I'm surprised none of you Stravinsky's have mentioned its more than passing resemblance to the G clef (treble) symbol. I think that's why Leo used it.
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Why does Fender's headstock look "right"?
- Thread starter JoshuaTSP
- Start date
If you guys haven't done so, you should check out BBC's The Story of The Guitar documentary, particularly part two, "out of the frying pan". It's a very interesting look on the context around the guitar becaming electric.
This section in particular shows some early Fender manufacturing footage, including Leo himself (starting at around 8:20 in the video).
And talks a bit about what I mentioned regarding build quality... We tend to idolize early Fenders, but the truth is that the late 50's Proudly Made in America by mexicans early Teles suffered from much worse quality control issues than, say, my $300 chinese Squier Classic Vibe that is modelled after it.
The worst of which was neck problems caused by the early designs having no truss rod at all! So maybe even genius Leo did go too far with the "making it simpler to manufacture" credo at first.
This section in particular shows some early Fender manufacturing footage, including Leo himself (starting at around 8:20 in the video).
And talks a bit about what I mentioned regarding build quality... We tend to idolize early Fenders, but the truth is that the late 50's Proudly Made in America by mexicans early Teles suffered from much worse quality control issues than, say, my $300 chinese Squier Classic Vibe that is modelled after it.
The worst of which was neck problems caused by the early designs having no truss rod at all! So maybe even genius Leo did go too far with the "making it simpler to manufacture" credo at first.
Fender headstocks look right? To me those are the ugliest ever and I will NEVER buy a bass with such a headstock. EVER! 
It looks like a cross between the treble clef and an classical scroll peg head (used on cellos, violins, double basses) viewed at an angle. And yes, it does have the golden ratio which does make it more pleasant to look at.
Leo Fender wasn't artistic by any means. Look at the old P-bass headstock and the tele headstock. Simple and industrial with just enough room to fit a logo.
Freddy Tavares was the designer for a lot of Fender's stuff, but is often sadly overlooked, and its he who introduced the Fender headstock design you see, as well as the modern incarnation of the P-bass. Leo handed the technical side of things while Freddy made it look good.
You'll notice how a lot of Leo's later bass work is remarkably similar to the P-bass body shape. That was for a reason.
Leo Fender wasn't artistic by any means. Look at the old P-bass headstock and the tele headstock. Simple and industrial with just enough room to fit a logo.
Freddy Tavares was the designer for a lot of Fender's stuff, but is often sadly overlooked, and its he who introduced the Fender headstock design you see, as well as the modern incarnation of the P-bass. Leo handed the technical side of things while Freddy made it look good.
You'll notice how a lot of Leo's later bass work is remarkably similar to the P-bass body shape. That was for a reason.
So I should think a gallon milk jug, a CD case, a cardboard box or a two liter bottle are attractive, as well.
Hmm... I've also been thinking about that very question over the last week. I've usually been a little indifferent to headstocks but I do have to say the Fender one for me is a very elegant design that I just prefer. It's a great shape and emerges from the neck just right.
Most things Fender symbolise 'bass'. The headstock is one.
Ric headstocks are cool too - for a Ric.
Most things Fender symbolise 'bass'. The headstock is one.
Ric headstocks are cool too - for a Ric.
So I should think a gallon milk jug, a CD case, a cardboard box or a two liter bottle are attractive, as well.
You, sir, missed my point.
Did I say anything about attractive? Read again.
I'm talking about common everyday things slowly becoming part of what we accept as normal and think "looks right", whether celebrated design classics or completely boring, mundane objects.
My point is not that a telecaster started ugly and became beautiful. What I meant is that what is today a comfortable, classic design was once probably considered strange and controversial as it was a radical departure of what was considered then "a proper guitar". In its time it must have looked as weird as a Smart car looks to an American driver now, because it's new and different and just doesn't "look right". "Looking right" in this context can take time and familiarity, and isn't set in stone.
Hope I made my opinion clearer.
Oh, and if you think people caring about whether a milk jug "looks right" or not is a ridiculous notion, be aware it happens all the time, even if it was the first thing you though of as a stupid example:
Check [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] out. And this.
