Tonewood
- Thread starter RVA
- Start date
Yeah, the first time I saw a picture of a Bigsby headstock, it was kind of an eye-opener.
gball
Ambassador of Boogie
BEst Fender Headstocks ever
Sorry, I have to disagree. These are the best Fender headstocks ever...
...because they are on the best guitars Leo ever designed/built.
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G&L is truly Fender. George & Leo = G&L.
Hate to debate you on this bro, But...
George Fullerton & Clarence Leo Fender.
Original & founders and keepers of the Fender flame.
Plus Fender was in "Fullerton" Ca.
Coincidence, Hmmmm. One needs to speculate on that.
I had a G&L ASAT, older U.S. made model.
Killer Tele style guitar. Ash body and all.
Only reason I don't still have it because I was offered a Mesa in trade.
What would Jesus have done...
Yep, He would have swapped too.
I think G&L Was more Fender than Fender was at that time.
Again this is just an opinion of a former G&L owner.
Tastes vary.
syscokid
Ambassador of War & Peace
It's in the mail, from Beijing...
Love you long time Joe. Happy ending now?Awwesome!
thats where I get my Gibsons nowFunny phrasing in the emails but good eggs those guys.
Col Mustard
Ambassador of Perseverance
Ol' Leo Fender never admitted to copying Bigsby's guitar headstock, even though they
knew each other and had dinners together with Les Paul himself, and maybe
some others, like maybe Ernie Ball. Leo said he got the idea from watching a touring
Romanian or Hungarian folk band, who played E. European traditional instruments
with that type of headstock. Do we believe him? Do we believe anything anymore...
There are apparently a number of them, and that style is common enough not to be
anyone's property. Leo rightly figured it was fair game. If anyone had rights to it, they
would be very rich by now. Leo also had enough engineering know how to understand
what Robert wrote about the straight pull being an improvement. AND that the lack of
back angle and a maple neck meant a stronger headstock joint as well as more
economical use of lumber. (Gibson wastes a lot of mahogany cutting those one piece
necks out). But don't our Gibsons sound GOOOOOOOD... don't they just.
Funny, Humble Epiphone does NOT waste wood. My Epiphone ES-339 has a neck made of at least two pieces with the headstock glued onto the neck in what's called a 'Scarf Joint."
I've read posts by guitar tone purists who sneer at scarf joints as something that sucks tone, but I don't believe this. Mine sounds great, humble though it may be. Epiphone engineers
may be onto something, as supplies of large logs of "tonewood" disappear.
Guitar tone purists also sneer at bolt-on necks as something undesirable, but try and tell that
to a Strat player, or to a Fender bass player like me. We might whup yer ass up and down Broadway
with a Telecaster. Wood is like, not magnetic, man... My favorite straight pull headstock looks
like this: (very well made in Mexico, a replica of the Classic '72)
To me, it's an excellent look and an excellent design, even if it were under the
auspices of CBS Fender, it was still done by talented designers and engineers.
Works fine, sounds great, stays in tune like a champ... and the one piece maple
has a lot of visual appeal IMHO.
This Telecaster has awesome sustain, and great tone in its highs, mids and lows,
so I'm very attached to it. The notorious '70s "three bolt" attachment system with
its micro tilt adjustment also works fine IMHO. Set it and forget it. It seems quite
stable, well designed and works as advertised.
oh yea, and I can upload one more pitcha maybe, just to t'row some glue in the sandbox,
but one of my other favorite straight pull headstocks (besides my legendary Fender J-Bass)
is this Epiphone Wilshire, originated in Kalamazoo Michigan by the same guys who built the
"golden age" Les Pauls and the Sixties SGs... czech this one out: Mine is a Chinese built
replica of the old 62s, but it's also a righteous guitar, after a few upgrades.
But hey! Look at the back angle on this baby... Right out of Gibson's playbook.
knew each other and had dinners together with Les Paul himself, and maybe
some others, like maybe Ernie Ball. Leo said he got the idea from watching a touring
Romanian or Hungarian folk band, who played E. European traditional instruments
with that type of headstock. Do we believe him? Do we believe anything anymore...
There are apparently a number of them, and that style is common enough not to be
anyone's property. Leo rightly figured it was fair game. If anyone had rights to it, they
would be very rich by now. Leo also had enough engineering know how to understand
what Robert wrote about the straight pull being an improvement. AND that the lack of
back angle and a maple neck meant a stronger headstock joint as well as more
economical use of lumber. (Gibson wastes a lot of mahogany cutting those one piece
necks out). But don't our Gibsons sound GOOOOOOOD... don't they just.
Funny, Humble Epiphone does NOT waste wood. My Epiphone ES-339 has a neck made of at least two pieces with the headstock glued onto the neck in what's called a 'Scarf Joint."
I've read posts by guitar tone purists who sneer at scarf joints as something that sucks tone, but I don't believe this. Mine sounds great, humble though it may be. Epiphone engineers
may be onto something, as supplies of large logs of "tonewood" disappear.
Guitar tone purists also sneer at bolt-on necks as something undesirable, but try and tell that
to a Strat player, or to a Fender bass player like me. We might whup yer ass up and down Broadway
with a Telecaster. Wood is like, not magnetic, man... My favorite straight pull headstock looks
like this: (very well made in Mexico, a replica of the Classic '72)
To me, it's an excellent look and an excellent design, even if it were under the
auspices of CBS Fender, it was still done by talented designers and engineers.
Works fine, sounds great, stays in tune like a champ... and the one piece maple
has a lot of visual appeal IMHO.
This Telecaster has awesome sustain, and great tone in its highs, mids and lows,
so I'm very attached to it. The notorious '70s "three bolt" attachment system with
its micro tilt adjustment also works fine IMHO. Set it and forget it. It seems quite
stable, well designed and works as advertised.
oh yea, and I can upload one more pitcha maybe, just to t'row some glue in the sandbox,
but one of my other favorite straight pull headstocks (besides my legendary Fender J-Bass)
is this Epiphone Wilshire, originated in Kalamazoo Michigan by the same guys who built the
"golden age" Les Pauls and the Sixties SGs... czech this one out: Mine is a Chinese built
replica of the old 62s, but it's also a righteous guitar, after a few upgrades.
But hey! Look at the back angle on this baby... Right out of Gibson's playbook.
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I always thought the Fender Stratocaster headstock was mathematically brilliant, but absolutely ugly.
And I never saw Bigsby's headstock until it was posted to this thread. Wow....
I used a licensed Fender Stratocaster headstock neck (made by B. Hefner) for my first 24.75" x 12.00" prototype. I think the old Fender headstocks look cooler and/or more sinister in all black...
I'm pleased with how our own headstock turned out. It retains the straight-pull concept but adds a certain "cool vibe" and it's not a knock off of another established design...
I have to admit I was really shocked to see Bigsby's headstock. I mean, that's like a carbon copy...I never knew about that...
bea
AmBASSador of the F Clef
There are many possibilities to make wood saving and strong headstocks with some back angle. And it is economically interesting to use them for budget guitars. If You ever come across a Vester Witch (935) bass - have a look at its headstock. The way they were saving wood is really impressive.
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
Where is my G&L??????
I have been waiting patiently..............................................I mean its NOT a FENDER no matter what you say--- because simply IT DONT SAY FENDER --- so BLAH and HUMBUG
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
This guy has a LOT of free time................................
syscokid
Ambassador of War & Peace
No kidding. He makes like 3 videos a week on YouTube. Can you make any money doing this?