Head stock breaks

[barrymclark]

I suppose the disconnect for me here is that I don't have an emotional attachment to my instruments or amps. They are good guitars... and respect them as such but I don't name them unless it is a funny joke.... and, to date, that is one guitar out of many has gotten a name.

 

If a good guitar breaks... I go get another good guitar. Done. No tears, no fretting, no reminiscing. Just a stick of wood with vibrating strings on it to me. Some are made more to my liking and that drives my choices. What truly makes it different is me... for better or worse. That is how I see it anyways.

 

Now... I will shed a tear for the cash I might be out getting a replacement. haha.

[DetroitBlues]

Perhaps a multi-ply neck would work a little better?.. Don't think I've seen multi-layered necks crack like that....

[smurph1]

The angle does more to help the guitar when not broken than it would serve to remove the angle to prevent broken headstocks when dropped.

 

I'm with Kuz and Fred on this one, don't drop your guitar and it won't be an issue.

Or get your big feet wrapped up in a cord and pull it off the stand like I did..OUCH!!

[smurph1]

My solution lately has been to buy maple necked G&L ASAT's and Maple necked Fender Stratocasters..Damn things are nearly Bombproof!!

[DetroitBlues]

My solution lately has been to buy maple necked G&L ASAT's and Maple necked Fender Stratocasters..Damn things are nearly Bombproof!!

 

Ever see how they test a maple neck? They put it between two block and step on it...

[kbp810]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

"though it was painful for Henry to punish his favorite table... it had to be taught a lesson"

[Fernando]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

 

Henry J. shows part of the secret process involved in making "road worn" Gibsons.

[AP515]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

Tremolo?!? Here's what I think of your lousy tremolo...

[FredZepp]

Wow... lots of great captions.. ... really quite funny.

[kbp810]

> Add your own caption here... <

 

"This is the exact moment in the unveiling at which Henry simultaneously smashed an SG and sh*t out a Firebird X"

 

(Thank Mrs. 810 for that one, she took one look at the picture and that was immediately what came to mind)

[DetroitBlues]

"This is the exact moment in the unveiling at which Henry simultaneously smashed an SG and sh*t out a Firebird X"

 

(Thank Mrs. 810 for that one, she took one look at the picture and that was immediately what came to mind)

 

That's a good one.... No wonder why that guitar is a piece of crap... Still see a pair of those at Guitar Center high up on a wall. To this day, I still haven't seen anyone ask to play one of those... I'd expect them to go on clearence by Christmas...

[skydog52]

 

I'm sick and tired of these wood inspectors!

[cod65]

He's using his guitar as a spatula and he just flipped a giant pancake high into the air, out of frame.

[the jayce]

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

 

Now this picture should sum it all up for all of us. There is an over obvious need for reinforcement, dont see anyone disagreeing when looking at this picture. Lots of good opinions stated on both sides. And im glad for those who have never had one break and i hope they never do. Now when i look at this picture though, it kind of seals the deal on the debate.

[bolero]

[H]

> Hi, just call me Henry. And hey, check out my axe, er, dudes... <

 

[FredZepp]

I was reading and came across this last night, made me think of this thread...

 

"Gibson also changed the way that they constructed guitar necks, from around 1969. The move was from the traditional one piece neck to a stronger three piece mahogany laminate and on to three piece maple around 1974, intended to give even greater strength. From around 1969 Gibson also added a "volute" to the back of the neck just below the point where it becomes the headstock, a sort of triangular "lump" that reinforced this notoriously weak spot. Another change made at this time to minimise problems in the same area came with a slight decrease in the angle at which the headstock tipped back from the neck . Such practical changes did nothing to enhance Gibson's reputation among those who liked the older guitars. "

 

... maybe the day will come when the guitar world is ready for the Norlin Les Paul neck design..

[DetroitBlues]

I was reading and came across this last night, made me think of this thread...

 

"Gibson also changed the way that they constructed guitar necks, from around 1969. The move was from the traditional one piece neck to a stronger three piece mahogany laminate and on to three piece maple around 1974, intended to give even greater strength. From around 1969 Gibson also added a "volute" to the back of the neck just below the point where it becomes the headstock, a sort of triangular "lump" that reinforced this notoriously weak spot. Another change made at this time to minimise problems in the same area came with a slight decrease in the angle at which the headstock tipped back from the neck . Such practical changes did nothing to enhance Gibson's reputation among those who liked the older guitars. "

 

... maybe the day will come when the guitar world is ready for the Norlin Les Paul neck design..

 

I've read similar stuff. Epiphone does the 14 degree instead of the 17 now too. I've still seen headstock breaks, but mostly on their 60's profile necks...

[Spook410]

Don't drop it and it won't break? Really? So.. we don't need seat belts. Just don't crash your car. We don't need fire extinguishers. Just don't start a fire. Cheap knobs that break? No problem. Just be careful. We don't need anything planned, engineered or designed in consideration for unforeseen events. Um.. sure.

 

Products should be engineered to consider accidents particularly when it's a common occurrence and when the fixes are not terribly expensive or complex. That would be part of the definition of a better product. There are hundreds of modern examples around you that make products more sturdy, easier to live with, and less expensive to repair.

