Gibson vs Campellone headstocks

[Stringswinger]

Without looking or feeling the headstock, I don't believe you could tell me whether a guitar has a volute or not by simply playing it, so saying they're just not for you is really an odd comment. (Unless you're just referring to the looks of one?)

You can believe what you want, but I have owned several Norlin era Gibson's with their volute and I most assuredly do feel it when playing in the first position.

[GNAPPI]

Nooo.... not another volute thread!!!

Calling LtKojak... Pepe... he'll put this thread straight :-)

I've never felt a volute... a git having one is to me a plus, though like anything else a strengthening a weak spot for a hard whack moves the problem to the next weakest area... I know I worked quite a bit in a drop test lab in a major computer maker's R&D labs :-)

It's a good thing other makers did not cave to buyer hysteria back in the day, and newbies only have them to blame if the head snaps off a Gibson. Gibson could care less, it's not covered by a warranty so break them and send them in for a quote!

[vintagelove]

Wow, so much for the "5 piece neck" added strength and stability. Sorry about that!

UPS modified it to the far superior "6 piece neck". Consider it a favor.

[PaulW10]

You can believe what you want, but I have owned several Norlin era Gibson's with their volute and I most assuredly do feel it when playing in the first position.

I certainly don't doubt this. However, the original post was Gibson vs. Campellone. Someone threw out some snark about owners of Campellones, and then followed up saying "volutes are just not for me" when obviously he had never played a Campellone. There is absolutely zero impact on playability of Mark's headstock design. I never even realized mine had a volute until this thread. So I found the comment odd. It's like say "having a strong headstock is just not for me"

[jazzkritter]

So Paul you’re saying someone with no Campy experience is commenting on how a Campy neck feels? On this forum? No, no one would do that.

[PaulW10]

So Paul you’re saying someone with no Campy experience is commenting on how a Campy neck feels? On this forum? No, no one would do that.

Yes, I guess now that you mention it that is what I was trying to say!!

[PDeville]

"So I found the comment odd. It's like say "having a strong headstock is just not for me""

No it isn't. He is simply saying that he doesn't like the look or feel of the volute. I don't either.
And you know, I do believe Campellone has made guitars without it. A person interested in his instruments could ask him about the volute.

[PDeville]

You can believe what you want, but I have owned several Norlin era Gibson's with their volute and I most assuredly do feel it when playing in the first position.

Yeah, so did I and I noticed it. The instruments are still nice either way. But I wouldn't CHOOSE to have a volute.
My 59 Reissue ES175 has a big D shaped neck, .88 at the first first fret, And it DID fall off a stand, front side hit the floor. oops!!!

Makes a brilliant sound, by the way.

No damage done.

[Marinero]

I once had a buddy who liked women with big bottoms . . . not that there's anything wrong with big bottoms . . . per se . . .
Play live . . . Marinero

[PaulW10]

"So I found the comment odd. It's like say "having a strong headstock is just not for me""

No it isn't. He is simply saying that he doesn't like the look or feel of the volute. I don't either.
And you know, I do believe Campellone has made guitars without it. A person interested in his instruments could ask him about the volute.

I'll buy he may not like the look from pictures, but not the feel. If he played one he'd see there is zero impact on playability, at least on my Campellone. I find this whole negative attitude about volutes really strange. However it's only since this thread that I realized that it's apparently been a long debated topic here. To me it's like that Dear Abby debate years ago about the correct way to put toilet paper in the dispenser....hanging over the top or from the back hanging against the wall. Serious disagreement about a non-issue.

[Gustavo Eiriz]

Guitar players (we) are SOOOOOO conservative. I hate that, surely a lot of advances could be made but the clients doesnt demand new technology, because **past time is always better**.
If it were for me, i would even use the robotic self tuning guitar (if it worked right which i think it still doesnt).
Nobody complains about Stratocaster pseudo volute, or violin volutes.

