the headstock shape stays out of the way better too when you're playing e.g. f chords on fret 1 - first thing I noticed about it was that it brought the first fret into play in a new way.

that - and the straight string path thing

and the angle (risking more breaks but maybe, just maybe, improving response)

a great friend of Heritage, Rich Severson, has suggested that its extra heft is a good thing too (like the super 400 or JS headstocks rather than the L5). I can imagine that makes a meaningful contribution to something or other.

---
that's a lot of non-aesthetic - musical - reasons to dig the headstock.

way more than enough for me. I'm way too precious about aesthetic issues and the headstock has always seemed groovy to me (perhaps because its a bit ugly even...??? - it suggests aesthetically that function is guiding form etc.).

I'm also oddly impressed that they don't put mop inlay into their classic headstocks. my new classic is a truly glorious version of the L5CES (way better than any L5CES I've played or owned) - and they don't even put mop inlay into the headstock. wow. so cool.