Head stock breaks

[FredZepp]

I'm wondering who snagged the Trini Lopez!

Yeah... that's where I was going with that... then realized he may be talking about one outgoing , not incoming... That Trini went really fast..

 

And it's relative to this thread... it was discounted a lot due to a headstock repair.

[brentrocks]

Yeah... that's where I was going with that... then realized he may be talking about one outgoing , not incoming... That Trini went really fast..

 

And it's relative to this thread... it was discounted a lot due to a headstock repair.

it actually sold on ebay....i never sell on ebay, only use it to advertise. i padded the price to cover the OUTLANDISH FEES.....it sold in 1/2 hour.....i guess my price was pretty reasonable?????

[cod65]

Another thing people LOVE to do (myself included), besides kvetch at others when they are in pain, is give other people advice. I suppose it makes us feel better, while we're giving it

MY sincere hope is to make this thread more absurd and epic than the classic 'heritage headstock shape' thread of yore- or better yet the Holy Grail would be to combine this thread with the 'headstock shape' thread! Think of the possibilities!

 

(note: anyone unfamiliar with irony and sarcasm, etc.- this is all an attempt at such- and is written with nothing but love and respect for HOC )

[Gitfiddler]

Another thing people LOVE to do (myself included), besides kvetch at others when they are in pain, is give other people advice. I suppose it makes us feel better, while we're giving it

MY sincere hope is to make this thread more absurd and epic than the classic 'heritage headstock shape' thread of yore- or better yet the Holy Grail would be to combine this thread with the 'headstock shape' thread! Think of the possibilities!

 

(note: anyone unfamiliar with irony and sarcasm, etc.- this is all an attempt at such- and is written with nothing but love and respect for HOC )

 

 

Bingo! You caught the sarcastic irony of my last post in this thead.

[111518]

 

 

Bingo! You caught the sarcastic irony of my last post in this thead.

 

I don't know, Mr. Bubble. Your post got me thinking that maybe we've been wrong all these years, and it's not about string pull, or the tradition of the snake head, or even staying out the way of lawsuits ... maybe the rational for the Heritage headstock design was to trim down the open book to offer the fewest possible square inches of area available to bang on stuff and break the headstock. Think of all the near misses produced over the last 30 years by trimming off those top corners...

[111518]

Another thing people LOVE to do (myself included), besides kvetch at others when they are in pain, is give other people advice. I suppose it makes us feel better, while we're giving it

MY sincere hope is to make this thread more absurd and epic than the classic 'heritage headstock shape' thread of yore- or better yet the Holy Grail would be to combine this thread with the 'headstock shape' thread! Think of the possibilities!

 

(note: anyone unfamiliar with irony and sarcasm, etc.- this is all an attempt at such- and is written with nothing but love and respect for HOC )

 

Yup. And, to think about another vein of sarcasm and irony, what a rich store of potential "I told you so" we have preserved on this thread, a quick search away, to be trotted out and richly embellished if any of the "you-get-what-you-deserve" guys ever happen to break a headstock (or back into a pole.) I'm gonna start keeping an eye out on ebay for a very small violin.

[Trouble]

 

Yup. And, to think about another vein of sarcasm and irony, what a rich store of potential "I told you so" we have preserved on this thread, a quick search away, to be trotted out and richly embellished if any of the "you-get-what-you-deserve" guys ever happen to break a headstock (or back into a pole.) I'm gonna start keeping an eye out on ebay for a very small violin.

 

Best post in the whole thread!

 

I tried not to take a stand on the headstock issue but I never back into poles, stop signs ditches and trees however are fair game.

[Hfan]

 

I don't know, Mr. Bubble. Your post got me thinking that maybe we've been wrong all these years, and it's not about string pull, or the tradition of the snake head, or even staying out the way of lawsuits ... maybe the rational for the Heritage headstock design was to trim down the open book to offer the fewest possible square inches of area available to bang on stuff and break the headstock. Think of all the near misses produced over the last 30 years by trimming off those top corners...

This would be a great one to use for future debates. TGP had an epic one not too long ago.

 

 

Yup. And, to think about another vein of sarcasm and irony, what a rich store of potential "I told you so" we have preserved on this thread, a quick search away, to be trotted out and richly embellished if any of the "you-get-what-you-deserve" guys ever happen to break a headstock (or back into a pole.) I'm gonna start keeping an eye out on ebay for a very small violin.

I could never say "I told you so" to such a sad occurance. Was in my guita tech's shop some years ago and a kid brought in a busted heastock flying V said his lead singer knocked it over on stage. Funny, he wasn't too concerned about it, most of us would have been wailing.

[BrianToth]

I have to agree with Kuz and others. I got my first guitar at age 8. I'm 65 and still have a few....never broke a headstock.

