Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Discussion of vintage Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Bass VIs, Electric XIIs and any other offset-waist instruments.
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Mechanical Birds
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Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Mechanical Birds » Fri Jan 20, 2023 5:30 pm

Let this henceforth be the time, here thereforth be the place, fucking etc.

I’ve wanted one of these things forever and have a pending NGD if anybody wants to guess, I ain’t gone stop yew.

I know we have a couple TB owners, but I can’t really remember who. I’d love to see pics if anybody would feel like sharing!

I’m buying my thing sight unseen and have my fingers crossed that it doesn’t have any dumb problems. I don’t really even know what to look for as far as that stuff goes, so if anybody would feel like posting about what common problems old Travis Bean, Kramer, Veleno, Wandre, etc. guitars manifest, I’m very thirsty for the knowledge :)

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by copacetic » Sat Jan 21, 2023 1:14 pm

I know next to nothing about aluminum neck guitars, but if its something vintage my interest is piqued!
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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Mechanical Birds » Sat Jan 21, 2023 11:58 pm

Looks like the overwhelming majority of boarders have at least that first part in common with you :)

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Zork » Sun Jan 22, 2023 11:27 am

A friend of a friend used to play an all aluminum guitar and we talked about it every now and then. I think an aluminum neck feels great but I don't really know about their impact on the tone of a guitar.
I'm definitely curious about what you got!

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Embenny » Sun Jan 22, 2023 12:40 pm

I also get curious about aluminum necks periodically, but I know absolutely nothing about them so I'm looking forward to pics and info on yours. I sadly have nothing to contribute beyond that.
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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Flurko » Sun Jan 22, 2023 1:06 pm

I still never had the chance to play an alumin(i)um neck guitar yet, but given how much I enjoy Shellac and Sunn O))) who both rock Travis Beans masterfully, with two tones at polar opposites of each other, I'd love to get an EGC, a travis bean, an Harvester Antonio (does he still make those ?) or, or...
Tttides for Europe makes some aluminium neck instruments, I don't love his design style but he makes some custom stuff, I daydream about commissioning an all-aluminium Rick 330-style guitar one day.

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by BoringPostcards » Sun Jan 22, 2023 3:01 pm

There were a bunch of members here that were into aluminum necks. They likely don’t post anymore. This was back in the day.
A few TB owners here for sure. Maybe they still lurk.
Aluminum necks hold up well, but are a pain in the ass to refret. That’s all I really know about them. I’ve only played a few in the wild in all my years. They’re sort of rare. My friend has a Veneno. It’s a nice guitar.
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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Mechanical Birds » Sun Jan 22, 2023 5:41 pm

I’ve never seen a Valeno in person but would love the chance because they look amazing.

I passed on a white TB Artist from this weird small and otherwise crappy guitar store in TN when my parents lived there about a decade ago. It was marked for $1,699, just another thing in a long line of stuff I’ve seen for cheap and didn’t get because I knew nothing about it until way later. I’ve passed on a handful of Kramers but those are almost the opposite, always listed for way more than I’d be comfortable paying.

I have a kind of dream build in my head that would be one of the bolt-on necks on a Peavey T-60 body that I’d put a Mastery Bridge and Trem on and put effects in it like Bilt. Probably won’t ever happen but it would be sick

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by fuzzjunkie » Mon Jan 23, 2023 9:16 am

I played a Travis Bean once many years ago but I wasn’t into the look of it and the neck was the only interesting bit to me.

This company makes a reverse offset guitar and bass called Orion that looks interesting, with Lollar pickups and aluminum neck. They also make 3 types of aluminum necks that can be purchased separately, or it looks like you can customize your guitar by picking which neck you want on it.

Alumnati Orion

Aside from members posting their aluminum neck guitars, didn’t Deed Pole or someone build one? Or maybe it was Harvester?

Now I remember looking at one of those Jackson Roswell guitars. Those looked cool to me, but were too pointy and “Metal” to spend that much money on.

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Steadyriot. » Mon Jan 23, 2023 10:06 am

fuzzjunkie wrote:
Mon Jan 23, 2023 9:16 am

Aside from members posting their aluminum neck guitars, didn’t Deed Pole or someone build one? Or maybe it was Harvester?
Yeah Harvester does aluminum necks.

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by fever606 » Mon Jan 23, 2023 12:07 pm

I had an EGC bolt-on neck on my Jaguar for a hot minute... I've actually been missing that lately and am low-key on the lookout for another (though I know they didn't make too many 24" scale ones so not holding my breath).

I've got a buddy that's deep down the aluminum rabbit hole, having owned something from just about every maker past and present. He had a vintage TB500 that I played a few years back that was epic and quite a few EGCs over the years.

If I was getting a new build right now, I'd probably reach out to Kevin at DNG... he's making fantastic stuff and is (semi-)local. But I'd definitely have a vintage TB1000 or TB500 if I could scoop one at a reasonable price...

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Mechanical Birds » Tue Jan 24, 2023 1:39 am

I’m honestly surprised we haven’t started seeing cheaper import bolt-ons come up. Every few months I google around trying to find something but always turn up empty handed. Maybe there’s not a lot of profit margin with aluminum compared to wood?

Nobody’s guessed my NGD yet

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by MayTheFuzzBeWithYou » Tue Jan 24, 2023 2:47 am

There were some Aluminum-neck threads in the past… or at least some people showing their purchases.

But never that „official“ OSG aluminum thread…I think.

Out of all the brands out there (active or long gone) I only know of Baguley who offers good looking 6 in line necks (but also 3 by 3 and Bass necks with the same two alignments).
Most of them even have Binding and Block inlays which is a nice extra.

What I don‘t get is why so many order a reverse headstock neck from them…because this again looks very off (to me).

I always found them cool looking - but I love the feeling of wood so much that I couldn‘t see myself playing something that is (at least in my head) too cold in winter and too hot in summer… some open air festival stages must be hell with such a thing…hello Blisters…

But jokes aside: what does an aluminum neck alone change? Is the sustain really that much more intense?

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by Zork » Tue Jan 24, 2023 2:58 am

Mechanical Birds wrote:
Tue Jan 24, 2023 1:39 am
Nobody’s guessed my NGD yet
Ok. It's in the vintage section and Travis Bean was at least mentioned. So I'd say it's a Kramer.

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Re: Why is there no aluminum neck guitar thread? INCUMMING NGD

Post by ffffoureyes » Tue Jan 24, 2023 8:25 am

Here's my '74 TB1000A, amongst others. A pretty.. okay guitar! Nothing special, bit weird. Flat radius is odd, pickups are hot as fuck. It's cooler than it is good.

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