Non Fender Headstocks: Favorite/Least Fav

[Nolatone Ampworks]

A lot of guitars out there that emulate our two most familiar Fender models, but the headstocks are all different.

Personally, I've always like Fender Headstocks the best, but...

Tell us which headstocks rock your boat and which hit the glacier for you:

Here's mine:

Favorite: Tom Anderson (sortof tied with G&L)

Least favorite: Used to be Tyler, but they are growing on me (go figure) but I really don't care for Suhr's design. No offence. Great guitars, but never like the HS.

Conjure up some uglies that can be added to the bottom of the list.

[Thor]

Great looking headstocks:

JG's
Baker B3's
Koll - many different styles and all of them money
Briggs



Not my cup o tea headstocks:

Tyler (I think that it's the graphics more than the shape)
Hamer/Heritage (probably just used to seeing the bigger Gibson head stocks on these body designs).

YMMV (and probably will). Beauty is subjective, and whether or not I like the looks of a headstock will not prevent me from getting a great guitar (love my Heritage, headstock and all).

Cheers,

Ed

[Mark]

For Fender style guitars I like Melancon and Lentz headstocks.

I don't like Suhr and Grosh headstocks.

Non Fender style. I HATE the Driskill headstocks. For some strange reason I can't look at them without thinking of Jughead.

[Mike Duncan]

http://pic16.picturetrail.com/VOL664/3909625/8084735/177584323.jpg
I like the Reverends.

[Thwap]

My favorite are the Tyler headstocks...very distinctive...I like that.

Least favorite is probably the hockey stick headstocks, like the ones on the ESP lynch Kamikazee.

[Pete Galati]

Dillion's Strat headstock is ok
http://www.dillionguitars.com/guitar/electric/DS/DS200/DS200QR-headstock.jpg

I like the normal Fender, Pre-BS style Strat headstock the best, but I'm not real big on buying things from FMIC right now.

[gkoelling]

My non-Fender favorite is G&L.

[AaeCee]

Love Don Grosh's headstocks. Understated yet elegant.

[LightninBoy]

Love Don Grosh's headstocks. Understated yet elegant.

+1!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d121/LightninBoy/2Toneheadstock-regularsize.jpg

[MikeP]

You know for a Non Fender Headstock I think the Suhr is very clean, slick & functional. Quite perfect actually like their guitars ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/flying333/Suhr%20Pro/2006_12020005.jpg

[fakeox]

favorite? the field hockey stick.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r293/fakeox/fencus.jpg

[OldSchool]

Favorite is Ernie Ball Music man.

Least favorite is Parker.

[lpsunburst]

Man those things bug me, every time I see a pic of Larry Carlton with one I wonder if he is thinking to himself "...that headstock bugs me..."

[EADGBE]

I like these two:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d188/picsyes/projectkramerheadstock5forposting.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d188/picsyes/bcrichheadstock.jpg

But I don't like this one below:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d188/picsyes/ibanez4.jpg

[HeeBGB]

I won't comment on a favorite but I know which is the worst....for me at least! Beat This! :jo

http://www.peekamoose.com/Images/brochure/newimages/butterm2full.jpg

[Smakutus]

+1!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d121/LightninBoy/2Toneheadstock-regularsize.jpg

That's pretty close to those old Bill Lawrence guitar headstocks:
http://rewsprov.halfmoon.jp/halfmoon/BL000011.jpg

Jeff

[ASATClassic]

Hate=Tyler
Can't decide=Suhr
Love/hate=G&L
Love=Anderson

[Nolatone Ampworks]

Hate=Tyler
Can't decide=Suhr
Love/hate=G&L
Love=Anderson

Carvin kindof blows too (the 6 inline model anyway).

Then, there's the Musicvox Gumbi headstock. Kindof fun....NOT pretty!:puh

[Nolatone Ampworks]

I won't comment on a favorite but I know which is the worst....for me at least! Beat This! :jo

http://www.peekamoose.com/Images/brochure/newimages/butterm2full.jpg

Holy crap, that's Hiiiiiiiideous! :worried

[Zuper]

I like the Suhr headstock.

Don't like Tylers, and don't think they'll grow on me...

[RichusRkr]

Tylers look horrible, I would'nt buy one just for that reason, the ugly headstock. What's he thinkin? I guess enough people like em, he keeps makin em. Andersons and Suhrs look ok, not great but passable. I like Grosh. You can't beat a Fender strat headstock, its cool how Leo nailed it right off the bat back in 1954. I actually love the the large CBS headstock... maybe cause I grew up with them. I'm lookin at my '66 and my CS 69 hanging on the wall right now.... awesome!

[bullet]

im in the minority but i like the old Hockey Stick Kramers .maybe its cause thats what Eddie was playing when he was god and i was in high school.

Least favorite Dean,those are just Fugly.

[Smakutus]

You can't beat a Fender strat headstock, its cool how Leo nailed it right off the bat back in 1954. I actually love the the large CBS headstock...

http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/images/guitar_headstock_220.jpg

I like the way Leo streamlined the shape of it but that headstock shape was around before 1954.