[FredZepp]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

[GuitArtMan]

Not to sound like an idiot (because I am not trying to belittle anyone), but if I drop a vase I expect it to break. If I drop a china plate I expect it to break. If I drop a two litter on the roof of my car I expect a dent. Just saying, if I drop a guitar I am expecting it to break. Don't drop your guitar and it won't break. I have probably own 50 guitar in over 25 years..... never dropped one.....never broke a headstock.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Hfan]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

ok Fred, whats the story to this one? The dude smashing the guitar has a look of pain. The smirking guy on the steps is obviousley a Fender fan.

[Dick Seacup]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

"Dude, the head stock is on the other end!"

 

[FredZepp]

ok Fred, whats the story to this one? The dude smashing the guitar has a look of pain. The smirking guy on the steps is obviousley a Fender fan.

Hey, that's Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz adding a bit of drama when they introduced the Firebird X .

[schundog]

ok Fred, whats the story to this one? The dude smashing the guitar has a look of pain. The smirking guy on the steps is obviousley a Fender fan.

 

Damn you, you bolt-neck Epiphone, WHY won't you smash to bits?! Don't you know who I AM?! SOMEBODY'S going to lose their job for this!!

[the jayce]

Maaaaaan theres alot of fellas here that better start knockin on some wood over the chest puffing, " i never broke a headstock on my guitar" comments. Just make sure it's not the wood of your headstock or it'll snap.

[Kuz]

I have backed into two poles and two cars in 30 years of driving........

 

I must be more careful with my guitars than my cars!!!!

[DetroitBlues]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

 

"I better be able to reuse this fretboard!"

[barrymclark]

Maaaaaan theres alot of fellas here that better start knockin on some wood over the chest puffing, " i never broke a headstock on my guitar" comments. Just make sure it's not the wood of your headstock or it'll snap.

Never said it COULDN'T happen. Just saying I drastically reduce the possibility. I don't move around when I play and I don't have to look at my fretboard when I play so I can watch for others that do move around when they play. No guitar stands ever. Latched in case when not in hand. Got nothing to do with chest puffing. I just value my guitars and their structural well being. So... I am extra careful. I see people, not meaning you necessarily unless it fits, that SAY they value their guitars but jump around on stage like they have an itch they can't scratch with no regard for what they might hit. They put them on guitar stands even though they know the dangers. They leave them sitting on beds where a 2 year old can yank them off. They sit them on top of amps. I'd be an awesome guitar insurance agent. haha. Anyways... then they pop the headstock off and that is somehow the guitar's fault? The guitar was meant to be played... and jumping around with it is way outside of its intent. Now, there are guitars more sturdy than others such as the Tele. If that is what you need... then that is your guitar. But don't fault the guitar if it breaks when it was put in harm's way.

 

If a guitar breaks while in my care... well... it isn't as though I didn't take reasonable precautions and I did use it well within its intended use. So... I'd just chalk that up to crap just happens sometimes.

 

Now... if the headstock broke off only due to the string tension.... ok. NOW we have a build problem.

[Kuz]

Never said it COULDN'T happen. Just saying I drastically reduce the possibility. I don't move around when I play and I don't have to look at my fretboard when I play so I can watch for others that do move around when they play. No guitar stands ever. Latched in case when not in hand. Got nothing to do with chest puffing. I just value my guitars and their structural well being. So... I am extra careful. I see people, not meaning you necessarily unless it fits, that SAY they value their guitars but jump around on stage like they have an itch they can't scratch with no regard for what they might hit. They put them on guitar stands even though they know the dangers. They leave them sitting on beds where a 2 year old can yank them off. They sit them on top of amps. I'd be an awesome guitar insurance agent. haha. Anyways... then they pop the headstock off and that is somehow the guitar's fault? The guitar was meant to be played... and jumping around with it is way outside of its intent. Now, there are guitars more sturdy than others such as the Tele. If that is what you need... then that is your guitar. But don't fault the guitar if it breaks when it was put in harm's way.

 

If a guitar breaks while in my care... well... it isn't as though I didn't take reasonable precautions and I did use it well within its intended use. So... I'd just chalk that up to crap just happens sometimes.

 

Now... if the headstock broke off only due to the string tension.... ok. NOW we have a build problem.

 

I AM NOT piling on, I am just agreeing with the above.

 

I think it is funny that if you don't agree with someone then you are labeled as "mean spirited" or "chippy" or "on edge" or "chest pumping" or whatever else. These are personal attacks, not opinions.

 

Last time I checked, this site as well as others was a place called a FORUM. A place to SHARE OPINIONS. I don't agree with everyone's opinion, and I don't expect others to always agree with mine. BUT NOBODY here on this thread deserves to be labeled because they don't agree with others OPINIONS.

