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G-1275 bolt-on vs set necks? ALso, how to tell fakes.


jlg

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Posted

Folks, after looking in the forums, I'm still a bit confused about the bolt-on vs. set necks?

Which are preferred and WHY?? I see a lot of prejudice against the bolt-ons, but not really sure why.

 

While I see bolt-on's being put down (why???), I also see issues with the set necks having stress cracks and coming un-glued.

 

Also, I see a bunch of G-1275's on ebay at the moment -- how do you tell fakes???

I don't see anything obvious on any, but then again the models HAVE changed over time. so...... I see some have a strap button NOT as one of the bolt-screws, and some that DO have them as bolt-screws. Also, the position of the 1/4" jack varies, but I guess that they did depending on the year made. I see a used bolt-on with case for ~$800, one for $600, and a brand-new set-neck for $800. Are these real/fake, good/bad deals????

 

Any help greatly appreciated!

Posted

800 for the bolt on us a total ripoff. 600 is fair, as is 800 for the set neck. I don't know what they go for nowadays, but I bought my bolt on one for I want to say 499 new, although it may have been 599... I can't remember exactly, that was back in 1998. I do remember the set neck one was a few hundred more, and generally regarded as the better one. My bolt version came with 4 covered pups, where the set neck model came with covered on the 12 string, and open coil pups on the 6 string, so it looked and probably sounded a little more like the model Jimmy Page used.

 

Personally, I would go for a set neck model if I were to buy one again. It's a shame I don't have a spare 2700 dollars laying around, or I would buy the Gibson that GC has on clearance right now, LOL... But my guitar buying days are up for a while now, after my last Gibson purchase, unless I sell off most of my others to get some guitar cash. Not that I need to, I'm pretty content at the moment.

 

Anyway, back to the 1275... Either is a nice guitar, but definitely make sure you don't spend too much on the bolt version, especially if you can get the set neck one for the same price.

Posted
Folks' date=' after looking in the forums, I'm still a bit confused about the bolt-on vs. set necks?

Which are preferred and WHY?? I see a lot of prejudice against the bolt-ons, but not really sure why.

 

While I see bolt-on's being put down (why???), I also see issues with the set necks having stress cracks and coming un-glued.

[/quote']

 

jlg,

 

I think the reason there is prejudice against bolt-necks is that in the '70s and '80s (and probably still) there were a lot of cheap Asian copies of Gibsons that featured bolt-on necks. The geometry of a bolt-neck guitar is different than that of a Gibson-style set-neck. The neck is offset at an angle from the body, and the headstock is offset at an angle from the neck. This leads to a certain feel in playing that is not duplicated if you try to copy the guitar as a bolt-neck.

 

That being said, it is an entirely different matter if the guitar is designed from the beginning to be a bolt-on neck--witness for example the Fender Stratocaster. I've never been a Fenderista, but there are a LOT of very fine players who are (start, for example, with Jimi Hendrix and Roy Buchanan).

 

So, is the "prejudice" justified? I think it depends on whether you are talking about a bolt-on copy of a set neck or a bolt-on copy of a bolt-neck. But that is just my opinion, and I am very old. Cheers.

Posted

Any reason in particular that the G-1275 is better/worse as a bolt neck vs. set neck?

 

I've seen both good and bad about both in the forums, but no real clear winner there.

Some are dead-set against bolt on, and some have given that there are problems with the set neck.

 

Also, anything specifically to look for in terms of FAKES for this guitar??

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