Set-in neck

Stringed instrument construction method

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Set-in neck on a Rickenbacker electric guitar

A set-in neck (often shortened to set neck) is a traditional form of joining the neck of a stringed instrument with its body. This is typically done with a tightly fitted mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joint, secured with glue. Sonic qualities often attributed to this style of neck joint include a warm tone, long sustain, and a large surface area to transmit string vibration, leading to a "live" feeling instrument. But hard physical evidence for any of these is lacking, and the attribution of long sustain has been definitively contradicted by experimentation.[1] In guitars it also often allows superior access to top frets closest to the body.

It is a common belief that this yields a stronger body-to-neck connection than an inexpensive mechanically joined bolt-on neck. There's also a third method, neck-through construction, which requires more material to provide an even stronger connection.

Set-in necks are the most popular method for acoustic guitars. Almost all major acoustic guitar manufacturers (but with exceptions) use set-in necks and have applied this method also to their electric guitars; most notably, Gibson and Gretsch. With hollow body set-in neck electric guitars of the 1940s being rather expensive to buy and repair, newcomer Fender in 1950 introduced electric guitars that were easier to manufacture, combining a simple solid body with a bolt-on neck. Fender also introduced the electric bass guitar by adding a longer neck bolted to a solid guitar body.

## Advantages

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Typically cited advantages of set-in neck include:

* Warmer tone
* More sustain
* Often, better access to top frets compared to bolt-on necks that use a square metal plate
* Because the increased surface area results in more transmission of strings vibration, set in necks can feel more "alive" than if bolted on.

## Disadvantages

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* Harder and more expensive to mass manufacture than bolt-on necks
* Harder and more expensive to repair or service because the glue must be steamed or melted with a hot knife
* No control over the neck-to-body angle; changing it requires a luthier to disassemble and re-glue the neck.[2]

## Manufacturers

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Notable manufacturers of guitars with set-in necks include:

* Gibson
* Gretsch
* Paul Reed Smith

## References

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1. ^ Mottola, R.M. (2007). "Sustain and Electric Guitar Neck Joint Type". American Lutherie (91): 52.
2. ^ "How To Set a Guitar Neck". GuitarSurf. 2021-09-08. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021.

## External links

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* Glue comparison chart at frets.com

* v
* t
* e

String instrument neck joints

* Bolt-on
* Set-in
* Neck-through body
* Set-through

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