Reverse headstock on a Strat---what does it matter?

[MarkRhodes]

Saw this pic of Jeff Beck with a reverse headstock Strat.
What difference (if any) does a reverse headstock make to the sound / playability of a guitar?
Just wondering---never played one.

[DawgBone]

I've owned two upside-down strats and one strat with a reversed headstock. Less high end sparkle, a bit less thumping lows, more liquid mids on the full upside down models since the pickups are inverted. Very subtle differences though. You can still get big SRV tones from one if you wanted.

I found it was easier to tune on the fly with the reverse headstock; ergonomics. The tremolo arm is right underneath your hand on an upside down strat. The volume controls are also quicker to access since they are now right underneath your arm but I found myself always accidentally dialing down the volume. It's a different experience but the upper fret access beyond G position is pretty much a no-go. The body is still comfortable upside down.

I don't own any strats anymore.

[Hammertone]

Because it looks cool.

[mr. beaumont]

Would remove any need for a string tree on the high E and B...

[Woody Sound]

An interesting aside. I’ve been trying out a Strat and a Jag to see which I like better. As we know, the Strat is long scale with a short string-through tail. The Jag is only 24” with a long string trem tail. I have the same D’A 10’s on both, and the tension is pretty much the same.

[Stringswinger]

We all know that playing a reverse headstock Strat shows great respect for Jimi Hendrix. And why not? Jimi was one of the greatest guitarists ever.

There is no doubt that playing a full upside down Strat as Hendrix did changes a lot. Pickup placement changes, bridge/Trem placement changes and string length changes with the reverse headstock. It stands to reason that it would both feel different and sound different. I have never tried one, as a normal right handed Strat works quite well for me and if it ain't broke, I try not to fix it. But if a sweet deal came up on an SRV Strat, I could be tempted just out of curiosity.

[Doctor Jeff]

I. Just. Can't.

Doesn't look right at all. I realize it's not completely rational, but it is what it is.

Here he is playing the CORRECT strat:



BTW, I've said before, I'm not a Strat guy and have never owned one, til I built one a few months ago. I'm loving the thing. The ergonomics are just excellent, and of course sonic possibilities out the wazoo. I can see why so many pros in the rock world think a strat is the way to go.

[AllanAllen]

It’s a Hendrix thing. But he only did it because it was easier to flip a right handed guitar than find a left handed one.

I think it looks cool. If anyone is keeping score.

[icr]

Early Martin guitars all had the 'reverse' headstock. But since they were first, maybe Leo's headstock is the 'reverse.'

[DawgBone]

We all know that playing a reverse headstock Strat shows great respect for Jimi Hendrix. And why not? Jimi was one of the greatest guitarists ever.

There is no doubt that playing a full upside down Strat as Hendrix did changes a lot. Pickup placement changes, bridge/Trem placement changes and string length changes with the reverse headstock. It stands to reason that it would both feel different and sound different. I have never tried one, as a normal right handed Strat works quite well for me and if it ain't broke, I try not to fix it. But if a sweet deal came up on an SRV Strat, I could be tempted just out of curiosity.

Around 2000 or so GC was blowing out the reverse image Woodstock strats for $999 so I grabbed one. I already had a Am Classic strat and back in the late 90's we were doing lots of Hendrix, Cream, James Gang, etc type covers, which I didn't hear anyone in my AO doing at the time. I had a big Marshall so the Jimi strat went nicely with it. Fulltone was still boutique stuff and me and a guitar friend would head to the cities to shop gear so I had some of that stuff. All nice equipment. I wound up building a 2nd reverse strat using a jazzmaster neck from Warmoth, which actually allowed better upper fret access.

Then I started hearing more and more people doing Hendrix so I quit doing it and moved to playing all blues. It didn't help that I played a native wedding once and for the dollar dance they wanted Little Wing which I was forced to play for 30 minutes. I hate that song now. I have refused 100 dollar bills to play it. I haven't played any Hendrix since them days except Red House which I think I played sometime before 2020 hit. I don't own a single piece of that gear. A friend of mine had the woodstock strat as a temporary debt payment for some recordings and he died recently so I guess it's c'est la vie.

[sgosnell]

This is speculation, because I've never played a Strat, but I do have a G&L Tele clone. It feels stiffer than my archtops, and I think it's because there is so little string behind the saddles. The wound strings feel like they have less tension, perhaps because the cores are relatively small. Reversing the headstock would make the treble strings much shorter, and the bass strings longer, theoretically making the plain strings feel even stiffer, and the wound strings less stiff. This may or may not matter anyone else, and since I have no proof, it's not a hill upon which I would be willing to die.

[Woody Sound]

Early Martin guitars all had the 'reverse' headstock. But since they were first, maybe Leo's headstock is the 'reverse.'

I'd love to see the back of that headstock and its tuner structure.

[Ukena]

I'd love to see the back of that headstock and its tuner structure.

Wouldn't help much...

[jads57]

I thought the upside down headstock meant less tension on the G,B,and High E strings? As well as more tension on the Lower 3 as well.

Gibson Reverse Firebirds have this set up, but I’m sure it was to be different from Fender.

[sgosnell]

The actual tension is the same, but the perceived tension will be different. The longer the total string length, the lower the perceived tension, or stiffness, given the same scale length. The length of the string beyond the nut and saddle matters, and the longer it is, the softer the feel. A high e string with almost no length behind the bridge, and very little past the nut, will feel stiffer than one with several inches beyond the nut or saddle, and especially beyond both.

[pauln]

The actual tension is the same, but the perceived tension will be different. The longer the total string length, the lower the perceived tension, or stiffness, given the same scale length. The length of the string beyond the nut and saddle matters, and the longer it is, the softer the feel. A high e string with almost no length behind the bridge, and very little past the nut, will feel stiffer than one with several inches beyond the nut or saddle, and especially beyond both.

Exactly. Feels stiffer means a string with shorter lengths outside the nut and saddle will change pitch faster with less bend. Same for the whammy bar - reverse head stock allows the plain strings to dive and wail with much more pitch excursion,

[Doctor Jeff]

Exactly. Feels stiffer means a string with shorter lengths outside the nut and saddle will change pitch faster with less bend. Same for the whammy bar - reverse head stock allows the plain strings to dive and wail with much more pitch excursion,

That’s interesting and a good point, but most players like Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eddie Van Halen did just fine with the normal headstock.

I might worry about a short length for the lower gauge strings putting more stress on them with bends and leading to more string breakage.

Might want to ask Jeff Beck’s guitar tech about that.

Came across this on the interwebs…

[Woody Sound]

I've seen the Epi Frequensator mounted both ways.

[Doctor Jeff]

I've seen the Epi Frequensator mounted both ways.

That’s what she said.

Sorry, couldn’t resist…