First Commission Build - Is A Super-Tele A Thing?

[Reedt2000]

Very cool project

Sub'd

 

[TerribleTim68]

Okay, I just couldn't handle the string pulls. Kept poking at it until I think I stumbled on something I like. -

This is also my attempt at coming up with a headstock that I can use for future builds, that says "That's Tim's headstock". My thought is to do either a step cut at that extra area on the end and the bass tuner side, or I could just use a different wood veneer to make it "two-tone".
I feel like this looks pretty good, to me anyways. I know it's kind of Ibanez looking and also a little Dingwall in it too. It's hard to create a headstock that doesn't already exist.
This also gives me an option to "flip" it and call it a "reverse headstock" as well. So in essence, I think I've created a headstock design that gives me four different options in the same design.
1) As show using two different colored veneers to create the design.
2) As shown using a stepped route around that end to create a lip.
3) Same as #1 but flipped.
4) Same as #2 but flipped.
Here's the "reverse" -

And, added bonus, I don't hate it. I think it's kind of cool.
This may be the birth of the "Bad Apple Guitarwerx" headstock design. Who knows.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Make a mockup of a neck with headstock, nothing like the real thing to tell the Tale. I like it!

 

[Reedt2000]

I like the whole thing, though the headstock has a bit of a Dingwall vibe.

Not that it's necessarily a bad thing

 

[TerribleTim68]

I like the whole thing, though the headstock has a bit of a Dingwall vibe.
...
Not that it's necessarily a bad thing

Hahaha, I feel like I said that....

.... I know it's kind of Ibanez looking and also a little Dingwall in it too. ...

I'm hopeful that the step part helps separate it a bit.

 

[RichterScale]

Headstocks is hard

 

[Gary_M]

I like the design, Tim. I used something similar on my DC Special build that I did a while back. I didn't go for completely straight string pul. But, as long as your nut is cut correctly, it will be just fine.

 

[Snert]

The first one, but it's so much like my own sketches I'm sorta biased.

 

[Silver Blues]

I think that headstock looks great. Having straight string pulls like you've got now elevates the aesthetic of an instrument a lot, IMO (for example, the Wal headstock

Also, at the risk of sounding like a shill, since your client specifically wants a Floyd, I wonder if they might not be interested in having a Sophia 2:92 instead. These tremolos, while somewhat more expensive than a Floyd, are a staggering improvement on the Floyd in almost every way imaginable. There are a couple of videos on Youtube demonstrating the capabilities of this system and it's truly astounding. While I'm not a good enough guitar player to justify it, I someday dream of having a guitar equipped with one

 

[Flamingo21]

This is also my attempt at coming up with a headstock that I can use for future builds, that says "That's Tim's headstock".

I feel you nailed it. It's specific enough to be recognizable, but will still fit different body styles.

 

[ctmullins]

Okay, that Sophia looks amazing!

But - for Floyd’s sake they need to STOP calling it a “tremolo”!!!

 

[Beej]

Okay, that Sophia looks amazing!

But - for Floyd’s sake they need to STOP calling it a “tremolo”!!!

Agreed. It's "vibrolo" or nothing.

 

[dwizum]

I prefer trembato, but whatevs.

 

[dwizum]

And this will make me sound incredibly vain, but I choose my trembatos based on aesthetics as a primary factor. Bigsbys look awesome on something vintagey and 50s'ish. A stock strat style trem looks good on 60's era instruments. To me, a Floyd or Kahler looks perfect on anything 80's through current in terms of overall style, and the Sophias and other weird ones are perfect for the more unusual far out modern designs. I think it would be hard to pull off a Sophia visually on a tele.

 

[2groggy]

I prefer trembato, but whatevs.

You say "trembEHto", I say "trembAHto".....

 

[ThudThudThud]

Carved top like the FMT HH Telecaster would be cool.

 

[TerribleTim68]

Oh God no, I hate carved tops. I think I mentioned that earlier in this very thread too.

 

[Silver Blues]

Okay, that Sophia looks amazing!

But - for Floyd’s sake they need to STOP calling it a “tremolo”!!!

Right?!

And yes you're quite correct lol, that's always irked me too, but folks understand it...

 

[Silver Blues]

And this will make me sound incredibly vain, but I choose my trembatos based on aesthetics as a primary factor. Bigsbys look awesome on something vintagey and 50s'ish. A stock strat style trem looks good on 60's era instruments. To me, a Floyd or Kahler looks perfect on anything 80's through current in terms of overall style, and the Sophias and other weird ones are perfect for the more unusual far out modern designs. I think it would be hard to pull off a Sophia visually on a tele.

Perhaps so, but then again, Sophia's YT channel features a 2:92 installed on some SG-90s and it looks totally at home there. (The SG-90, by the way, is a very cool instrument that I had no idea existed until seeing it there. They're apparently very rare.)

 

[Beej]

Oh God no, I hate carved tops. I think I mentioned that earlier in this very thread too.

Tim I want to commission an instrument, but I want the top to be heavily carved everywhere. Thoughts?