Flat vs. Quartersawn Neck Tone...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Junk Yard Dog
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Junk Yard Dog

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My luther says most quartersawn necks he's worked on were dull sounding compared to regular flatsawn. I'm going to get another Warmoth neck for my Strat and wanted to see what experiences you guys had.

Thanks!
 
I thought it was flat for tone, quarter for stability? I could be making that up though but I recall a builder telling me that...
 
Quarter sawn is definitely better foe stability. I've never heard anything about it being different tone-wise.
 
I’ve had some of each that I’d consider dull and some it’d consider lively.

Rather than grain orientation, some luthiers really belive in “tap” tone, and I wonder if they’re right.
 
My EVH wolfgang is quarter sawn with stainless steel frets, and graphite rods. It is very lively!!!!
 
Tom Anderson only does flat sawn, says there is no difference in stability, never had any issues. snake oil most likely.
 
After 13 years in the lumber business, i can tell you for sure that anything quartersawn will be more stable. That is a proven fact.
 
The good ones are just good and the others just aren't...QS or not.
 
Junk Yard Dog":18sz6xp9 said:
My luther says most quartersawn necks he's worked on were dull sounding compared to regular flatsawn. I'm going to get another Warmoth neck for my Strat and wanted to see what experiences you guys had.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I think you need a new luthier.
 
SNAKE-OIL.jpg
 
GuitarGuyLP":1g9p7n7l said:
My EVH wolfgang is quarter sawn with stainless steel frets, and graphite rods. It is very lively!!!!
Click to expand...

stainless steel frets will do that for sure


As far as the flat V quarter tone wise..meh snake oil for sure
 
So from what I've read in two of the same thread, i should look at a quartersawn maple neck with a vintage truss rod adjustment at the head. ??
 
I think if it matters a lot to you, the best thing to do would be to order several necks and keep the one you like most and sell the rest hopefully at not much loss.

I’ve swapped a bunch of Strat necks and bodies. They all sound different even if the construction is the same. Frustratingly, it’s the combo of the neck and body too. A neck can sound glorious on one body but very average on another.
 
The fit of the neck will make the most difference, then the mass. Quartersawn (all other things being equal, which is never the case) is more stable. How many of you played baseball back in the wooden bat days? You never held the bat to hit it flat, always into the grain (quarter). Why? Because you would break the bat FAR more often otherwise. This is the same principle behind knives and swords being folded over and over and having a "grain". Or laminated wood products in building materials. It is simple physics. Now as to the tone, quarter oriented wood will have a quicker response (sometimes sound or feel SLIGHTLY stiffer which can be perceived as brightness) and flatsawn will have a slightly slower or squishy response. SLIGHTLY. But again, the fit of the neck to the body makes far more difference.
 
Have been visiting this topic lately. My specific reason is that I ordered the Charvel 1888 and it does not say Quarter Sawn. Just 1 piece maple with graphite reinforcement.

I almost ordered the DK24 SS last year but didn't. That neck is quarter sawn but also with the reinforcement. I find it interesting that they switched it up this year. If the Quarter Sawn sole purpose is for reinforcement I would imagine that the DK24 SS is stable as can be but maybe they did not need all that and changed it up this year. Who knows? Just something I had been looking at recently.

Agreed on splitting hairs but that is what a lot of us do :)

I doubt I will ever have the same exact guitar with the only difference being quarter sawn vs not to compare either way.
 
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