Bolt-on necks

kevingcox

Hey all,

Was wondering if players who have experience with bolt-on necks (as sported by some of the nomade series guitars) had any comments about their experiences with this type of construction. I am a bit concerned about maintenance, intonation issues, lost "sound" and other types of things whether positive or negative.

Or maybe there aren't any significant differences from "traditional" necks?

Thanks for any comments.

-Kevin

MichaelHorowitz

Hi Kevin,

We've sold quite a number of the Nomades over the years and have never had any complaints about any of these issues. In fact, they are so well made they save you all the headaches that similarly priced Asian guitars (with conventional neck joints) have. The Asian stuff is much more prone to have setup issues, neck problems, sinking tops, and general tonal issues which are inherent in their design. The Nomade has the same basic sound as Dupont's flagship guitars like the MD-50 and VRB, albeit somewhat less complexity and a more austere look. But that trademark dry, crisp Dupont sound is there and they play like a dream. Always my top pick for a guitar in this price range.

thanks!

Michael

Jeff Moore

You"ll notice how many people will go to bat defending or praising Duponts.
The Dupont sound is there in all of them. You get more when you pay more. I've likely played 30 in all, and owned 4. Dupont doesn't make any bad guitars. They don't fall apart and the ones I've tried and owned will all do the trick sound wise. They also seem consistent within each price range. I've played MD-50e's in three locals at different times, and despite the time and spatial distance I got the same wow experience: "Dupont like" but more ringing and bright. Same with MD-50's: the ones I've played sound a whole lot like each other -terrific.
I've bought two guitars in the MD price range (without playing them first) with serious neck issues.
I've never had any neck issue with the Duponts.

Stringswinger

You can't go wrong with a Dupont. I always say start with a Gitane if you are unsure if a Gypsy guitar is your thing. A used Gitane is a pretty cheap entry point, but when you are ready for the real deal go for a Dupont. They are either pretty good or great (every piece of wood is different).

I have only played one Nomad ( Michael had it for sale at Djangofest NW last year). It was a superb guitar.

Cheers,

Marc
www.hotclubpacific.com

redblues

Whenever i see the words bolt-on neck, I always think of this guy

Michael Bauer

@Redblues--excellent! But I'd hate to speculate where the Bigtone is installed...

Kevin--

The Nomade I played was really quite good. Michael's description is perfect: less complex, but essentially the same sound as more expensive Duponts. I think of Dupont as the Macallan of the guitar world: the gold standard against which everything else is measured. I thought the bolt-on neck would be an issue, but it didn't seem to be, and I have never heard the owner complain about neck problems. As Jeff said, Maurice does things right, and my guess is that a Nomade would have far fewer neck problems than most Asian guitars. I am on my third Dupont now, and I can honestly say that I have never had to have even the slightest maintenance done on any of them. The vintage stuff is in the shop constantly being tweaked (although sometimes that is just the gradual correction of years of neglect); most of the Asian guitars I've owned have needed neck relief and/or fretwork at some point, and my Jorgenson had pretty iffy intonation. The Duponts? Always perfect all the time.

I wouldn't be afraid of the bolt-on neck, and based on my brief experience, you'd be happy with the sound of it for a long time. A Gitane DG-300 is a good starting place, but if you can afford the Nomade, I think you'll be happier with it for a much longer time than a Gitane.

kevingcox

Thanks for all your replies, everyone!

I have had a Gitane dg-255 for years now but stopped practicing seriously due to other obligations. Now I am getting my chops back in shape and yearning for a step forward. I was half heartedly considering a higher-end Asian model but the price jump up to Nomade is small enough that I could probably stomach it and from the feedback I have received I'm more confident that I will be happy with it.

Now to convince my partner that we can afford it, hahaha...

-Kevin

Michael Collins

Here is my version:

http://michaelcollins.smugmug.com/Woodw ... 5846_FdAfw