Does Yer Headstock Rock?

[BigRedX]

2 hours ago, Badscrew said:

But then made it bigger on a G&L

 

IIRC that was partly forced upon him due to Ernie Ball acquiring the rights to the 3+1 headstock design when they took over Music Man. They have certainly been very diligent in cracking down on other bass manufacturers who try and copy it.

[PaulThePlug]

4 hours ago, Doctor J said:

The Ibanez SR is, to me, an exceptional headstock design. Compact, well thought out and elegant.

Yep... with the worn pebble body, and that fine neck that connects the two... Likes an SR...

Edited June 15, 2022 by PaulThePlug

[Newfoundfreedom]

15 minutes ago, PaulThePlug said:

Yep... with the worn pebble body, and that fine neck that connects the two... Likes an SR...

 

Yeah it's such a shame they have to ruin it with that bloody SDGR logo that looks like a font from a 90's word processor. 

[binky_bass]

9 hours ago, Rich said:

I've always loved the cool, functional simplicity of the Aria/Westone headstock. I definitely prefer 2+2 or 3+2 to 4 inline. 

 

What about 5+5?

 

[skankdelvar]

Does Your Headstock Rock?

 

To The Tune of The Sailor's Hornpipe

 

 

 

Does your headstock rock? Does it swing to and fro?
Can you tie it in a bow? Can you tie it in a knot?
Does it make a lusty clamour if you hit it with a hammer?
Can you do the double shuffle when your headstock rocks?

 

Does your headstock rock? Does it swing to and fro?
Can you tie it in a bow? Can you tie it in a knot?
Can you bounce it off the wall like an Indian rubber ball?
Can you do the double shuffle when your headstock rocks?

 

Does your headstock rock? Does it swing to and fro?
Can you tie it in a bow? Can you tie it in a knot?
Do you get a funny feeling when you bang it on the ceiling?
Can you do the double shuffle when your headstock rocks?

[Ed_S]

7 hours ago, Doctor J said:

The Ibanez SR is, to me, an exceptional headstock design. Compact, well thought out and elegant.

 

Have to agree. Never quite worked out why the lower numbered 5-string models are 3 over 2 but the premiums and prestiges are 2 over 3, though. Not that it matters at all - they both look fine.

 

I also quite like the somewhat similar Spector headstock that tends to grace their 5s, but I'm much less enamoured of the version that seems to be used more often on their 4s.

[Grahambythesea]

I don’t know whether a headstock should rock, I like Fenders, got most things right, straight away, but it shouldn’t cause the neck to droop and be tasteful. I think this is pretty good.

[blowinblue]

 

 

 

 

M. M.

Edited June 19, 2022 by blowinblue
add a photo

[Skybone]

[Woodinblack]

8 hours ago, Ed_S said:

I also quite like the somewhat similar Spector headstock that tends to grace their 5s, but I'm much less enamoured of the version that seems to be used more often on their 4s.

 

Same here - the 4 headstock puts me off for the same reason as the Ric headstock above, when the middle strings veer off after the bridge (same as gibson les paul headstocks) - I like the string to visually continue straight.

[Ed_S]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

Same here - the 4 headstock puts me off for the same reason as the Ric headstock above, when the middle strings veer off after the bridge (same as gibson les paul headstocks) - I like the string to visually continue straight.

You know, I guess that might even answer my other question about the 3/2 vs 2/3 on different SR models. When you retrofit the premium tuners to the non-premium basses, the G does take on a bit of a naff-looking angle due to the increased width of the shaft compared to the stock tuners. Putting 3 underneath means the G is further to the right and therefore straighter.

 

 

I can live with that slight visual demerit in trade for the much nicer-looking tuning keys on the GB707s, though.

[Doctor J]

13 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

Yeah it's such a shame they have to ruin it with that bloody SDGR logo that looks like a font from a 90's word processor. 

Back in the mid-80's, when they designed and released the first SRs, a 90's word processor font was a glimpse into the future 😁

[Doctor J]

Some other gloriously impractical personal faves. Yeah, well, maybe I want to have somebody's eye out!

 

[Stub Mandrel]

A surprising but serious contender for aesthetic perfection in a headstock.

 

 

 

And a complete fail:

 

[BillyBass]

20 hours ago, HippieNerd said:

...or in the case of my G&L 4 1.  

Hold on a minute, OP.  You are complaining about Fender headstocks but you own a G&L?

 

One of these, er, beauties?

I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I own a G&L, great bass with an eyesore at the end of the neck.  I personally believe the Fender Telecaster has the most beautiful headstock ever created.  But I'm a bassist so I don't have one.

Edited June 16, 2022 by BillyBass

[ChWillie]

1 hour ago, BillyBass said:

Hold on a minute, OP.  You are complaining about Fender headstocks but you own a G&L?

 

One of these, er, beauties?

I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I own a G&L, great bass with an eyesore at the end of the neck.  I personally believe the Fender Telecaster has the most beautiful headstock ever created.  But I'm a bassist so I don't have one.

I'm the OP who loves Fender and G&L headstocks.  But I can understand why he likes the G&L over the Fender.  It looks more modern, and not everyone is hooked on tradition.  Perfectly cool..

Edited June 16, 2022 by HippieNerd

[tegs07]

22 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

Leo Fender obviously thought that his original bass headstock "design" was too big because he reduced it on the Stingray.

apparently it was to reduce dead spots rather than aesthetics.. 

[baa]

On 15/06/2022 at 12:13, Rich said:

I've always loved the cool, functional simplicity of the Aria/Westone headstock. I definitely prefer 2+2 or 3+2 to 4 inline. 

I think we have similar taste 😀
 

[Badscrew]

2 hours ago, BillyBass said:

Hold on a minute, OP.  You are complaining about Fender headstocks but you own a G&L?

 

One of these, er, beauties?

I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  I own a G&L, great bass with an eyesore at the end of the neck.  I personally believe the Fender Telecaster has the most beautiful headstock ever created.  But I'm a bassist so I don't have one.

 

3+2 G&L headstocks are worse than these

[Woodinblack]

34 minutes ago, Badscrew said:

 

3+2 G&L headstocks are worse than these

 

3+2 G&L headstocks are pretty good. Certainly better than any 4/1 headstock, and better than any fender headstock.

[neepheid]

2 hours ago, HippieNerd said:

I'm the OP who loves Fender and G&L headstocks.  But I can understand why he likes the G&L over the Fender.  It looks more modern, and not everyone is hooked on tradition.  Perfectly cool..

 

Ha, I see what you did there

[BillyBass]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

 

3+2 G&L headstocks are pretty good. Certainly better than any 4/1 headstock, and better than any fender headstock.

500 years ago, in Spain, people like you were burnt at the stake.

[Woodinblack]

5 minutes ago, BillyBass said:

500 years ago, in Spain, people like you were burnt at the stake.

 

Indeed. Then artists managed to break free from oppression and declare that previous stuff was ugly!

 

[crazycloud]

On 16/06/2022 at 01:42, HippieNerd said:

I seriously have never thought the Fender headstock too big, proportional to the rest.

Look at one on a Jag bass which is basically the same size as a P or J from memory and tell me it looks proportional, even referenced to a P or J. It looks like a child with a head it's yet to grow into.

 

The other reason I'm not fond of them is they often have large and heavy tuners that are all the way out on the end of a lever arm which makes them neck heavy, or at least heavier than it needs to be.

Edited June 16, 2022 by crazycloud

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, HippieNerd said:

I can understand why he likes the G&L over the Fender.  It looks more modern,

 

Funny, I think the G&L looks over ornate and old fashoned. They both take cues from a treble clef, ironically.