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Matching headstock poll

Matching headstock on my bass


  • Total voters
    475
I just wanted to clarify. The first response may have had something in mind that I had not considered. I just added an 'it depends' option with a chance to explain
i'm still confused... :laugh:

i voted "it depends." explanation: "it depends" is such a great answer when you're not actually sure what the question is. :D

i like matching headstocks. i also like un-matching headstocks. i even like mismatched headstocks! i like 'em all! :bassist:
 
Right you are. What color is the wood on the fretboard and what color is the bass? None are created equal.
I suppose you're right, as some matching headstocks don't bother me.
However a 'burst' headstock is one that never looks right to me, even though I'm always a fan of a classic burst body.
 
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doing one in gold, just for something different. Never really preferred it, some colors work better, but since i had the maple neck laying around and extra paint, figured what the heck

20210614_135937.jpg20210614_141206.jpg
 
On classic Fender-style basses, I suppose I'm gonna go against the grain and say no, I don't like a matching headstock. On these types of basses, I'm a sucker for that aged, honey colored maple... regardless of what the body color is.

Vintage Fender Jazz Basses get a little bit of a break -- I've seen a few of those with a matching headstock and they look sharp... but I'd far prefer to have aged maple up top.

Precisions need maple showing on the headstock face, in my opinion. They don't look right when the headstock matches the body.

But on high-end basses (ex. Pedulla, Tobias, MTD), matching headstocks are okay... but I really like a black-faced headstock (ex. Spector). The black-faced headstock also looks great on Fender- and Gibson-style basses as well -- I've seen a few Sadowsky basses done this way and they look sweet. And Jake Serek's basses look excellent with a black face on the headstock.
 
Are you the guy that was designated to always say "has this poll been done already"?
I've not been blessed with that distinction.

I'm glad I made this poll. I'm finding that I'm on the unpopular side of this one, and that explains why I'm seeing more matching headstocks these days.
I've always thought that painted headstocks look strange, and maple looks great with anything. Veneered (or painted) headstocks on three or five piece necks are perplexing to me, Show me those those natural pretty stripes that have been hiding behind the fretboard.
 
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