Jeff

[DejavuDave]

Headstocks I like: Suhr, Anderson

Headstocks I don't like: Tyler, G&L

But an ugly headstock would not keep me from an outstanding guitar.

[jaycee]

Holy crap, that's Hiiiiiiiideous! :worried

All you need is a straight-edge and a jig-saw and you can have the beautiful Parker headstock in no time!

[Ham_fist]

I really like this piece of goofiness for some reason.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/hamfist/Guitar/sgv800-3.jpg

[dharmafool]

One thing for sure, you can find more ugly peghead designs out there than you can find beautiful ones.

[toasteroven]

Best: Ernie Ball Music Man
Worst: tie between Robin and Tyler

[trisonic]

So subjective.....

Like: Zion (nice 3d look), Chapin (already copied by others).

Dislike: Grosh (too fat but love the guitars).

Some are just outlandish.

Best, Pete.

[Da5Id]

Favorite = Grosh
Least favorite = Tyler

[RichusRkr]

You guys got me gassing for another Grosh.

[60HzShuffle]

I really like the Suhr's myself. I think I even like them a little better than the Fender one's. I like the Lentz's too. The Tyler's aren't my cup of tea, but it would not keep me from buying if the guitar felt/sounded good.


:crazyguy That Peekamoose headstock would keep me from evening picking that one up (although I like the rest of it).

[Guitar James]

Favourite- Tyler and Suhr

Least favourite- D'pergo

[HeeBGB]

I really like the Suhr's myself. I think I even like them a little better than the Fender one's. I like the Lentz's too. The Tyler's aren't my cup of tea, but it would not keep me from buying if the guitar felt/sounded good.


:crazyguy That Peekamoose headstock would keep me from evening picking that one up (although I like the rest of it).


You know I am always saying that it doesn't matter what the guitar looks like as long as it plays and sounds good BUT that headstock makes me think twice. It would have to be one really great guitar for me to overlook that.

I don't particularly like the Tyler, Anderson or Suhr headstocks but they wouldn't deter me from buying.

[hogy]

http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/images/guitar_headstock_220.jpg

I like the way Leo streamlined the shape of it but that headstock shape was around before 1954.

Jeff


Yes, like a 120 years before. 1834 Stauffer:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL921/489579/5923483/214917249.jpg

[Jack Briggs]

http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/images/guitar_headstock_220.jpg



Yes, like a 120 years before. 1834 Stauffer:

http://pic18.picturetrail.com/VOL921/489579/5923483/214917249.jpg


Yes.....both of which are mimicking the side view of a cello scroll.

[60HzShuffle]

Jack - maybe you can do that Cello-burst with a Cello headstock! :eek: I love that finish that I saw on Jason's site.

[stratzrus]

I like the Travis Bean Aluminum headstock and the Dean V headstock as well.

The Dean headstock is an "improvement" over the original Gibson Futura headstock which was asymmetrical.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Dean V headstock in the "dislike" column...people seem to hate it for some reason.

stratzrus

[60HzShuffle]

Seems like that Dean headstock could be used as a weapon :p

I'm not into that one as well...

[UITA]

Gibson explorer, or the Kramer hockey stick both classics

http://www.yourdailymedia.com/i/u/h30GSy1i.jpg

Not exactly a big headstock but a huge head.

[Aahzz]

For Fender-type headstocks, I dig the G&L and the Reverend.

The Tyler headstock makes me want to vomit, both the shape and the graphics...I could probably get past one of thos issues, but both...hideous. Even worse than that Peekamoose abomination posted earlier in the thread.

[leofenderbender]

U G L Y !!!

http://www.allparts.com/shopimages/PHM-157.jpg
http://www.allparts.com/shopimages/PHR-1-159.jpg

[shallbe]

For Fender, I like Suhr, Chapin and Anderson. I don't hate Tyler, but I'm not fond of it. I don't like Grosh, not just the headstock but the body changes as well. They sure play and sound great, though.

Others I don't care for: Baker, Hamer (3+3), Dean, Takamine.

[nashvillesteve]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/stevepolcz/GL6.jpg

[Lucidology]

The Vigier Headstock isn't the most aesthetic...
When I had my Shawn Lane Signature model,
I used to get constant flack from the guys in the band
about the ugly lettering on the headstock..

When I covered it with some tape-on black felt
& a shinny Silver Om symbol... Everyone was happy!

I even had to admit to myself, that it did look much better,,,
would probably do the same with a Tyler's headstock...

[LightninBoy]

It took a while to grow on me, but I like the Suhrs as well as anything else these days as well:

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d121/LightninBoy/Suhr%20White%20Blonde/SuhrWB-headstock-internetsize-bette.jpg

[mattc41]

i like Suhr's and G+L, Tyler's just don't work for me. i've liked the few i've played though.

[duckbunny]

http://www.rrow2.freeserve.co.uk/guitars/music_vox/music_vox04.jpg

Lindert

http://www.harmony-central.com/Events/WNAMM97/Lindert/Conductor.jpg
Davoli
http://www.fetishguitars.com/img/wandre/scarabea/scarabeo/wandre-davoli-scarabeo.jpg http://www.fetishguitars.com/img/wandre/scarabea/scarabeo/wandre-davoli-scarabeo3.jpg



Ugh!

