Headstock doodles - thoughts?

[BTL]

I really like my current inline shape, but I sometimes think it's a little inconspicuous on bodies with more mass to them.

The bottle-opener isn't going anywhere...this may just be another option.

With that in mind, I'm doodling around with the basic top and tip profile and adding a lower fin to replace the hook.

What do you think?

Bass:

Guitar:

 

[dedpool1052]

I like it. I think your standard headstock looks good on the old slab body styled p-bass body. One thing that throws me off when looking at fender inspired basses is the use of tuners with 3/8" posts. For the longest time I was trying to put my finger on why Mike Lull's basses look "off" to me. It wasn't the pointed headstock, it was the small tuners. Pat wilkens has a similar pointed headstock but uses tuners with 1/2" posts. This is just my opinion/preference.

 

[Hopkins]

It looks ok. I think you can shape it a bit more so its not quite so bloated looking and it would look a bit better

 

[mapleglo]

Perhaps because I've been looking at actual Fender headstocks for 50 years (yikes!), any "Fender Inspired" headstock shape that is not a Strat or Precision shape just looks "off" to me. I don't even like Telecaster headstock shapes.

 

[BTL]

This is an exercise addressing the potential need to redesign the headstock for my 32" scale conversion necks.

Historically, the generic unfinished shapes had been what sold.

Times are changing, so I'm considering offering them only as finished, ready to install necks with logo and serial number.

On the shapes, my favorite nickname so far is the "Llama".

The more I look at them, the happier I get.

I think they would fit nicely anywhere in here:

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I've always been a sucker for the Bigsby Travis Bean style headstock that Leo obviously "borrowed" his design from. The big exaggerated "hook" on the underside harkened back to older instruments. Leo stole from the best, and it's hard to improve on that shape, but I like your take on it.

 

[JimmyM]

I've always been a sucker for the Bigsby Travis Bean style headstock that Leo obviously "borrowed" his design from. The big exaggerated "hook" on the underside harkened back to older instruments. Leo stole from the best, and it's hard to improve on that shape, but I like your take on it.

Bigsby Merle Travis And yeah, Leo definitely hoisted it from Bigsby, but I don't think it looks nearly as good as what Leo did with it. Plus that deep cut in it for the logo part looks like a headstock snapping waiting to happen.

 

[BTL]

On the size of the machines @dedpool1052, that's a good point.

I think my first P-Style builds looked great with the bottle opener.

When I tried the 32" scale version, it just looked a bit "off".

I wonder now if it was the machines?

It could also be that the CNC version is slightly slimmer than the modded Allparts prototypes, or that the black headstock face is "slimming":

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Yeah plenty fragile but retro cool! Who the hell is Travis Bean? Don't know where that one came from in my scatterbrain. Having tried my hand at a derivative body design, I realize how hard it is to come up with something new that flows naturally. The stratocaster, for instance, is a shape and contour that can't be improved, IMHO, though many have tried.

 

[BTL]

These are Travis Beans, by the way:

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Ha! That's it, forgot about those aluminum necked oddities. I nearly bought one back in the day, must be responsible for my brain fart. That's my story, i prefer it to the early alzheimers alternative.

 

[BTL]

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

I really like my current inline shape, but I sometimes think it's a little inconspicuous on bodies with more mass to them.

The bottle-opener isn't going anywhere...this may just be another option.

With that in mind, I'm doodling around with the basic top and tip profile and adding a lower fin to replace the hook.

What do you think?

Bass:

Guitar:

The bass is fine but the guitar example has the strings breaking across the nut in an upward angle for some reason, that is to be avoided.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Yeah plenty fragile but retro cool! Who the hell is Travis Bean? Don't know where that one came from in my scatterbrain. Having tried my hand at a derivative body design, I realize how hard it is to come up with something new that flows naturally. The stratocaster, for instance, is a shape and contour that can't be improved, IMHO, though many have tried.

Travis Bean - Google Search

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Seeing that Merle Travis guitar again sets my wheels spinning......thinking about a Merle Travis bass, same headstock and extended fingerboard. Bring on the Twang! Yeah, big talk from a guy who hasn't even finished one scratch build yet! On that note, my thread hijack is over. Sorry!

 

[JimmyM]

BTW, Brad, I really like your new proposed designs.

 

[Dadagoboi]

The bass is fine but the guitar example has the strings breaking across the nut in an upward angle for some reason, that is to be avoided.

Really? Then this must be a major no no.

I'm fairly happy with my current four and five string headstocks, 'Stairstep' 1/2" Hipshots, 'Stadium' logo or 'TR cover' version. Compact to eliminate neck dive with 6 mm or so shaved off the top of standard Fneder headstock footprint to compensate for the shorter tuner key shafts of the Ultralites.

 

[friendlybass]

Bigsby Merle Travis And yeah, Leo definitely hoisted it from Bigsby, but I don't think it looks nearly as good as what Leo did with it. Plus that deep cut in it for the logo part looks like a headstock snapping waiting to happen.

I think they were both actually paying homage to vintage acoustic headstocks like this one

 

[RED J]

This is what came to my mind, DiPinto. Not a criticism, just an observation. Kind of Jetson-Y. Cool enough.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

Really? Then this must be a major no no.

I'm fairly happy with my current four and five string headstocks, 'Stairstep' 1/2" Hipshots, 'Stadium' logo or 'TR cover' version. Compact to eliminate neck dive with 6 mm or so shaved off the top of standard Fneder headstock footprint to compensate for the shorter tuner key shafts of the Ultralites.

Now be real...... What is the point of having the strings bend upward when straight is available? Figured it was a drawing tweak.

Aware that the first example pictured is just fine.

Show me one example where they break unevenly?

MY point being Why, if you didn't have to, would it be done that way.

Example, my Explorer, all break to the treble side, jarred/shocked the body one night, nut sheared glue joint, later had it pinned.