For A Strat which do you prefer Lrge 70's HS or Smaller? Just curious

[guitkrazy]

I am wondering what fellow posters prefer? I have both and as of late I am enjoying the Larger Headstock- I don't know if it gives me more sustain or different tone- All of my strats have their own sound but I am just liking the mass of the bigger HS- What do you guys prefer?

[GCDEF]

Small. I think the 70s style looks ridiculous.

[exodus]

Large headstocks. But I prefer the mid-60's versions with the transition decal and kluson tuners.

[dsmc80]

I love the large 70's head stocks. Unfortunately, I don't enjoy how many of those 70's strats play.

[Trebor Renkluaf]

Small. Large headstocks just don't look right - at all.

[buddastrat]

Love the big headstocks, small ones are everywhere on imports and knockoffs to 90% of Fender models and just very boring to see. I mean, they're okay but ho hum.

Growing up in 70's, my favorite players like Blackmore, Hendrix, VH (original Frankie), and later Yngwie all play them. Just so cool looking, and more proportioned to the body, imo. I especially love the mid-late 60's look.

[motorcitychick]

I like the large head stocks and the 65 transition period also. :JAM

[buddastrat]

Oh yeah, the 65's were cool. I especially like the rare '68 or so like

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tNu78SMKH6I/SGuGNJa902I/AAAAAAAAAoM/lKZw0CePrqA/s320/fender+cbs

Still got the nice tuners but all sexy and curvy!

[guitkrazy]

But do you notice a tone difference in the big -vs- the smaller?

[Virtual Pariah]

Depends on the color.
I like white to have a large HS.
2 tone Sunburst = Small
3 tone burst = big
Natural = Big

It's strange. or I'm strange.

[shawntp]

There is a certain Jimi Hendrix coolness factor to the transition period into CBS (65-68) where the had the traditional decal on the larger headstock.

http://www.sydneyguitarsetups.com/acatalog/PIC03912.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HTpcwx1BDqE/Rvl4IVIlJkI/AAAAAAAAAH4/638_eXFOnhQ/s400/10206A.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3043/2330894020_1508a518bc.jpg?v=0

I'm not a big fan of the decals once they switched to that bolder all-black TV-font though.

[exodus]

Tone difference? Never noticed one, but then again, I haven't had a small headstock strat in a long time. I agree that bigger, curvier shape complements the strat body well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/exodus1977/66%20CS%20Strat/DSC_2143.jpg

[DonP]

Small. I'd never buy a large to see if there was a tone difference.

[thetangmang]

I like them small too. It looks smoother, more natural and more sexy.

[mdog114]

I prefer small. I've got a 70s with the smallest frets, heaviest body, the roundest fretboard and the largest HS on earth! I still play it though.
:)

[bluesjuke]

No offense to those that like them and I've had a few in years gone by but to me large headstocks on Strats remind me of;


http://www.magic.org/store/images/ShoBeesRdBluYel.jpg

[Targ]

I like the small ones, the big headstocks remind me of the preponderance of junk made in the 70's
Sure, they made some good ones then too, but for the most part they are not known for high quality builds in those years.

[RichieD]

Small, thank you.

[marsos52]

got to be small.. i say small is the original.

[lordofthethighs]

When I started my quest for a CS Strat, one pre-requisite was LARGE headstock. They may not be for everybody, but I dig them.
The smaller headstocks are cool, also, but my preference is big.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c156/lordofthethighs/Guitars/09.jpg

[dsmc80]

I can haz guitar?

[stevieboy]

I prefer the small. But a large one wouldn't scare me away.

My first strat was a 78, bought new. At that time I wasn't really aware there was a difference.

[CS'56]

No offense to those that like them and I've had a few in years gone by but to me large headstocks on Strats remind me of;


http://www.magic.org/store/images/ShoBeesRdBluYel.jpg

Large headstocks :messedup I HATE THEM.
Seeing those photos reminded me how horrible they look. The bullet truss rod makes them look even worse.
The shoe photo is a very good representation of what a Large headstock does to a strat.

[The Golden Boy]

Small. Much more stylish and graceful.

[just_one_more]

I like the smaller ones, but that is true for pretty much head stocks in general, but they can get too small for my tastes too, and start to look unbalanced and crowded.

[dougk]

Both.

[monty]

I'll take the small almost every time. The large looks OK with a blonde maple neck though.

