Does Headstock Appearance Matter To You?

[pingvuiini]

 

[Auspuff]

Yes, it absolutely matters.

2002, MIJ Jazz Custom.

 

[BergerHead]

Erm, well alright ... gimmie a minute and let me think about.
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I'll vote in your next poll, are you ok with that?

 

[Hundred proof]

Of the non-Fender headstocks I like the old Peavey headstock with the original logo.

 

[mrcbass]

Not super picky, but I've seen headstocks that have turned me away. Headless is absolutely out of the question.

 

[Rabidhamster]

To the average person in the audience of a bar, looks probably matter MORE than tone. Not saying that’s a good thing.

Said it before, I'll say it again: I just cannot get past the post-lawsuit G&L design.
BUT I'm an expendable $1,700 away from making an exception for the new Fallout shorty.

I used to feel that way but I’ve done a full reversal and now don’t like the original headstock, but love the post-lawsuit headstock.
That little point is cool with me.

 

[arbiterusa]

I run a Steinberger. The lack of a headstock is very important to me.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

View attachment 3644229

I love this headstock, because it's signed by one of my bass luthier heroes.

Nice. I love Ibanez 2 x 2 headstocks because they reduce the overall weight of the instrument and help with neck dive.

 

[4dog]

never liked inlines

 

[dalkowski]

Nice. I love Ibanez 2 x 2 headstocks because they reduce the overall weight of the instrument and help with neck dive.

While neither of those considerations ever registered with me, I used to own this, and it remains among my fave headstock designs. Strangely, it worked aesthetically (for me) on the P-style body.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

While neither of those considerations ever registered with me, I used to own this, and it remains among my fave headstock designs. Strangely, it worked aesthetically (for me) on the P-style body.
View attachment 3644346

@dalkowski that's the same head I have on my Roadstar II bass! I bought the bass around '81 and still have it in semi-retirement, bit I've been playing 2 by 2's since.

 

[malcarpian]

To me it only matters when you are looking at an already made design but with a different headstock. For example, Sire basses are Fender clones, so that headstock puts me off. Because you already associate the body with the headstock. Or a musicman copy with a 2+2 headstock. It's just weird.

If it's an original design and fits the body shape, it doesn't matter.
Ideally a headstock should be 2+2 (so less risk of neck dive), with straight string pull and angled so you don't need a string tree.

 

[woodyng2]

Never liked the 3+1 headstocks on ernie ball basses.
I prefer even distribution 2+2 headstocks overall, but i do really like the smaller, almost tele shaped headstock on my US GL JB2.

 

[Funkinthetrunk]

We humans are visual creatures, so of course it matters. But you know what they say about beauty.

 

[JoeWPgh]

I would say no, not at all. But, there's that awful G&L headstock that looks like it wants to be a bottle opener

 

[SteveCS]

Functionality is what matters to me, a 2x2 headstock just works better, IME.

I like my 2x2s...

 

[Huw Phillips]

It should be balanced, I prefer minimal

 

[maxschrek]

 

[FunkHead]

View attachment 3644383 View attachment 3644384 View attachment 3644387

I really like the Stingray in that pic. It's perfect.

 

[FunkHead]

I like these a lot.