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I must say that every time I see a Guild Artist Award Headstock,
I think to myself that it's my favorite shape. I'm referring to it's out-
ter edge, as inlay work is a separate matter again. Do you all have
a favorite headstock shape?
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02-11-2021 05:48 PM
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og d'angelico
cheers
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My guess is they took the inspiration here but different. Guild guitars very good ones for sure.
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Oh, yeah, I have strong feelings about a lot of headstock shapes. The three mentioned above I like, as well as the classic Gibson open book shape. Jimmy D'Aquisto's later modernist headstocks were also really interesting and the simplified aesthetic of those instruments overall really appealed to me.
I like the Fender Telecaster shape a lot. The simplicity of the Martin headstock also appeals to me; along those lines, the headstock on Peter Bernstein's Zeidler is also something I like: it's simple and yet has an unfussy boldness to it. Geez, I sound like a wine snob. Well, why the hell not? I guess I'm a headstock snob! I also like Rick Turner's headstock that is all straight lines on the Model 1 and the Renaissance instruments.
There are a lot of boutique jazz guitarist who is headstock shapes I don't care for; chief among those is Heritage and Paul Reed Smith.
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I like all of those so far, especially D’Angelicos. This is another favorite.
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For me D'Angelico, Gibson, Guild and Epiphone headstocks (in that order) all work as functional art. I like Fender and Martin headstocks for their simplicity and utility.
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and classic understated
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There are some crazy Gibson ones out there on Pinterist but I don't want to pay them. I agree with the Guild and especially D'Angelico.
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A little palate cleanser is in order at this point.
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^ hah, hammertone...and here i was expectin'
cheers
ps- perhaps the absinthe of headstocks!Last edited by neatomic; 02-11-2021 at 09:45 PM.
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Heritage of course
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While we are at it, let’s not forget this one!
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Danny W.
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I appreciate everyone's responses and pictures!
A fun thread we've got here!
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Works of art all.
I have a special place in my heart for the New Yorker with the finial.
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below; purple heart overlay, non engraved parts....
I remember John Zeidler conceiving and executing this design, one of only a few guitars he made w/this tortoise overlay and ornate hand engraved tuners, his top of the line Jazz Deluxe Special [see top pics]. I couldn't believe how incredible a guitar it was when he invited me over to check out and play the finished product [though I shouldn't have been surprised, a close friend for many yrs] he also made 3 or 4 like this with purple heart overlay w/out the engraved tuners [same guitar w out the bling, like those best, John did too, as in pic above, still have mine]. Specials had extensive engraved parts front to back on every surface including tailpiece, tuner mounting plates, he even made the custom matching tortoise nipples on the tips of the tuners as well as the tips of the shafts [looks like the G nipple on this one got knocked off, hah]
there's much more than the photos show, do yourself a favor and blow up the pics, the detail is beyond incredible, even the tops of all the screws are engraved, not to mention he custom made the string posts that protrude in equal length from the front of the headstock to compensate for his tapered thickness peghead and engraved the tops of the shafts [look closely!] just brilliant attention to detail.
His hand cut and engraved pearl headstock banner inlay is still the finest I've seen to this day, you just can't tell the detail from these pics. speaking of which, if ya squint, you might see the ultra thin multiply binding, more precise than you've ever imagined, whew, he was a true master builder!Last edited by wintermoon; 02-12-2021 at 03:24 PM.
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Back to the whipped cream! More like this one.
Originally Posted by neatomic
^ hah, hammertone...and here i was expectin'
cheers
ps- perhaps the absinthe of headstocks!
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Someone (sarcastically ?) mentionned it
I have to show it
The only one that might be prettier is the same with an eagle !
Period.
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Well, not a guitar - it's my KoAloha KTM-25 Tenor Ukulele - but what a cool headstock!
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Uh-oh, here we go again.... Originally Posted by paul s.
Heritage of course
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I really enjoyed all the photos and comments!
Thanks friends!
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are nylon string headstocks allowed?
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From the "less is more" crowd is the Steinberger. I used one as a travel guitar. Works well and no neck dive.
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From the "more is more" perspective.
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Yamaoka guitars
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Bozo
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Frameworks guitar.
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Stand back, please:
C'mon, give the maestro some room, he came all the way from Japan:
Shiro Tsuji. The guitar is a masterwork and he doesn't even put his name on the peghead!
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Those inlays (the second Hofner) would help me remember which string I'm changing.
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I definitely prefer to see straight-ish string pull or at least not to see the string behind (almost) coming imto contact with the peg in front.
So, Heritage it is all the way. Except the Eagle Centurion, which was obviously designed by Terry Gilliam.
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It's cheap, made in china, but I really like this headstock.
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Two Slingerlands and a Gibson Les Paul Artisan.
1930s sunburst Songster:
1930s blonde Songster:
1978 Les Paul Artisan, sunburst with 3 pickups. I think it weighs 50 pounds, half of that comes from all that mother of pearl.
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Does anyone else see the flying spaghetti monster in the Hofner headstock?
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I am So Happy to see all the examples that you've all collectively shared! I really feel
a lot of artistry is exhibited in headstocks! And looking closely at at the variety we see
in this thread, I am often finding it hard to be honest with myself in studying JUST the
shape of the headstock, sans all the inlay work, sans depth of some designs, sans colors
of the wood, sans non-wood veneers, and so on, and so on!
I offer another headstock that I really LOVE in the below photo. I feel it's a "fancied up"
Stratocaster type, so to speak. But again, a big part of its attractive "look", is that there are
two depths to the surface of the headstock, so it's NOT just the shape of the outer edge.
Now I confess that I really do NOT care for the shape of the guitar that this headstock is
typically associated with, the Gibson NON-REVERSE Firebird. Further, I don't really care for
the REVERSE Firebird either, so, I actually can't immediately think of a guitar body shape
that I feel this headstock works correctly with. And I Love it nonetheless!
Google Image Result for https://64.media.tumblr.com/2fd2386dd4335a64517ff4a9c1235ed7/tumblr_o2vgvnek7z1ul6an2o1_1280.jpg
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OK you win! Originally Posted by Woody Sound
Looks like a Dr. Seuss version of a stringed instrument.
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OK it's not too complicated or elaborate, but for a clean midcentury look it's hard to beat this Harmony headstock. How many headstocks have you seen in Walnut?
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Mine (I'm prejudiced). Quite understated compared to the other amazing examples here (I hate doing inlay)
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These are all really cool examples. It occurs to me that trends in headstocks seem to mirror trends in furniture styling. Not surprising I guess.
If so, sleek midcentury designs like Fender and the Gibson Firebird and my Harmony should be top of the charts.
I like/love that Gretsch White Falcon, but can't see myself ever getting or playing one. It's the Elvis of guitar headstocks for sure!
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Not a fan of ornate guitars. Minimalist, me.
Ken Parker archtop:
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Originally Posted by Dave Johnson
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Originally Posted by Roy Boy
Mine (I'm prejudiced). Quite understated compared to the other amazing examples here (I hate doing inlay)
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Now that's a Heritage headstock that I like! However, usually when I'm looking at a Heritage I am paying very little attention to the headstock and my eye is drawn to the typically glorious sunburst that they do. Other than maybe Jimmy D'Aquisto, I don't know that anyone in guitar making consistently does such a beautiful bursts. Originally Posted by Marty Grass
From the "more is more" perspective.
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I think the Gibson flying V is a piece of symmetrical beauty.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/752450
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Agreed, as a matter of fact, the rare times I see a nice burst on a Gibson I think someone from Heritage must have been invited to spray some in a teaching clinic at Gibson :-) Originally Posted by Cunamara
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