Pros and cons of headless?

[kesslari]

Other than the obvious (looks and length) what are the advantages/disadvantages of headless basses?

What, for example, is the impact on dead spots or lack thereof? What's the tonal impact?

JK

[fenderhutz]

Strings.

[Dave Muscato]

You didn't mention balance, which, to me, is the main reason to get a headless (I play with very upright posture, coming from a classical guitar background, like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUh_7UeYv-M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe7xvWXfpMY )

[Mingus]

Yeah, balance. Also, when I first got mine I was playing with my thumb off the edge of the neck.

[ehque]

And from balance comes weight, and from weight comes comfort.

[steve21]

No neckdive. No dead spots. Portable.

[Ray Holt]

Chicks will be more attracted to you. They won't know why. But it will be so.

[gold_member_321]

No annoying headstock dings from smashing it into stuff on accident while playing.

[asad137]

I wonder if a 34"-scale headless will fit in a guitar gig bag?

Asad

[gold_member_321]

Originally Posted by asad137

I wonder if a 34"-scale headless will fit in a guitar gig bag?

Asad

I just measured. My jazz is 37 inches from the nut to the edge of the body behind the bridge, and my Dean guitar is 38 overall length. So it should with with some room to spare.

[MX21]

I'm in the middle of a headless build right now. It will be lighter and shorter, of course. The body can be smaller/lighter since it has less neck to balance. It will help in those tight stage conditions since I have about 6 to 8 inches less sticking out to hit stuff. Also, I think it's easier to build, since you don't have to shape the head and drill all the tuners and such. It allows me to use a zero fret, which will be a bit easier than shaping a nut.

MX

[jordan_frerichs]

Originally Posted by Dave Muscato

You didn't mention balance, which, to me, is the main reason to get a headless (I play with very upright posture, coming from a classical guitar background, like this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe7xvWXfpMY )

agreed. if the body is light, heavy tuners on the headstock can cause more neck dive. this will transfer mor weight from the neck end to the bridge end.

[Dirk Diggler]

It may seem funny, but to me I can feel a wind resistance difference amongst the already stated pros for headless.
Dirk

[kesslari]

So far lots of pros, few cons.
So the obvious questions:
Why are so few people playing headless?
And why are most of the basses posted here in the Luthier's section headed, rather than being built headless?

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by kesslari

So far lots of pros, few cons.
So the obvious questions:
Why are so few people playing headless?
And why are most of the basses posted here in the Luthier's section headed, rather than being built headless?

The majority of people who dislike headless basses just don't like the aesthetic. There's no real cons - unless you count not being able to bend the string behind the nut as a con (hence the "bendwell" on Status King basses).

Pros include more compact, lighter weight, better balance, zero fret rather than a nut (if you see this an advantage - not really a big difference), really fast string changes if you use double ball strings, some would say easier tuning (right handed for righties), reputedly less likely to have dead spots... I still love my traditional instruments, but I'm gassing badly for another Status bass, probably a Streamline. Hmmm, I might try and get down to Colchester over the next week or two.

[pilotjones]

Same as the answer to, "why are 75% of all basses P or J copies in basic form." Because that's what people want (or don't want). Why do most people's houses look exactly like the house next door, except for color?

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

Originally Posted by asad137

I wonder if a 34"-scale headless will fit in a guitar gig bag?

Asad

yep- I carry my Hohner B2A in a standard guitar Rockbag.

re. deadspots, they are still there (with wood necks) but in completely different places to headed basses, and barely noticeable.
on the Hohner the octave G on the G string sustains very slightly less, also the open D, and some of the higher notes on the E string -
but I only noticed them when playing in bands with bottom-heavy guitars, and since changing bands there's no problem at all.

[F-Clef-Jef]

Con: Finding decent strings...
Pro: Those strings (once you find them) are really easy to change (and to clean and use again). I have a PVC tube filled with denatured alcohol that I have a set of strings in at all times. (I hate to admit it, but right now the set on my Steinberger is about 15 years old! And they still sound great... mostly)

[MX21]

Originally Posted by F-Clef-Jef

Con: Finding decent strings...
Pro: Those strings (once you find them) are really easy to change (and to clean and use again). I have a PVC tube filled with denatured alcohol that I have a set of strings in at all times. (I hate to admit it, but right now the set on my Steinberger is about 15 years old! And they still sound great... mostly)

The ABM headless hardware set I got will take standard strings. It has allen head screws to clamp the strings at the head end. (photo is of the guitar version, but you get the idea).

MX

[BlackLake]

Years ago, my Washburn Bantam B3 (steinberger copy) delayed our passage at the US border, until they were able to verify it wasn't a rifle in disguise. Damn that trussrod hole at the end of the neck!

true story!!!!