What's wrong with volutes?

[Foster]

I've been researching Norlin era Les Pauls all over the net and I've noticed that a lot of people love to knock the early Norlin Pauls for having neck volutes.


I just can't understand why.

Gibson addressed a major weak point in the guitar's design.

Is the anti-volute sentiment born of a desire to see the neck remain historically correct, or is there something else going on here?

[big mike]

My bet is that it's the 'historically correct' angle. Otherwise guys wouldn't be spending huge bucks to change fretboards to brazillian, relocate hardware, remove truss rod sheathes, etc.

I actually like volutes.

[sonhenry]

I never understood the negative press, that extra bit of wood has saved my butt a few times over the last 30 years.

[audiodrome]

Are all early '70's Les Pauls volutes?

[muddyshoes]

the best one! these guitars are all now vintage in their own right, the old criticisms comparing them to the fifties are void. the 80s and 90s got in the wayof that... besides they were mostly made in kalamazoo

[Shamus]

Originally Posted by audiodrome

Are all early '70's Les Pauls volutes?

Reissues don't. :AOK

[ugacrow]

Same reason people flip out about Teles with compensated saddles.

[statesm]

I know this is contrary to logic, but somewhere along my lifetime I heard that the volutes do not actually add much if anything to the structural integrity of the neck/head joint. I would like to hear from some luthiers on this topic. Although I would expect to hear compelling arguments on both sides.

I don't care for volutes very much because often times I can feel the neck getting thicker around the nut when I think it should still be tapering. Some volutes also just kind of look ugly to me, like those diamond shaped ones that Martin sometimes uses.

[statesm]

I just remembered where I read about that. In the Benedetto book "Making An Archtop Guitar" he says:

A volute, which is structurally unnecessary, can also be a detriment to the player and is therefore not advisable.

Page 101

Obviously he is a well respected luthier.

[Dana Olsen]

It's not the volute that's the problem with Norlin era Gibbys, but the volute makes those guitars from those years easy to identify.

The PROBS are the pancake body (too much glue), and the neck is maple, not mahogany.

Classic Les Paul tone is much more easily achieved from a thick (non pancake) mahogany body, maple carved top, and a mahogany neck w/ rosewood fretboard.

The "dreaded volute' is more of an acronym for the Norlin Era Les Pauls, but the main problems are the pancake body and maple neck.

Dana O.

[paintguy]

Originally Posted by Dana Olsen

It's not the volute that's the problem with Norlin era Gibbys, but the volute makes those guitars from those years easy to identify.

The PROBS are the pancake body (too much glue), and the neck is maple, not mahogany.

Classic Les Paul tone is much more easily achieved from a thick (non pancake) mahogany body, maple carved top, and a mahogany neck w/ rosewood fretboard.

The "dreaded volute' is more of an acronym for the Norlin Era Les Pauls, but the main problems are the pancake body and maple neck.

Dana O.

Hey Dana,

how ya doing and feeling? I hope well!

Just wanted to say some of my fave Les Pauls were the early 70's models... Mine had the pancake body, volute, and a mahogany neck. Mmm, mmm good

[ugacrow]

Originally Posted by Dana Olsen

It's not the volute that's the problem with Norlin era Gibbys, but the volute makes those guitars from those years easy to identify.

The PROBS are the pancake body (too much glue), and the neck is maple, not mahogany.

Classic Les Paul tone is much more easily achieved from a thick (non pancake) mahogany body, maple carved top, and a mahogany neck w/ rosewood fretboard.

The "dreaded volute' is more of an acronym for the Norlin Era Les Pauls, but the main problems are the pancake body and maple neck.

Dana O.

Do you know what an "acronym" is?

[Dave Orban]

One problem is that the volute is actually located in the wrong place, limiting its effectiveness...

[Danny W.]

Gibson found that the warranty claim rate for snapped necks did not improve after they started making them with volutes, and most players don't like them.

Danny W.

[statesm]

Originally Posted by Rumble

For anyone unfamiliar with a volute, I present my '75/6 Les Paul:

AHHHHHHHHHH!


What does the rest of her look like?