Have a Read ...this may Surprise you !

[TKOjams]

It's JMO but guitar sustain is overrated, really. How long do you need a note or a chord to ring anyway?
If you want to have a note ring forever, get up close to you amp and use the sound waves from the amp to keep the string vibrating, or use vibrado and rub the string on the fret to keep the note ringing. Bolt on or set neck, neither are better than the other. Like I said, my opinoin YMMV

 

[GIBSON67]

Very interesting, I no nothing!

 

[SmokeyDopey]

Damn interesting article. Thanks for posting this. Printed and stacked on my desk.

Next time I argue with my friends about this subject, I fully intend on picking up the stack and throwing the papers in their face. It'll be all dramatic like a movie, where the papers go everywhere and slowly float down.

 

[GuitarBuilder]

I've got an issue with Mottola's test (which BTW was conducted in 2007 - this is very old news!). For starters, here's his "guitar":



And the "bridge":



And the "set neck":



Eh, my guitars don't look like that! And last I checked, mine had 6 strings, not 2....

Lovely article, crappy test!

 

[V-man]

I am not refuting the conclusion (or caring in any significant way), but this is typical "junk science" that aggrevates the hell out of me.

A sample of ONE bolt-on, ONE set neck, and ONE neck-thru. It is entirely possible that the conclusions derived from the experiment are on point with the principles and forces of reality, but who's to say that there wasn't a particularly toneful bolt-on with a dead neck-thru, or that the significant issue was a clash in wood species (maple neck/ash body bolt-on > Mohogany/mohogany set-neck)?

A sample of one is a "C-" project in an elementary school science fair and gives the reader no more conclusive information than having the same discussion with another patron and drum salesman of GC.


When they sample AT LEAST 10 sets of BOs, SNs, and NTs of the SAME age, wood, shape, and build quality, their study can have at least a hint of currency. Till then, "whatever".

 

[trenchcoat]

Strat Guy!

i'll second that...

 

[Strateuphoria]

That test looks dodgy, 1 string? is it possible that in he's case there weren't enough tention on the joint from the strings, to let it sustain normally? maybe

More noticable
On Bassguitars a neck through does make the string ring for longer, a more compressed tone.
Bolt on basses are more dynamic, preferred by slap bassists, like the Marcus Miller j-bass that has a 3-bolt on neck joint.

 

[bvoris]

I have played strats with less sustain than LPs and played floating bridges with more sustain than LPs. Figure that one out.

I think a lot of it boils down to how it was made and the materials it was made from (Thanks mickeydg5 you hit the nail on the head).

Also how well it was setup.

Its all subjective... Play what feels right, live what sounds right.

 

[Quasar-Kid]

I have played strats with less sustain than LPs and played floating bridges with more sustain than LPs. Figure that one out.

I think a lot of it boils down to how it was made and the materials it was made from (Thanks mickeydg5 you hit the nail on the head).

Also how well it was setup.

Its all subjective... Play what feels right, live what sounds right.

I have two Fender Strats
one is a regular old American Standard the other is the hand selected razzle dazzle version etc. etc. and I notice absolutely no difference in sustain between them.

 

[bvoris]

Quasar-Kid like my signature?

 

[SuperBeaver]

I've never believed this. A les Paul sustains better than a strat because of the mahogany body and the humbuckers, not the glued neck.

 

[GuitarBuilder]

I am not refuting the conclusion (or caring in any significant way), but this is typical "junk science" that aggrevates the hell out of me.

A sample of ONE bolt-on, ONE set neck, and ONE neck-thru. It is entirely possible that the conclusions derived from the experiment are on point with the principles and forces of reality, but who's to say that there wasn't a particularly toneful bolt-on with a dead neck-thru, or that the significant issue was a clash in wood species (maple neck/ash body bolt-on > Mohogany/mohogany set-neck)?

A sample of one is a "C-" project in an elementary school science fair and gives the reader no more conclusive information than having the same discussion with another patron and drum salesman of GC.


When they sample AT LEAST 10 sets of BOs, SNs, and NTs of the SAME age, wood, shape, and build quality, their study can have at least a hint of currency. Till then, "whatever".

+1, V-Man!

Only I would give it a "D-"......

 

[X2203xman]

iI've owned a good many strats,and dif set neck gibsons over the years.They have all had their own thing going on.There are so many factors,wood density,electronics,amount of wood,and type of wood.I think the test should have factored in many more variations.Just keep buying every guitar that you gas for,go into debt,and then keep the good ones,and loose money on the bad ones.This has been my hair-brained scheme all along,and I have a couple of keepers now.....and my buddies have gotten some great deals on my rejects.