How many screws should a bolt-on neck attachment use?

[Member 995]

I’ve seen everything from two to six. Maybe there are guitars with one or more than six. Three had a bad rap, but I’ve had guitars that had no issues.

Let’s let the poll sort it out! Note: you can pick multiple options.

 

[sunking101]

I'll take what I'm given but four seems good.

 

[Declassified]

4 does the job very well.

 

[Jab_Guitar]

Seems like 4 is the ideal among all the top builders and pretty much since the beginning.

 

[shupe13]

10

 

[Benz2112]

Whatever works for the design. I always thought 3 bolt necks were junk by default, and now i have one and love it.

 

[Guitarworks]

Well, The Red Special has only one bolt, but that's probably an isolated, unique example. Four is sufficient for most others. Six is extra secure for a bass I suppose. You could possibly get away with three on generally anything, but why risk it?

 

[Jayyj]

I think the poor press for the three bolt was that it was coupled with very sloppy neck pockets and a micro-tilt gizmo. With a decent neck pocket it should be more than enough.

There again, my old Danelectros do just fine with just two bolts and a sloppy neck pocket.

 

[Blix]

What Yamaha does on some of their basses are pretty solid:

 

[cap10kirk]

As long as it holds the neck to the body and doesn't allow it to move around, that's all that matters. 4 screws are the most common, some manufacturers use 6, and some even only use 2 and that still works just fine.

 

[Frater B]

1,2,3,4 not including basses. It depends on the design too.

Are there examples of just one bolt? I think Taylor has a one bolt guitar.

Anderson uses 2, The neck and pocket have 45 degree walls. Probably with machine bolts/threaded inserts

Yanuziello uses 3 centering the third

 

[Blue Lizard]

Voted “4” as it’s kinda the magic number (and will be the runaway winner) for this, but my MusicMen do a good job of having a very neat & ergonomic 5 screw plate that I wouldn’t change.

 

[Well Done]

Not three

 

[Jwblanton]

Having played 1-6, I’ll take 2 from Anderson. The neck joint was so low profile and incredibly stable.

 

[colinesquire]

1,2,3,4 not including basses. It depends on the design too.

Are there examples of just one bolt? I think Taylor has a one bolt guitar.

Anderson uses 2, The neck and pocket have 45 degree walls. Probably with machine bolts/threaded inserts

Yanuziello uses 3 centering the third

Lots of supro/valco/national resoglass guitars were 1 bolt. They look like 2 with the silver covers but iirc the other is neck tilt. I had the jb hutto/jack white resoglass years ago and it was 1 bolt. My silvertone is 2 bolt. Never an issue.

 

[ragamuffin]

However many it was designed to have?

 

[Sofakingblue]

I had a '79 strat with a three bolt neck. If would pull bends too hard, I would hear click and the neck would move slightly, but just enough to go out of tune. I traded it for a 4 bolt '91 that I play today.

 

[longgonedaddy]

When I first read the title, 17 immediately jumped to mind. But 4 is probably the right answer

 

[Wishing Wells]

I voted 4 because that's all you need most times but I also like the 4 straight + 2 toenailed screw configuration that Blix mentioned. Billy Sheehan insists on it for his basses. Might not be necessary for a guitar but I can't imagine a more rock solid attachment method.

 

[Sweetfinger]

It isn't the number of bolts, it's the design and tolerances that make up the design. Generally though, the kinds of instruments that use more than four are not the kind of things I like in any way, so there you go. Make a semi-hollow offset that's entirely covered in pearloid with more than four bolts and I'll revise my bolt bigotry.