People actually take the time to complain about new, supposedly more efficient milk jug designs they don't like. They are so used to what has become the "usual" design that they feel very strongly that the new ones are harder to use, ugly or just plain "not right". So this humble object may not be a "design classic", or even attractive, but people are familiar with it and it becomes sort of "right" to them, even if they only notice when someone changes it.
See where I'm getting at? Hope you do. Cause this is already way off-topic.
You sound like an architect--or worse--an engineer.
Tree branches and flowers have irregular curves, uneven angles, and awkward slopes but I think they're beautiful.
It looks right to me because I think the giant machine heads and big tuning keys look cool to me. And I can see who the bass player on stage is from across the room.
The 12-tone Western scale "sounds right" because it FEELS right...and music is about FEELING. It's an emotional language. The simplicity and mathematical intervals in our scale make the music FEEL like it makes sense.
but thanks, professor, always good to hear from you.(you know I meant that in fun, right?)
Are you the author of "post 16"? If so, you get the donut of your choice if you're ever in Rochester.
I think the Fender headstock is a great looking design, not just a functional one.
The new milk jug is not a better design than the old one, for any other reason than economy of space, this has nothing to do with aesthetics.
It's true ugly can become beautiful. Look at a Ric 4003.
Ugly as sin, but still cool as heck. Initially I thought Jazz Basses were ugly, also. So, no, I didn't miss your point.Yes, but would you still want it if it was triangular, onion-flavored and a strange blue-green color? Or are you so used to torus-shaped, sweet and food-colored donuts that only those kinds of donuts "look right" to you? What makes a donut a donut?
Ok, I stop now. Please don't answer any of that.
I think the Fender headstock is a great looking design, not just a functional one.
The new milk jug is not a better design than the old one, for any other reason than economy of space, this has nothing to do with aesthetics.
It's true ugly can become beautiful. Look at a Ric 4003.
As you wish, sir. I could try and insist about how my definition of "looking right" doesn't necessarely have to include considering something beautiful or not, so the entirety of what I said has nothing to do with aesthetics, but what would be the point, right?
When you complained about no one having familiarity with industrial design I though it was an invitation to share new opinions on a subject I cared about as part of an interesting, smart debate. No need to get all defensive about some random guy's opinion!
If this has to become an argument in the internet's tradition of "no, YOU're wrong", it's not a game I want to play anymore.
I mean no threat to your perceived status as the thread's resident expert. Please carry on.
This is not a valid point. The 12-tone western scale sounds right because you've heard it all the time, not because it FEELS right.
It feels right because this is what you've heard beginning from childhood. Egg-chicken story but let' s put things correct.
The 45-tone oriental scale (if I didn't count it wrong) doesn't feel any wrong to me because even the songs singed by mom when I was a baby, had those sounds that western scale doesn't have.
And the oriental scale is not less mathematical compared to western scale (personally I'm not really into that but you'd surprise if you check the mathematics beyond makams(scales)). Eventhough it has more intervals, the songs are always played unison (heard it before?), so it can be said it is even simpler compared to 12-tone.
My 2 kurush
What about this? The Fender headstock is a phallic object. Before refusing it or calling me by names, check its shape again and compare with your ...
As every Freudian approach, it is hard to accept...
I admit it...I like the Fender style headstock. What intrigues me most about this subject is the number of boutique (and not so boutique) P and J copies that try to come up with an alternative to the Fender shape...and fail miserably. In fact, to my eye, most are an embarrassment to their creators. I won't mention names, 'cause I know how sensitive folks can be. That in itself tells me the Fender design is special. No, I don't own a Fender, but my boutique 'copy' stayed with the original shape (pretty much). 
M. M.
M. M.
... What about this? The Fender headstock is a phallic object. Before refusing it or calling me by names, check its shape again and compare with your ...
Dude....seriously... if you can compare your "junk" with the Fender headstock and see a similarity... I suggest you go seek a physician ASAP and get some treatment pronto!!!
IMHO, I also think that Fender heads closely resembles the traditional double bass heads but side ways.
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