[JeffB]

When I worked in a guitar store people would bring in the acoustic guitar they had purchased a few weeks before and it would be warped or cracked, loose frets or the bracing would be lose. Obviously left in the sun or in there car on a 37c day. They were suprised it had happened and on more than one occasion they run me through the design flaw senario. Kinda ran along the lines of if the guitar was better made it wouldnt have happened. Yes it is the manufacturers fault making a crap musical instrument not the purchasers fault for leaving it in a guitar unfriendly environment.

Flutes were another thing that came back because of ham fisted owners. Obviously a design flaw and not the fact that the owner/operater used it to tap out a rythym on the soft arm of a chair or force it into the case the wrong way.

These things are musical instruments designed a certain way to sound a certain way. They will break if you drop them or leave them in hot temps. Accidents can happen though so you have to work a way around preventing them.

No chest thumping and in a previous post I mentioned my own dumb, clumsy, neglectful attempt at leaning my H150 on the edge of my desk. If the worst happened I wouldnt be blaming the Heritage Guitars(or Gibson) for making a guitar with an inferior headstock joint design, I would be blaming myself for being such an air head and doing something I should know not to do.

If I was constantly inclined to clumsy unthoughtful treatment of my guitars I would seriously just consider playing tele's.

Actually I probably should play a tele, I treat my guitars pretty casually. Ive been lucky so far.

Touch wood.

[AP515]

Both sides have a bit of a point IMO. A guitar should be built as sturdy as possible for the occasional accident, and people should take care of their equipment. It is a fact that the necks on G's can break in transit. That is a weak joint having to do with the neck angle as we already know. On the other hand, guys should not jump around and bang them into things and then wonder why they break.

 

As for flaming, I never understood the need. it doesn't make one look bigger to make others look small. The one that looks biggest is one that brings others along with him. brentrocks is a good example with the recent flowers sent for all of the HOC; class act...

[FredZepp]

Of course , we've all seen these pics..

 

[111518]

I should probably stay away from this, but ...

I don't think the angled headstock on one piece mahogany necks is a design flaw ... that would suggest it was the product of conscious design. Guitars started with gut strings and peg tuners: a stable, easily worked wood like mahogany was plenty strong. Go to steel strings to increase volume: much more tension. Take away some wood to add a steel reinforcement rod to keep the neck straight --good tradeoff, even if it made the neck a little more prone to breaks. Make the rod adjustable, even at the cost of a little more wood lost: still, good trade-off. Next, add much heavier metal tuners. Next, make the body of the guitar much heavier, and therefore able to exert much more force on the neck in a fall or bang. OK, so, what do you have ... a weak point in the structure of the instrument.

 

OK, so now the traditional construction technique has become the expected "authentic" form, and endowed with tonal properties. Should a manufacturer like Heritage, with its particular connection to the tradition that produced the modern form, change it. No. But that doesn't change the fact that these guitars have a weak point that is subject to fail as a result of forces that would not seriously damage any other point on the guitar.

 

So, why not have sympathy for those who have experienced the often inadvertent bangs that can break one of these necks? Ankles don't sprain themselves, but ankle sprains are part of a lot of sports and we don't blame the athlete for the fact that it happens ... it is part of the game. That's the way I see most headstock breaks. They are a part of the game of owning and playing a mahogany neck, angled headstock guitar --the nature of a guitar neck, with a very weak point, in a world of crowded lesson rooms, and stages, and houses, and uncaring shippers, means that bangs that lead to breaks are going to happen. A couple of times a year I bang a guitar --in a lesson, or onstage, or when I put it down to work with an ensemble-- harder than I banged my 355 when it broke, and I immediate check out the headstock. For the last 25 years, I've been lucky, but, that could change at any moment, and I have great sympathy for anyone who has a treasured instrument damaged. Sorry, don't mean to be a jerk, but I still don't really understand the flaw in this attitude. We're suppose to be ready for the curve balls that life throws us ... but Bert Blyleven is still in the Hall of Fame.

[JeffB]

Oh yeah, I have complete sympathy for the owner of a guitar with a broken headstock or cracked sound board or what ever. It sucks. particularly if its their treasured player.(or any guitar)

Its part of the reason Im less likely to take my H150 gigging tbh and instead prefer a more robust strat with a humbucker in the bridge. If it came to it I would probably take my HSH PRS out before my H150 and Im not really all that enamoured with that guitar so much any more.

I seem to go to greater lengths of care and am mindful of the H150 when I use it playing out and I hate feeling that level of distraction about something. But it is part of ownership.

If some one knocks over the strat nothing will happen too much and they will feel bad but its not a disaster. If they knock over the H150 and it snaps the headstock both of us would be gutted and I would feel bad for them as well.

Easier just to play a tougher guitar and not worry about stuff that might not happen.

But nothing sounds like my H150, I feel like Im the boss when I play it out