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I haven't had a response, maybe I touched a taboo subject here, but I do have a question though...
Can a dovetail joint be made into a bolt-on joint? In my kit there is a hole on the heel and also in the neck block. What if I was to set a threaded bolt into that hole and bolt the neck on, would I run into any problems doing this? It just seems like it would be so much easer to getting a tighter adjustable fit that can be more easy to worked with. Let me know what you think or if anyone else has tried this I'd like to know the results. Thanks for your input...Dennis

I've done that and it worked very well. I was kind of forced into it because the neck block was routed wrong and wouldn't seat the dovetail correctly and pull the heel in at the bottom. The thing you have to be careful of is properly lining up the holes so the mate correctly.

I have to interject , NO a dovetail joint can't be bolted on in a standard fashion . The bolt will pull the mating surfaces apart . The purpose of a dovetail is to wedge itself tight . The mating surfaces will be in in compression to each other , bolting the dovetail will pull the tenon into the block and de compressing the joints surfaces . Not you no longer have a dove tail but a bolted joint .
If you got a Martin kit and it has a threaded insert , if is not for neck assembly but for finishing . The insert accepts the mounting jig for the finish booth .

I'm guessing John's point is that once a bolt is added it will no longer function as a dovetail joint. Likely no one disagrees that one could make a bolt-on joint from a neck with a dovetail shaped attachment.

If you are going to attempt to bolt a dovetail as a means to attaching it to the guitar, you are defeating the only alignment mechanism (the dovetail wings). You will end up with what is, for all intents and purposes, a butt joint that has no means to ensure the neck is properly aligned other than the bolts themselves.

Your bolt holes will have to be absolutely perfect.

The bolt holes need not be precise....if you can file/route/chisel/drill slots in the neck block, you have a bit of adjustment. Get the neck tight enough to tap it where you need it, then lock it down. It shouldn't move when tightened properly.

When it comes down to it all necks have to have be set , you need to adjust neck angle , center line and fixation . It all my years of teaching and building I find that people seem to often over think a dovetail .
What are the advantages and disadvantages ?
From an engineering stand point only a dovetail joint can stand by itself . A mortise and tenon will use a bolt and sometime also glue . The weak link is the mechanical fixation and the glue surfaces are in shear to affix it.On a butt joint you must have secure fixation using bolts.

Ken,

They also used CNC machines to make sure everything is lined up properly.

Most of us don't have access to those kinds of resources.

This is what I think of when I think of butt joints.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/H3098

Yes Jim, that is a butt joint. And, there really is a Santa Claus. :>)

I think a butt joint would be fine, but I sort of like to think I'm doing something more complicated, harder to execute when I do a mortise and tenon. I feel more like a real luthier. (tounge and cheek).
But a dovetail joint? No sir, not me. I like bolts.

Kevin