Does anyone else hate fender color-matched headstocks?

[Strummerfan]

I was responding to a thread on which fender colors go best with a rosewood fretboard and it got me thinking about their headstocks. I've never been able to bond with a Fender that had a painted headstock, even when I've otherwise liked the guitar. I remember the late 80's HM Strat. They were great guitars, but the painted headstock turned me off. They must have a fan base, they've been reissued. I hear vintage guys go on about color matched headstocks and I just don't see the attraction. What do you guys think?

 

[hunter]

 

[Doctor Morbius]

I LOVE painted headstocks.

 

[Meriphew]

I love it on most of their guitars (other than Teles). I especially dig it on Fender offsets.

 

[monty]

I love them too, but only with rosewood. they dont look right to me with maple.

 

[Suhrtainly!]

If at all, must be paired with rosewood for my taste. Got me thinking about the KWS strat that I recently discussed with someone in another thread. I'm not really a strat guy, but I kinda like this:

 

[OnkelC]

i appreciate them, but wouldn‘t base a buying decision on it.

Blacktop 3H Strat by Chris Jaeger, auf Flickr
Daybreak Strat by Chris Jaeger, auf Flickr

 

[Defendant]

LOVE them.

 

[guitarmook]

HATE? No. Own? Also no.

 

[fjblair]

Also dislike.

 

[HAL 9000]

I love them...on Strats/Rosewood and Jazzmasters/Jaguars.

I still regret selling my 1993 1960 Custom shop Strat, Oly White with painted headstock.

 

[Slappy_Nerdlinger]

That's crazy talk...quite the opposite for me...I LOVE a matching Fender headstock...though i will also agree that they are't appealing on a maple fretboard.

 

[Hudman_1]

I like them.

 

[Yam the BOMB]

I don’t like color match headstocks. Seems cheap.

But I do like headstocks that are a different color like some Gretschs for example.

 

[Jon C]

I don’t have any or prefer them but don’t hate them.

 

[Noise Under The Floor]

No. I would prefer painted matching, or at least black headstocks. The only time I like a plain maple headstock is if it has either a vintage tint to the finish or has aged and yellowed naturally over time. I cannot stand the look of a plain “new” untinted headstock. It looks unfinished.

 

[MJR]

It really depends on the example.

Except for Jazzmasters, where they're scientifically proven to improve the look 315% of the time.

 

[Hackubus]

Love them.

 

[Strummerfan]

OP here. Yeah I forgot to mention the Jazzmaster being an exception to my basic premise.

 

[HERSCHEL]

I prefer them. It's an added touch that makes the instrument look like more attention was paid to detail. The unfinished headstock is the main thing that makes many Fenders/bolt-ons look "cheap".