mojoworking Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Thanks, I never knew that. I'm clearly out of touch. I assumed it was the budget/economy end of the market which used multi piece necks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoworking Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 And Cody, when you say 5 piece neck, does that include the two wing pieces on the headstock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalex Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 As mentioned by Avery, superstar luthier James Olson uses a 5 piece laminated neck on his guitars. He's doing something right as his current base price is a staggering $15k.....wish I had bought one back in 1997 when his base price was $4200 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Yep, 5-piece neck on the Dove. I've read "pros & cons" on whether or not the multi-piece neck is better than the solid. I don't know and likely don't really care. I've owned some real "killer" guitars (and my J15 is one of them) and I imagine they all had multi-piece necks. I've read that the glue that is used is actually stronger than the wood. Either way, I've never had a neck break. I don't even think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 As mentioned by Avery, superstar luthier James Olson uses a 5 piece laminated neck on his guitars. He's doing something right as his current base price is a staggering $15k.....wish I had bought one back in 1997 when his base price was $4200 Wow even that small section of the Olson is super duper fabo !! Reminds me must by a lotto ticket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 And Cody, when you say 5 piece neck, does that include the two wing pieces on the headstock? Hey there. No, the wings are additional to the headstock. Interesting though that they don't use streamers on all models as my ES-175 (in my profile/ avatar pic) doesn't have any and appears to have a 1 piece neck. It does have a shorter 24.75" scale though, but then so does the J-15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pittgibson45 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hey there. No, the wings are additional to the headstock. Interesting though that they don't use streamers on all models as my ES-175 (in my profile/ avatar pic) doesn't have any and appears to have a 1 piece neck. It does have a shorter 24.75" scale though, but then so does the J-15. It also doesn't have a maple neck, they are mahogany I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 It also doesn't have a maple neck, they are mahogany I believe. Good point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 I keep hearing/seeing that the glue used is stronger than the wood. I'm waiting for the all glue neck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 When I became seriously interested in guitar construction back in '70s, one of the common bits of info I ran across was the following: A one-piece mahogany neck is more resistant to twisting when compared to a one-piece maple neck. Therefore, a laminated maple neck is recommended if it is to be utilitzed as the wood of choice in neck construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogeye Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 I think I'll liven up the discussion just a bit. The three piece neck is far superior to a one piece neck and the 5 piece is the holy grail. You shouldn't worry about the neck of your J-15. However... The back is a mess. It's totally flat sawn on every photo that I've see of all J-15 guitars. Anyone that knows anything about guitars and wood will tell you that flat sawn wood looks great on a coffee table but is not the first choice for guitars. Gibson chose to go with the cheapest wood available and then went for the cheapest cut of that wood. This is just about one step above firewood. With all the photos showing the back of all the J-15's posted on this forum all have flat sawn backs. This suggests a conscious effort to bring you the very least quality of wood. There have been many threads here by respected knowledgeable folks that will tell you the danger of flat sawn wood. Yes it is pretty and I love the look but would never own such a guitar. Quarter sawn is the only wood to choose for back, sides, and top. Let the real discussion begin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jalex Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 I think I'll liven up the discussion just a bit. The three piece neck is far superior to a one piece neck and the 5 piece is the holy grail. You shouldn't worry about the neck of your J-15. However... The back is a mess. It's totally flat sawn on every photo that I've see of all J-15 guitars. Anyone that knows anything about guitars and wood will tell you that flat sawn wood looks great on a coffee table but is not the first choice for guitars. Gibson chose to go with the cheapest wood available and then went for the cheapest cut of that wood. This is just about one step above firewood. With all the photos showing the back of all the J-15's posted on this forum all have flat sawn backs. This suggests a conscious effort to bring you the very least quality of wood. There have been many threads here by respected knowledgeable folks that will tell you the danger of flat sawn wood. Yes it is pretty and I love the look but would never own such a guitar. Quarter sawn is the only wood to choose for back, sides, and top. Let the real discussion begin... I think this needs to be posted as a new thread topic, not hiding on the second page of an older thread 36 posts down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoworking Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Thanks hogeye. For those who don't know (ie me). Can you explain the difference between flat sawn and quarter sawn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Thanks hogeye. For those who don't know (ie me). Can you explain the difference between flat sawn and quarter sawn? Be quicker googling it than waiting. Interesting thread . