more sustainability
* Very comfortable to play
* Can reduce the overall weight of your guitar
Cons:
* Accidental breaking of the neck is quite possible
3. NECK-THROUGH-BODY JOINT
This neck-through-body joint is made by constructing the guitar’s body and its neck as one continuous piece. Practically, there is no joining and this can provide excellent resonance to your guitar playing as well. This guitar neck joint can give you better access to the higher frets easily. But this is one of the most expensive styles of guitar neck joints for repairing and manufacturing.
Pros:
* Can produce deep and warm tone
* Perfect for hard rock and heavy metal
* Expect a quality craftsmanship
* Provides very clean aesthetics
* Increase the easiness of playing
Cons:
* Can be quite expensive in nature
* Almost impossible to repair
4. TILT NECK JOINT
The next type of neck joint is the tilt joint that involves angling the neck slightly downwards towards the guitar’s headstock. But this neck joint can actually provide better positioning and more comfort. Thus, you can easily access the higher frets with this tilt guitar neck joint. However, this one can be quite difficult to repair and manufacture.
Pros:
* Provides comfort when playing guitar
* Better access to the higher frets
* Looks aesthetically elegant
* Can be used for heavy tones
* Easy to adjust
Cons:
* Quite expensive in terms of manufacturing
* Costly repairing
5. HEEL NECK JOINT
This is another popular type of neck joint in guitar. In this one, you get an additional cutaway or a notch in the body. This will allow you to easily access the higher frets while playing your guitar. This guitar neck joint can also offer more comfort and playability to the guitarists. This variation of neck joint is also called Spanish as it originated in Spain.
Pros
* Produce a superior sound
* Excellent resonance from the neck to body
* Easier to play the guitar
* Classic and aesthetic appearance
Cons
* Extremely expensive in nature
WHICH GUITAR NECK JOINT IS IDEAL FOR YOU?
Now that you know all the popular styles of guitar neck joints available in the market along with their pros and cons, you have to decide which one to buy. The decision process is not easy because of so many options available in the market. To make sure that you are choosing the right type of neck joint, you have to consider a few important factors. These are:
* What are your personal preferences?
* What is your budget to buy a guitar?
* What type of music do you want to play with the guitar?
* What is the tone that you want in your guitar?
All these questions are important for you to ask yourself before you finalize which type of neck joint you will want. Analyzing what your needs are and what your budget is can help you to figure out the type of neck joint you have to buy for your guitar. But at the same time, you have to consider some important aspects like maintenance and repairing. Some of the neck joints of guitar are easy to repair while some of them are either difficult or too costly.
CONCLUSION
Once you have figured out what type of neck joint in guitar will be the ideal one for you, go ahead and shop for it. But it is better to try each and every variation of guitars with different guitar neck joints hands-on to finalize your choice. Of course, this will give you a better idea about which one suits your style the best. Instead of following the trend or popularity, you should see which guitar neck joint is more suitable for you to play.