[Dubious]

Large is the only way to go for me. The small ones look dinky and out of proportion.

[buddastrat]

I like them small too. It looks smoother, more natural and more sexy.


Sexy? You must like'em skinny. I like the curves.

Can't post it here, but do a search for "girl and fender" art. Now that's SEXY!

[buddastrat]

No offense to those that like them and I've had a few in years gone by but to me large headstocks on Strats remind me of;


http://www.magic.org/store/images/ShoBeesRdBluYel.jpg


Yeah, look at these clowns:
http://www.vault66.org/ramhead/imgz/gilmour.jpg

http://www.hendrixguitars.com/Images/HendrixStratWhite.JPG
http://www.outpost100.com/guitar-players2/guitarist-pics/ritchie-blackmore.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_FR6DXnEnAuk/SVL6juZTMHI/AAAAAAAAEeo/JEMlIC-DPVQ/s400/Frankenstein+(

Just playin' but c'mon, it don't get cooler than that for strats.

[Boris Bubbanov]

Big headstocks get bashed into mike stands and so forth. Inconvenient.

Much more importantly, I insist on a thick girth FAT neck and if you combine a No-Caster thickness neck with a big headstock, a neck heavy guitar or a quite heavy guitar is a virtual certainty. Ain't doing that.

Thick section neck's tone advantage is: Can Man get to the Moon? Done;

Big headstock's tone advantage is: Can Man get to Mars? Who knows?

One other thing: Oversized headstocks often a coupled with the always lousy trapezoidal shaped tuners. I try not to make that connection but too often it is the case. And I have NO use for trapezoidal style tuners.

[ABKB]

When i think Strat I think Hendrix/Blackmore with the large headstocks. But, it's a preference, there's no wrong answer here.

[fatb0t]

The larger head stock is funky in a good way. The first strat I ever played with a 3bolt 72' my dad has. It's not the best guitar in the world, but it was my first strat so I love it!

[guitkrazy]

Yeah I agree there is no right or wrong and I have both- I remember years ago (15+) a guy that would come into the music store I worked saying that the big headstocks gave more sustain, but at the time I thought the larges were hideous. Times and taste change.

[buddastrat]

[QUOTE=Boris Bubbanov;9169069]Big headstocks get bashed into mike stands and so forth. Inconvenient.

Much more importantly, I insist on a thick girth FAT neck and if you combine a No-Caster thickness neck with a big headstock, a neck heavy guitar or a quite heavy guitar is a virtual certainty. Ain't doing that.

Thick section neck's tone advantage is: Can Man get to the Moon? Done;

Big headstock's tone advantage is: Can Man get to Mars? Who knows?
QUOTE]

I have a Danocaster neck, big head, that's nearly as thick as my nocaster, and that thing spanks with power. It has bigger badder tone than the neck of my nocaster which was on the same body. Balances fine too.

If you smash ANY headstocks into mike stands, I'd say it's time to lay off the booze.

[RvChevron]

Reversed Large CBS headstock!!!!

[GreenKnight18]

Big headstocks get bashed into mike stands and so forth. Inconvenient.

I'm guessing that's a joke. If it was the truth, Firebirds would all be destroyed or something.

I like both. Some guitars 'work' with the larger headstocks, others look better with the smaller ones. I judge on a guitar-to-guitar basis. For example, Buddy Holly looks great with his mid-50's strats. Jimi looks fine with his late 60's ones.

[guitkrazy]

Reversed Large CBS headstock!!!!
Now Your Talkin!

[exodus]

As for the "added mass" argument, I don't there is much there... literally. I have 3 large headstock necks (2 '66 CS necks and 1 CS '69). The actual neck thickness on all of them is a bit different, with my recent '66 having a pretty full/chunky neck. Despite this, the actual headstocks are all the same thickness. And, despite its looks, i don't think there really is that much more wood on the large headstock vs the small. So, all in all, i don't think there is an appreciable added mass. (imo, not nearly as noticeable a difference as say, quarter sawn vs. flat)

[Dev...in]

Large headstocks. But I prefer the mid-60's versions with the transition decal and kluson tuners.

yes! :BluesBros transition is teh coolest. The thing i find interesting is that for the longest time i didd'nt know that the headstock had a 3 part french curve... its very sophisticated and energetic looking.

[THebert]

I prefer the larger headstock.