Volute – your thoughts?

**buduranus2** · 03-17-2019, 06:44 PM

I have the opportunity to buy a pretty good plywood jazz box at a reasonable price. The issue for me is that there's a volute, and I'm not sure whether that'll bother me or not. I'd like to know your experience with one, good bad or otherwise. Thanks!

**deacon Mark** · 03-17-2019, 06:48 PM

They don't bother me at all zero.

**D.G.** · 03-17-2019, 06:53 PM

I had a GB10 that had a volute. It was fine, never noticed it. But then, I'm neck-agnostic. Really opens up the guitar horizons

**buduranus2** · 03-17-2019, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by D.G.

I had a GB10 that had a volute. It was fine, never noticed it. But then, I'm neck-agnostic. Really opens up the guitar horizons

Thanks, but I'm a little confused about "really opens up the guitar horizons." The volute, or neck-agnosticism?

**D.G.** · 03-17-2019, 07:12 PM

Not caring too much about the neck carve, radius, width, scale, etc.

I do have preferences, but I don't make my purchasing decisions based on the neck, as long as it's in good shape -- i.e. no lumps, bumps, buzzing, dead spots, fret-sprout, etc.

**child as audience** · 03-17-2019, 07:13 PM

I actually like them more than not. The majority of my guitars do not have them, but we get along just fine regardless.

I acknowledge a psychological thing I have with with the volute where I associate it with a quality, or upscaled feature.
The one on my Martin is carved like a diamond, and it’s just a nice, beautiful, comfortable thing.

**mr quick** · 03-17-2019, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by buduranus2

I have the opportunity to buy a pretty good plywood jazz box at a reasonable price. The issue for me is that there's a volute, and I'm not sure whether that'll bother me or not. I'd like to know your experience with one, good bad or otherwise. Thanks!

I'm very slightly curious about how it could possibly bother you?

**Rob MacKillop** · 03-17-2019, 07:24 PM

Love them.

**Mark M.** · 03-17-2019, 07:42 PM

They have no impact on playing at all, IMO. They are negatively associated with Norlin-era Gibsons, but lots of fine guitars have them. It should have no bearing on anything.

**Klatu** · 03-17-2019, 07:47 PM

I wish all my guitars had high quality Martin style volutes.

**rpjazzguitar** · 03-17-2019, 07:53 PM

No impact on my playing. I like the extra piece of mind I get by believing I'm less likely to break the neck.

If that isn't true, please don't respond.

**marcwhy** · 03-17-2019, 08:01 PM

Is this what you guys are talking about?

Volute – your thoughts?-lute-jpg

**child as audience** · 03-17-2019, 08:13 PM

I never really thought of myself as being tied to my Italian heritage very strongly, but the first thing I thought of that was, “I could hang fresh linguine on that thing while using it as a cheese board, and use the center design for pizzelles.” Ha.

**GNAPPI** · 03-17-2019, 08:18 PM

Volutes are on many more stringed instruments than gits worth substantially more than what we play and own. The day that Gibson caved in to user / buyer design committees and 86'd the volute I think it was a bad day for players.

Volutes are such a stupid thing to object to, every time I hear of a head break, I think... "what if"...

**jads57** · 03-17-2019, 08:20 PM

I like them if they are done correctly. By that I mean aesthetically pleasing as well

**buduranus2** · 03-17-2019, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by mr quick

I'm very slightly curious about how it could possibly bother you?

Well. it's not that it bothers me so much as I haven't played a guitar that has one in a gazillion years. So my concern is that I'll buy something that has a feature that's uncomfortable or distracting, then have to turn around and try to sell it.

Originally Posted by Mark M.

They have no impact on playing at all, IMO. They are negatively associated with Norlin-era Gibsons, but lots of fine guitars have them. It should have no bearing on anything.

Yes, that was my first and only experience with one, in about 1974. I disliked it immediately, but I was playing a different style then and was just starting out to boot. Maybe I'll just go for it.

**Litterick** · 03-17-2019, 09:15 PM

I have a Norlin-era Gibson, a fine guitar with an aesthetically pleasing volute.

**buduranus2** · 03-17-2019, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Litterick

I have a Norlin-era Gibson, a fine guitar with an aesthetically pleasing volute.

I just looked again and the volute seems to begin past the nut, so shouldn't be a problem. Appreciate you!

**ptchristopher3** · 03-17-2019, 10:00 PM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Volutes are on many more stringed instruments than gits worth substantially more than what we play and own. The day that Gibson caved in to user / buyer design committees and 86'd the volute I think it was a bad day for players.

Volutes are such a stupid thing to object to, every time I hear of a head break, I think... "what if"...

Volutes are fine. Seems silly to be bothered by them, but whatever one likes, for whatever reason.

I fixed MANY broken headstocks on Les Pauls with volutes after they did a face plant forward off a stand.

So, whole it can certainly help some, it is not fool-proof.

**icr** · 03-17-2019, 10:36 PM

I have some guitars on stands now, so I checked the back of the headstocks by feel to see if I could tell which ones have volutes. Turns out my 1974 Les Paul Custom has one. I have had it for 32 years, should I have known this and avoided it? What is the risk? Will it hurt me?