Has anybody gigged an emmons bolt on?

[Silas Hamilton]

Im just curious, has anybody gigged an emmons bolt on? Ive recently bought a 66 bolt on, I wonder about the tuning instability with temperature.

[George Seymour]

A lot...have three. Touch up every now and then when the band leader is talking to the audience. There is a fair amount of past threads on the presumed or actual tuning instability of the aluminum neck bolt on changer.. I play them for the tone, exactly what I like to hear...more tuning issues connected to peoples bar hand than bolts tuning issues..
My 1966 is D-1036, your guitar number?

[Silas Hamilton]

A lot...have three. Touch up every now and then when the band leader is talking to the audience. There is a fair amount of past threads on the presumed or actual tuning instability of the aluminum neck bolt on changer.. I play them for the tone, exactly what I like to hear...more tuning issues connected to peoples bar hand than bolts tuning issues..
My 1966 is D-1036, your guitar number?

.

Mine is D-1045, we're mighty close!

[Abe Levy]

When giggling was possible I gigged mine all the time. I have two and neither has been any more susceptible to tuning issues than my cut tails. I’m in LA though where we don’t have huge differences between indoors and out. I have 1066D by the way. Close!

[George Seymour]

When giggling was possible I gigged mine all the time. I have two and neither has been any more susceptible to tuning issues than my cut tails. I’m in LA though where we don’t have huge differences between indoors and out. I have 1066D by the way. Close!

D-1063 number two of three

Got five gigs on the books starting in May...
Light at the end of the tunnel....

[Bill Terry]

There was a long thread not too long ago about aluminum neck bolt-ons and tuning, I think I posted my experience on that one as well. I'm in Texas and this gig from a few years back is typical.. Outdoor, direct sunlight, and I really didn't have any problems. I mentioned on the other thread the only time I've ever had any issue was where I started in the shade and then the sun crept in before the end of the set. Even then, a couple of mid-course tuning tweaks and it was fine. I'm not sure any guitar would be perfect in that situation.

This one is 1016-D, probably a '67 based on what I've read about 'D' numbers. I've also got a 'practice' (like I EVER practice ) guitar. It's an invoice number bolt-on, 2542.. I'm sold on bolt-ons, and they stay in tune MUCH better than a couple of well known all-pull guitars I've owned.

EDITED: I've always wanted to say this: "I'm nuts about bolts!"

Hey George, I've got a couple in May myself, assuming we're somewhat past this pandemic stuff. It's looking up!

[Jim Cooley]

"I'm nuts about bolts!"

Well, you can washer hands of that one now.

[Bill Terry]

Well, you can washer hands of that one now.

My apologies to the OP, this thread has gone awry...

[George Seymour]

Not really Bill... not derailed
People are bottled up...the light will be much brighter come Mayish
Unfortunately some clubs won’t make it....but where there’s a will there’s a way

[Andy Beisel]

When giggling was possible I gigged mine all the time. I have two and neither has been any more susceptible to tuning issues than my cut tails. I’m in LA though where we don’t have huge differences between indoors and out. I have 1066D by the way. Close!

I hope you are still giggling daily.

[Abe Levy]

Haha - I try Andy!

[Randy Gilliam]

67 Emmons Bolt On D 10 Rosewood Mica 8 and 5 Emmons Setup Bryan Adams Guitar.

[George Kimery]

I have a 74 wood neck. It is not connected to the changer, so there is no issue with temperature change. I would take a metal neck in a heartbeat. It would only be once in a blue moon that I would be in a temperature change situation and I would just deal with it the best I could. I wouldn't throw away 99% of no problem for a 1% problem.

[Silas Hamilton]

I have a 74 wood neck. It is not connected to the changer, so there is no issue with temperature change. I would take a metal neck in a heartbeat. It would only be once in a blue moon that I would be in a temperature change situation and I would just deal with it the best I could. I wouldn't throw away 99% of no problem for a 1% problem.

I agree, ive played my bolt-on on many gigs since this post and ive had no issues.

[Rich Upright]

No issues when I had my bolt on; in fact the guitar seemed to "play itself".

[Bud Harger]

I gigged my ‘67 Bolt-On for 40+ years… from 1973 until I retired at 80 years old in 2017. I never had any troublesome tuning issues. Occasionally, I had to “touch-up” the E9th neck. The C6th, hardly ever.

Make sure everything on the under-side is adjusted properly, and enjoy the bolt-on-tone machine.

[Michael Harrington]

Silas, I also have a 66' Bolt On and have yet to find any tuning issues on a gig. Cody Stewart set mine up and it's rock solid-- the guitar just plays itself like some others have mentioned. I barely even have to fine tune it at the keyhead/endplate once I open it out of the case. I'm also in Detroit, where humidity and temperature never stay too consistent.

Have fun with your new bolt, they are the coolest of the Emmons guitars. I got hooked on mine after a year of owning it. If you don't mind sharing a pic of yours, lets see it.

Michael

[Jack Stanton]

I had a 68 Bolt that I gigged extensively for several years, and it was as stable as any guitar I've ever played. Plus, the sustain and evenness of the strings was unbelievable

[Nick Krol]

I had a 68 Bolt that I gigged extensively for several years, and it was as stable as any guitar I've ever played. Plus, the sustain and evenness of the strings was unbelievable

Can confirm, it’s a great guitar

[Henry Matthews]

I used to play a 68 bolt on and it always stayed in tune. I heard or read that the tuning problems came from the necks actually touching the key heads. This caused them to be unstable with temperature changes. Later the design was that the necks didn’t actually make contact with keyhead so tuning was very stable.

[W. C. Edgar]

In the 90's I had 2
Both D-10's both black
I've had roughly 50 different D-10's in my playing career and the 2 1966 'bolt on's' were without doubt the 'best' sounding guitars I've had BAR NONE