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoworking Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 That should be Gibson's new strapline for the J15 next time they take out a full page ad in the guitar mags. "The new Gibson J15 - one step up from firewood" I had a look at "quarter sawn" on Wiki and although it was complicated, it kind of made sense and I can see the advantages. But I'd still like to hear one of the experts here explain why flat sawn is so bad, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I think I'll liven up the discussion just a bit. The three piece neck is far superior to a one piece neck and the 5 piece is the holy grail. You shouldn't worry about the neck of your J-15. However... The back is a mess. It's totally flat sawn on every photo that I've see of all J-15 guitars. Anyone that knows anything about guitars and wood will tell you that flat sawn wood looks great on a coffee table but is not the first choice for guitars. Gibson chose to go with the cheapest wood available and then went for the cheapest cut of that wood. This is just about one step above firewood. With all the photos showing the back of all the J-15's posted on this forum all have flat sawn backs. This suggests a conscious effort to bring you the very least quality of wood. There have been many threads here by respected knowledgeable folks that will tell you the danger of flat sawn wood. Yes it is pretty and I love the look but would never own such a guitar. Quarter sawn is the only wood to choose for back, sides, and top. Let the real discussion begin... I refer you all to mojos second post (3rd in the thread) with the picture of the head stock. Look at the end grain. If that is not quarter sawn I will eat my J15, and that too has quarter sawn neck wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I think hogeye is talking about the backs of j15's . Im not siding with him. Just sayin. Looking forward to how this all pans out. I really dont think anyones guitar is going to crumple while youre half way through house of the rising sun. One of those cases where ignorance is bliss. Placing a little seed of doubt and disappointment in someones head who is loving a guitar is curse of the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I think hogeye is talking about the backs of j15's . Im not siding with him. Just sayin. Looking forward to how this all pans out. I really dont think anyones guitar is going to crumple while youre half way through house of the rising sun. One of those cases where ignorance is bliss. Placing a little seed of doubt and disappointment in someones head who is loving a guitar is curse of the internet. Thanks, my misreading, although I thought we were talking the neck in this thread. Doh!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 We were , or er ... They were , but the spanner was thrown at the backs of these guitars :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Well I've taken this very seriously and spent some time trawling the net especially our sister board AGF. There is some dispute re quart sawn and flat sawn timber. It seems many guitar builders see little difference in strength and or tone. Interestingly I read that curly maple (much desired amongst some guitarists) cannot be sourced from quarter sawn timber. It seems Taylor Guitars (spit) have done a video on the subject. Finally, well maybe not, I love the back on my J15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Roy Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Here's a vid from a luthier explaining flat sawn/quarter sawn tops and backs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 I really don't that the sawing methods make that much difference to a better or worse tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickthemiller Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 Here's the link to the Taylor Youtube vid about maple And here's the walnut one In fact there is a whole series of these about other woods So J15 owners - quit fretting - as if you were?? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogeye Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 Here's the link to the Taylor Youtube vid about maple And here's the walnut one In fact there is a whole series of these about other woods So J15 owners - quit fretting - as if you were?? Cool videos from Taylor. Not the case with Gibson. The wood lots Gibson uses flat saw the very small upper tops of the trees as they can get wider cuts out of the smaller trunks and branches. This wood is traditionally relegated to the fire wood pile as it's too small to quarter saw. I am just posting this info as you folks are so happy with your guitars that you may be influencing folks to buy something they might not be qualified to make an enlightened decision on. These are budget guitars and when someone calls them Cadillac's it just silly. There are folks that think their guitars have the same specifications as a J-45. They don't. There are folks posting here saying their guitars are better than J-45's. They aren't. They are entry level guitars made of low grade cuts of wood. The tuners are suspect and they use the flubber pickguard. I think they are great guitars for what they are intended but we need to keep the rhetoric in check. No one buys a guitar thinking it isn't the best in the world. I get that. It's just simply not the case. They are budget guitars. They just might be the finest budget guitars on the planet. So enjoy your budget J-15. Keep it humidified or you will see it fall apart in short order. To get back to the original post... The neck is the only good part on the guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted January 27, 2016 Share Posted January 27, 2016 But how do they sound and feel? That's the criteria I use when buying a guitar. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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