 

Ask the guy after he backs into a pole with his Corvette what his opinion is on 5mph bumpers.

[kidsmoke]

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

 

Don't drop it and it won't break? Really? So.. we don't need seat belts. Just don't crash your car. We don't need fire extinguishers. Just don't start a fire. Cheap knobs that break? No problem. Just be careful. We don't need anything planned, engineered or designed in consideration for unforeseen events. Um.. sure.

 

Products should be engineered to consider accidents particularly when it's a common occurrence and when the fixes are not terribly expensive or complex. That would be part of the definition of a better product. There are hundreds of modern examples around you that make products more sturdy, easier to live with, and less expensive to repair.

 

Ask the guy after he backs into a pole with his Corvette what his opinion is on 5mph bumpers.

 

Touche, spook!

 

In my mind, it's a small percentage of the guitars that do break, and careful handling reduces the likelihood of a break. When i poked a hole in the back of my Larrivee whilst walking into a unfamiliar cabin in the dark, I didn't blast Jean for having soft thin Mahogany as a material, I blasted myself for not doing more to avoid what was an honest mistake. that geometry is part of the instrument. You know how fragile a stradivarius is? Made differently, it's no longer a Stradivarius.

 

To that end, couldn't they put the adjustment for the truss rod behind the heel, with access panel similar to a bolt on neck panel? that would allow the same geometry, but more mass as the neck angle. I'm sure this has all been considered over the last half century, and there's some reason we've got what we've got.

 

Interesting conversation. And for what it's worth, I strongly disagree that this forum is "going the direction" of others in terms of adversarial tone. Sure every now and then someone gets a hair across their a**, but in years and years of forum use, in many different "arenas" (guitars and 4x4 mostly) I can say this place is unique, and assert it ain't gonna change much.

[chico]

Don't drop it and it won't break? Really? So.. we don't need seat belts. Just don't crash your car. We don't need fire extinguishers. Just don't start a fire. Cheap knobs that break? No problem. Just be careful. We don't need anything planned, engineered or designed in consideration for unforeseen events. Um.. sure.

 

Products should be engineered to consider accidents particularly when it's a common occurrence and when the fixes are not terribly expensive or complex. That would be part of the definition of a better product. There are hundreds of modern examples around you that make products more sturdy, easier to live with, and less expensive to repair.

 

Ask the guy after he backs into a pole with his Corvette what his opinion is on 5mph bumpers.

 

 

well, true, they could just use bolt-on necks for accident protection, but, then something in that design change would negate the positive attributes of the present design. just sayin. or, in other words, a product could be 'dumbed down' (for lack of better description) to protect owners from the ill-effects of accidental knock-overs, but, would it be the "same" guitar?? I don't think it would. I'd rather accept the possibility of neck breaks and risks associated with the present design, and reap the benefits in tone, resonance, etc.

 

edited to add: my point: in all engineering design there is always a trade-off..

 

respectfully,

chico

[DetroitBlues]

 

Touche, spook!

 

In my mind, it's a small percentage of the guitars that do break, and careful handling reduces the likelihood of a break. When i poked a hole in the back of my Larrivee whilst walking into a unfamiliar cabin in the dark, I didn't blast Jean for having soft thin Mahogany as a material, I blasted myself for not doing more to avoid what was an honest mistake. that geometry is part of the instrument. You know how fragile a stradivarius is? Made differently, it's no longer a Stradivarius.

 

To that end, couldn't they put the adjustment for the truss rod behind the heel, with access panel similar to a bolt on neck panel? that would allow the same geometry, but more mass as the neck angle. I'm sure this has all been considered over the last half century, and there's some reason we've got what we've got.

 

Interesting conversation. And for what it's worth, I strongly disagree that this forum is "going the direction" of others in terms of adversarial tone. Sure every now and then someone gets a hair across their a**, but in years and years of forum use, in many different "arenas" (guitars and 4x4 mostly) I can say this place is unique, and assert it ain't gonna change much.

 

Or a simple way would to have the truss rod end have small holes drilled into you can turn without using a nut that takes up so much room.

[H]

Or a simple way would to have the truss rod end have small holes drilled into you can turn without using a nut that takes up so much room.

And then we'd have a group of people who would insist that it detracted from the tone and Gibson would charge $500 to have the 'vintage' truss rod

[Spook410]

<snip>

 

edited to add: my point: in all engineering design there is always a trade-off..

 

respectfully,

chico

-------------------------

Completely and absolutely agree. There are some 'improvements' that drive me nuts. On the other hand, aren't there some simple fixes that yield a headstock transition sturdier without impacting weight, sound, or aesthetics? A have a volute on a 75 Les Paul that doesn't bother me at all and I've heard that it helps avoid breaks. I'm not the right kind of engineer to offer mechanical insights but I do enjoy seeing the opinions of others on the topic.

[tbonesullivan]

I still think they should bring back some kind of volute, if only to help with the one area where the truss rod cutout is.

 

But I also agree that the best way to not have to worry about headstock breaks is to not drop the guitar. It doesn't matter what kind of peghead/neck the guitar has. If you drop it on the peghead something will usually break.