[Zuper]

No accounting for taste.

[landru64]

Holy crap, that's Hiiiiiiiideous! :worried

it just looks like something went terribly, terribly wrong. and then someone put a logo on it.

[Timbre Wolf]

Duesenberg (what a doozy!):

http://www.duesenberg.de/duesenberg/image/hb_doublecat12_detail02.jpg

Vaguely reminiscent of the car!

http://auta5p.car.cz/katalog/duesenberg/duesenberg_sj_01.jpg

[gkoelling]

I like this one too.


http://www.traditionguitars.com/guitars/jrsignature/imgs/jra/gallery/images/jra_head_jpg.jpg (http://www.traditionguitars.com/guitars/jrsignature/imgs/jra/gallery/images/jra_head_jpg.jpg)

[suhr_rodney]

Not the most understated, but I like this one:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/suhr_rodney/Suhr2003-5/DSCN4619.jpg


And this one is pretty cool, too! :D

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j148/suhr_rodney/Briggs_Classic/DSCN4938.jpg

[Bo Faulkner]

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r134/cbfx3/DSC00500.jpg

notice the relicing between the strings... for the purists :)

[rockinh]

Wanted to buy a Fred Stuart Tele, but I really don't care for the headstock! Grosh looks okay, but Tyler, Suhr, Melancon, Anderson and G&L are not my cup of tea. DeTemples aren't bad, nor Ruokangus's Tele (Mojo). But nothing beats Fender.

[EADGBE]

Here's some more of my favorites:

http://www.bill-lewington.com/Dean/gph/cadprhd.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d188/picsyes/deanzbabyheadstock.jpg

http://bcrich.net/vintage_file/83541/9.jpg

[Joe_Steeler]

I like: Tom Anderson, Suhr and Jackson/Charvel pointies.

Dislike: bold and capital - DEAN, Yamaha

[pbxl]

mine which I realy like
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/851/cc3im7.th.jpg (http://img105.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cc3im7.jpg)

[Kyle vs. Guitar]

For Fender style, I love the Lentz look. For the three-on-a-side headstock, it's hard to beat Thorn.

[stratzrus]

Here's some more of my favorites:

http://www.bill-lewington.com/Dean/gph/cadprhd.jpg


Seems like that Dean headstock could be used as a weapon :p




Perfect for when stage divers rush the stage.

:RoCkIn

stratzrus

[billyguitar]

The Lentz is the only one that I actually like. I can tolerate Anderson and Suhr (almost the same), and a few others but Tyler and Some of those others are incredibly poor industrial design. Totally alien sense of aesthetics. Maybe that's the point, they're so ugly we notice and talk. The Firebird is a good design and is close enough to a Fender type guitar to be included. I would imagine more of Leo's designs were done by Freddie Tavares than Leo himself. Leo was a genius machinist and tech person but I never heard he actually designed the visuals. The books I've read never have made that distinction.

[prsnstrat]

Asat

[prsnstrat]

Prs

[TopJimmy5150]

I always liked the Ibanez 6-inline headstocks...Jem, RG's, etc...

I never like the old Ibanez Roadstar Headstocks.

I don't like lawsuit-avoidance headstocks...they sort of look like the classics they're based on but are screwed up just enough to look awful.

[monstermike]

Favorite:
http://www.gibson.com/whatsnew/pressrelease/2003/images/rj_headstock.jpg

[Dave Orban]

Of the Fender-style headstocks, I like the traditional Tele headstock best. Period.

For non-Fender 6-in-line, I like the Anderson and the Suhr, and I think the Vinetto headstock works REALLY well...!

http://www.vinettoguitars.com/index_files/pics/VinettoDC55_680.jpg


As far as disllikes go, the Tyler is WAY up there. Both the shape and the type treatement show a total non-integration with the rest of the instrument. Kinda like wearin' a bow tie with a flannel shirt.

[disaster]

Oooooh man, the Tyler and Lindert headstocks bum me out. and Anderson as well (especially on the Atom). also: musicvox


Likes:
Ampeg Armstrong (that Briggs one looks quite similar)
Rickenbacker
Mosrite
Regular Gibson and Flying V

[Zappatalist]

Love the MJ Guitar Engineer headstock, one of a kind:

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g315/Zappatalist/posts/mirage.jpg

[Nolatone Ampworks]

http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r134/cbfx3/DSC00500.jpg

notice the relicing between the strings... for the purists :)

This is beautiful, nice figure!

I know the Zions are incredible guitars, but for some reason the way they do the log just screams pawn shop to me and I can't get it right in my heart to spend a lot of money on something that gives me that vibe :(

It's a shame too because I'm sure I'd love playing one!

[Nolatone Ampworks]

Yes.....both of which are mimicking the side view of a cello scroll.

Wow, they were copying Strats THAT far back?? :crazyguy

[Jack Briggs]

Wow, they were copying Strats THAT far back?? :crazyguy


Not Strats, Strads!!;)

[landru64]

i have to put in a vote for sadowsky

http://www.sadowsky.com/media/guitars/gallery_colors/strat_gallery.jpg