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Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:02 pm
by Garth
It's an important thing to always remember with chambering is that while it may reduce weight and hence neck dive, aluminum is NOT that strong compared to many metals. Those Kramer necks being mentioned are more of a T-shape and known to have some problems bowing over the years, especially with those wild-ass 8-string basses - they hold a LOT of tension.

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 5:29 pm
by blnkbnkr
Garth wrote: It's an important thing to always remember with chambering is that while it may reduce weight and hence neck dive, aluminum is NOT that strong compared to many metals. Those Kramer necks being mentioned are more of a T-shape and known to have some problems bowing over the years, especially with those wild-ass 8-string basses - they hold a LOT of tension.
So far so good for mine, but they only have 6 strings. I always kinda thought the T shape would add strength, but I dunno. And then there's the Ebonol fretboard and the wood inserts glued into the back; maybe they stabilize things a little too. Only tension-related issue was early on, when there were only 2 screws holding the neck to the body and a pretty big gap emerged in the neck pocket. Benge added a third screw and it's been solid since.

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:14 pm
by llllllllllllllllllll
I wonder at the expense of a lot of aluminum bolt on options. It makes sense if you've got a bunch of stuff ready to go, but the expense some put into them I’m not sure they’re worth. I paid about $2200 each for both of my full EGCs with the last one in 2020, which I’m sure I’ll get back if I want to sell. But i think a lot of the bolt on jobs are worth more parted out.

Especially with the current infatuation with Jazzmasters/Jaguars. Those are expensive guitars to put together unless youre going with a hardtail option

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 7:26 am
by Garth
blnkbnkr wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 5:29 pm
Garth wrote: It's an important thing to always remember with chambering is that while it may reduce weight and hence neck dive, aluminum is NOT that strong compared to many metals. Those Kramer necks being mentioned are more of a T-shape and known to have some problems bowing over the years, especially with those wild-ass 8-string basses - they hold a LOT of tension.
So far so good for mine, but they only have 6 strings. I always kinda thought the T shape would add strength, but I dunno. And then there's the Ebonol fretboard and the wood inserts glued into the back; maybe they stabilize things a little too. Only tension-related issue was early on, when there were only 2 screws holding the neck to the body and a pretty big gap emerged in the neck pocket. Benge added a third screw and it's been solid since.
OH absolutely all the things you mentioned add strength, certainly better with than w/out - I only mentioned it just because I could see a new company going too far trying to get weight savings down & unintentionally going just a touch too far. I just cringed a bit when you mentioned the weight savings of the Aluminati neck based on what I've heard/read about the Kramers. My first The Duke bass had/has a slight bow on it that our local set up guy was able to deal with & it seems to be fine.

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:17 am
by elisha wiesner
llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:14 pm I wonder at the expense of a lot of aluminum bolt on options. It makes sense if you've got a bunch of stuff ready to go, but the expense some put into them I’m not sure they’re worth. I paid about $2200 each for both of my full EGCs with the last one in 2020, which I’m sure I’ll get back if I want to sell. But i think a lot of the bolt on jobs are worth more parted out.

Especially with the current infatuation with Jazzmasters/Jaguars. Those are expensive guitars to put together unless youre going with a hardtail option
From a purely financial standpoint, almost all parts guitars are worth less than the sum of their parts. If resale value is of critical importance to you, maybe they're not the best idea. For all other reasons, They're awesome! You can pick the wood, shape, color, hardware, pickups, electronics etc.... You can go full on expensive boutique or scour ebay for dirt cheap shit. You can do a combination of both. You can modify them without killing the value and you can end of with a unique guitar that fits your needs better than anything from a factory. Plus, they can be super fun to put together!

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 9:17 am
by Dr Tony Balls
Garth wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:02 pm those wild-ass 8-string basses
God I miss mine. No bow on that one.

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 10:41 am
by andyman
elisha wiesner wrote: Tue Oct 18, 2022 8:17 am
llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 8:14 pm I wonder at the expense of a lot of aluminum bolt on options. It makes sense if you've got a bunch of stuff ready to go, but the expense some put into them I’m not sure they’re worth. I paid about $2200 each for both of my full EGCs with the last one in 2020, which I’m sure I’ll get back if I want to sell. But i think a lot of the bolt on jobs are worth more parted out.

Especially with the current infatuation with Jazzmasters/Jaguars. Those are expensive guitars to put together unless youre going with a hardtail option
From a purely financial standpoint, almost all parts guitars are worth less than the sum of their parts. If resale value is of critical importance to you, maybe they're not the best idea. For all other reasons, They're awesome! You can pick the wood, shape, color, hardware, pickups, electronics etc.... You can go full on expensive boutique or scour ebay for dirt cheap shit. You can do a combination of both. You can modify them without killing the value and you can end of with a unique guitar that fits your needs better than anything from a factory. Plus, they can be super fun to put together!
It always kills me when I see these up for sale. Dude finally went and did it - he built the dream guitar and it was a disappointment.

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 11:03 am
by llllllllllllllllllll
^ my thoughts exactly. The tricked out listings in those aluminum groups seems like they would sting a little

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2022 2:38 pm
by TylerDeadPine
Then tell me how else I'm going to get my aluminum neck 4001

Re: The Return of the Bolt-On Aluminum Neck Info Thread

Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2022 5:04 am
by andyman
TylerDeadPine wrote: Tue Oct 18, 2022 2:38 pm Then tell me how else I'm going to get my aluminum neck 4001
Oh, I wasn't necessarily saying not to do it! My point was only tangential.