Bolt-on neck

The neck is inserted into a pre-routed opening in the body (which is commonly called a "pocket"), and then joined using three to four screws.

As the pressure of screw heads damages the wood surfaces, and the undistributed stress could put the instrument body at structural risk, typically a rectangular metal plate (or a pair of smaller plates) is used to secure the joint and re-distribute the screw pressure more evenly.

The plate can then be used to emboss a manufacturer's logos, stamp serial numbers, or include decorative artwork.

[2] The term "bolt-on" is often a misnomer, introduced mostly by Fender whose electric guitars and basses have largely had component necks held to the instrument's body with wood screws.

Many of these views are highly subjective and relative; instrument manufacture varies widely and, lacking parallel objective factors, any particular claim might not be applicable generally.

Neck joint with a four-screw plate on a Yamaha Pacifica 112 electric guitar
Less-common three-screw assembly with plate, on a Hagström III guitar
Slim bolt-on neck join with chamfered heel and countersunk ferrules on a superstrat electric guitar allows for more comfortable access to top frets
Stephen's Extended Cutaway (on Washburn N4 electric guitar) is another version of bolt-on neck joint
Two headless .strandberg* Boden Plini model guitars with differing construction methods. On the left is neck-through construction with a Roasted Maple quartersawn neck and Swamp Ash wings. On the right is a chamfered bolt-on quartersawn Mahogany neck, with countersunk ferrules & screws, and Mahogany body. Both necks have visible carbon reinforcement strips.