Off with his head!(?)

grace & groove · #1 01-17-2008, 04:34 PM

Some questions I think would be most appropriate to ask here:
1. Is there any possible way to convert a headed neck to a good headless neck?
2. Is it even possible to remove the headstock from a neck with no problems?
3. Are there any special things about headless necks that would be a reason you couldn't use a previously headed one?
4. Regardless of the other questions, the only place I know you can obtain a headless neck is Moses-Graphite. Anybody know anywhere else?

Any help is appreciated thank you very much.

SDB Guitars · #2 01-17-2008, 04:59 PM

The issues with converting headed to headless are many, but the two that stick out to me are these:

1) truss rod access - if your truss rod is accessed at the headstock, this could complicate taking the headstock off...

2) nut placement - the nut on a bass with a headstock is usually right at the "break over point... I am not sure you woud have enough room for the string anchor behind the nut.

3) Bridge placement - because on headless basses you tune at the bridge, most of the time their bridges are placed right at the end of the body. This may not work with your current body layout.

grace & groove · #3 01-17-2008, 06:18 PM

I have thought of 1 and 3. I have a Peavey neck that uses MM-style wheel truss rod access at the body end. I was thinking of putting that on a self-made body.

If I had to compensate for #2, what could I do?

SDB Guitars · #4 01-17-2008, 06:23 PM

Not sure... you have to have a certain amount of wood to hold the string anchor

grace & groove · #5 01-17-2008, 06:25 PM

Hmm.. If kept just enough of the headstock on for the string anchor It could work I think. I'm just not sure how much wood I would need. I might lose the whole purpose of the headless part.

SDB Guitars · #6 01-17-2008, 10:21 PM

exactly

fretlessrock · #7 02-20-2008, 09:39 AM

A guitar player I play with did this to a strat copy. He used an ABG kit and it works fine. Actually, it's better than fine! The balance is great and it sound/plays very nice.

I'm actually putting together a project like this using an unused Carvin neck-thru blank that I have kicking around. I have an unused ABG reverse bridge but I can't find a source for the headpiece. I'd like to find a clamp-type headpiece that doesn't require double-ball sets. Anyone know of a source?

Thanks in Advance

MPU · #8 02-20-2008, 09:58 AM

Find some brass and make one yourself. Not too difficult.
Marko