Gibson.com: Gibson Joan Jett Blackheart

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Electric Guitars Melody Maker Gibson USA

Neck and Headstock

Neck Species
The neck of the Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart is constructed from solid, quarter-sawn mahogany.

Tonal Characteristics
The slim, back-angled headstock and quarter-sawn mahogany neck work together with the solid mahogany body to provide exceptional tonal richness and extra resonance. Neck Profile
The neck on the Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart is carved to Joan Jett’s own requirements, with a fast yet comfortably rounded profile that measures 0.810” thick at the 1st fret, and 0.940” thick at the 12th.

Tolerance
When fitting the neck and body together, we take advantage of our precise measuring equipment so that all angles, pitches and alignments maintain a tolerance within .005 of an inch. Not only does this help to keep your guitar in tune but it also maintains proper string alignment relative to the fingerboard. Joint
Although based on an entry level model, the Joan Jett Blackheart still benefits from Gibson’s 100-plus years of craftsmanship in its glued-in neck joint. Gibson uses what is known as the Mortis & Tenon joint that perfectly sets the neck into the body resulting in the two pieces forming one solid unit. This time-tested technique has been used for millennia in all the great woodworking arts—from shipbuilding to cabinetry—to create one solid wood unit from two separate sections, and has been proven to yield a stronger neck and body than if the instrument was made from a single piece of wood.

Headstock Angle
The Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart headstock is carefully angled at Gibson’s traditional 17 degrees, which increases pressure on the strings and helps them stay in the nut slots. An increase in string pressure also means there is no loss of string vibration between the nut and the tuners, which equals better sustain.

Truss Rod
Gibson’s traditional truss rod, found in most all of our guitars, is highly responsive to the individual adjustments you’ll want to make to personalize and optimize string action and sustain.

Logo
A simple gold Gibson logo graces the top of the headstock face of the Joan Jett Blackheart.

Adhesive
The adhesive used to join neck and body is Franklin Titebond 50, one of the strongest glues on the market today. Neck Pitch
The neck of the Joan Jett Blackheart is attached at a 3.25-degree angle.

Fingerboard and Nut

Fingerboard Species
The Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart is equipped with an unbound ebony fingerboard, which enhances note attack and articulation. A hard, dense, dark-black exotic wood, ebony has commonly been regarded as a deluxe, upgraded option on electric guitars, and has been used by Gibson in the past on the Les Paul Custom. Ebony is also extremely hardwearing, and more resistant to humidity and climate and weather changes than many other fingerboard woods. Frets
The Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart sports 22 jumbo frets, all immaculately dressed and polished. Frets

Tonal Characteristics
Ebony is a very popular up-market fingerboard material, known for its strong, clear tone. Radius
The Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart fingerboard has the 12” radius that is preferred by the vast majority of rock players. It provides smooth note bending capabilities and eliminates “dead” or “choked out” notes, common occurrences on fingerboards with lesser radiuses.

Inlays
The Gibson USA Joan Jett Blackheart fingerboard carries red dot position markers at frets 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 17, 19, and 21, and two white hearts at the 12th fret. Inlays

Nut Material
The Joan Jett Blackheart’s nut is made from Corian, which is mainly composed of acrylic polymer. This popular synthetic alternative to bone offers a very durable material, delivers enhanced sustain, and holds the tolerances of the precision cuts made in the slotting process. It is installed into the top surface of the neck, butting up to the end of the fingerboard to ensure proper tone and sustain transfer, and its nut slots are cut with Gibson’s PLEK system to ensure precise fit, break angle, and string spacing. Nut Width
The width of the nut on the Joan Jett Blackheart is approximately 1.695”, one of the most popular nut widths on Gibson guitars through the course of the company’s history.