[grahambop]

I didn’t even know my Gibson 175 had a volute (or what a volute was) until I read about it on this forum, I couldn’t care less about it to be honest.

If you don’t like volutes, don’t even think about taking up the violin! (as Gustavo pointed out):

[setemupjoe]

You can believe what you want, but I have owned several Norlin era Gibson's with their volute and I most assuredly do feel it when playing in the first position.

I have a 1980 Gibson Super V with a volute and a 2006 Heritage Super Eagle without. I have never noticed any difference playing them. 1st position feels the same on both. Maybe it depends on where people position their thumb behind the neck? I’m pretty consistent in sitting it behind my middle finger when playing with the thumb pointing up to the ceiling. That means my thumb is behind the second fret when I’m in first position so nowhere near the volute.

[Stringswinger]

I have a 1980 Gibson Super V with a volute and a 2006 Heritage Super Eagle without. I have never noticed any difference playing them. 1st position feels the same on both. Maybe it depends on where people position their thumb behind the neck? I’m pretty consistent in sitting it behind my middle finger when playing with the thumb pointing up to the ceiling. That means my thumb is behind the second fret when I’m in first position so nowhere near the volute.

I play classical style (mostly) where my thumb is centered on the back of the neck. I also finger my open strings behind the nut (as does Pat Martino). Volutes of the large Norlin variety are just not for me. The other Norlin changes (Chrome vs Nickel plating, Amplifier knobs, peghead angle, plastic headstock veneer) do not bother me at all.

[Marinero]

For the sake of discussion, a properly executed barre has the thumb directly under the middle of a fret on the neck--opposing the index finger. This causes less strain on the thumb and increases downward pressure on the strings. In theory, this avoids any contact with the volute. However, shape and size of hands can be a factor for some with large hands but this is generally the exception rather than the rule.
Play live ?????? . . . Marinero

[bluejaybill]

I play classical style (mostly) where my thumb is centered on the back of the neck. I also finger my open strings behind the nut (as does Pat Martino). Volutes of the large Norlin variety are just not for me. The other Norlin changes (Chrome vs Nickel plating, Amplifier knobs, peghead angle, plastic headstock veneer) do not bother me at all.

Could you explain what you mean by fretting behind the nut? Haven't heard of that before.

Does it mean that when you play a scale with an open string you fret as if the form were further up the neck?

In any case as I said before, the new Campellone neck provides no hindrance for the way I play. And I use barres, thumb etc.

[PaulW10]

I play classical style (mostly) where my thumb is centered on the back of the neck. I also finger my open strings behind the nut (as does Pat Martino). Volutes of the large Norlin variety are just not for me. The other Norlin changes (Chrome vs Nickel plating, Amplifier knobs, peghead angle, plastic headstock veneer) do not bother me at all.

Yes I can understand that if you're treating the nut like a fret for open position in that case you may be able to feel it, even on a Campellone.

[Greentone]

FWIW, the volute on a Gibson Citation is a beautiful thing.

[jim777]

Yes I can understand that if you're treating the nut like a fret for open position in that case you may be able to feel it, even on a Campellone.

For the life of me I can't remember which guitar(s) it was of the ones I've gone through but one or two had zero frets and I thought those were the bees knees. I've been slowly letting a desire for a Campellone build grow in my head, as the last of the college tuition payments we've been making end in September, and if I go that route I might bring that up to him and see what he says...

[PaulW10]

For the life of me I can't remember which guitar(s) it was of the ones I've gone through but one or two had zero frets and I thought those were the bees knees. I've been slowly letting a desire for a Campellone build grow in my head, as the last of the college tuition payments we've been making end in September, and if I go that route I might bring that up to him and see what he says...

Yes I'd think that a zero fret would make an open string sound sonically like all the other fretted notes, right? I would think Mark would would do that.

[vinnyv1k]

FWIW, the volume on a Gibson Citation is a beautiful thing.

Also a Unity and a Cameo.