Do Heritage Guitars have the same weak headstock as Gibson?

[schundog]

We've all heard the horror stories about Gibson headstock's breaking at the slightest impact; I'm just curious if the same problem applies to our beloved Heritage? Either way, I'm putting straplocks on my new to me 535, as that style tends to "roll" forward on me anyway, always making me paranoid. The headstock angle and lack of a volute just made me wonder. Thoughts?

[Kuz]

I never have broken either a Heritage or a vintage Gibby.... then again I baby my guitars.

 

I do have schaller strap locks on ALL my guitars.

[GuitArtMan]

Slightest impact? More like when people drop them or the fall off of guitar stands. Take care of your instrument (Heritage or Gbrand) and it will give you a lifetime of music.

[Thundersteel]

I've had my Les Paul for more than 20 years. The headstock is as strong as ever. I think the weak headstock theory is blown way out of proportion.

[t0aj15]

I think the weak headstock theory is blown way out of proportion.

I don't believe it is blown out of proportion at all. Not only did it happen to one of my Les Pauls but when I took it into a local guitar tech (one of the best and most well known in SE MI) he told me that far & away the majority of broken headstock repairs he does are on Gibson guitars.

[barrymclark]

I have seen a number of these snap (probably upwards of around 10)

 

EVERY ONE of them, was due to carelessness.

 

As mentoned before

 

Falling off stands or falling over cause someone just leaned them against the wall and they slid over.

 

A couple were straps not secured.

 

One, heh-heh, was an angry ex-wife.

 

I have owned three Gibsons now (two were and SG and a Les Paul) and never had this issue. A little bit of care and a few seconds of time will insure your Gibby/Heritage will be around for a long time.

[barrymclark]

We've all heard the horror stories about Gibson headstock's breaking at the slightest impact; I'm just curious if the same problem applies to our beloved Heritage? Either way, I'm putting straplocks on my new to me 535, as that style tends to "roll" forward on me anyway, always making me paranoid. The headstock angle and lack of a volute just made me wonder. Thoughts?

You mean like headstock takes a dive or that the top of the body rolls away from you?

 

If neck dive is an issue, do what I do, thicker strap.

 

I have a very wide strap with a padded cloth section and nothing moves. That and the weight gets distributed over a larger area. No strap rash.

[Patrick]

The only real issue with a head stock breaking too easily was on the SGs . . . earlier ones without a volute. I had one repair guy (he thought he was a comedian in his previous life) told me a guy came in one day with a broken head stock on an SG. He told the repair guy he farted on stage and the damn thing just snapped. As said here by those before me; if you don't whack them . . . they won't break. If you're careless, then even a volute isn't gonna help you.

[kbp810]

I had the neck on a gibby lp studio snap a few years back - dropped it from about 2-3 feet... we were getting ready to head out the door and felt like playing a few quick licks why the car was warming up; was holding it over my leg proped up on the coffee table (no strap) when the dog came running through and hit my other leg throwing my off balance - seemed like it all went down in slow motion; saw it hit and crack a little, split second later it was as if the strings decided to finish it off as it started to splinter and pull back from the neck with a horrible twang! I'm generally very careful but looking back I was just asking for something bad to happen.

 

It didn't seem to have dropped that far or hard... but doesn't change that fact it was dropped.

[schundog]

While I agree with everyone who says "Just use caution and take care of the thing," so to speak, there is no denying Gibson's are more likely to snap during a fall than a nearly indestructible Fender, I'm assuming due to the neck angle. I realize the much larger production of Gibson's makes it seem like it happens to "all" of them, but my question remains, are Heritage guitars as vulnerable as Gibson's in this regard? Regarding the post about my guitar rolling forward, my ES-335 is neck heavy; I can't say I've noticed on my Heritage yet. (Just got it!) By "rolling forward," I was alluding to the fact that guitars with the front strap button configured like a 335, 535, SG, etc, seem to "fall away" from me, so they are the guitars that get the strap locks FOR SURE! Thanks for your input, guys.

[tulk1]

(Just got it!) By "rolling forward," I was alluding to the fact that guitars with the front strap button configured like a 335, 535, SG, etc, seem to "fall away" from me, so they are the guitars that get the strap locks FOR SURE! Thanks for your input, guys.

On my semis with the strap button on the back, I turn that strap lock backwards from the lower strap lock. If that makes sense. Helps with the "falling away" sydrome.

 

[FredZepp]

I've had my main Gibby since 1978 and no problem , of course. But I do treat all of my instruments with care and respect ( especially my 5 Heritages ) .

 

I think it's probably a good idea that a young person would see this pic to respect that the headstock on these instruments is not indestructible.

 

A pic of a supposedly a Gibson headstock cutaway showing how deep the truss rod cavity goes......

[mars_hall]

Had my 335 on and was doing the "Get your hands in the air" clapping thing, when the strap at the base of the neck came loose. I felt it and immediately went into the "Save the Baby!!" mode, bringing both my hands down quick and launching the guitar though the air and across the stage. It bounced a couple of times, but the worse that came out of it was a slightly bent tuner arm (Kluson) and a chip on the back. Felt damn lucky, but must be living right in the eyes of God!!

 

Can I get an Amen?? ;P

[FredZepp]

Had my 335 on and was doing the "Get your hands in the air" clapping thing, when the strap at the base of the neck came loose. I felt it and immediately went into the "Save the Baby!!" mode, bringing both my hands down quick and launching the guitar though the air and across the stage. It bounced a couple of times, but the worse that came out of it was a slightly bent tuner arm (Kluson) and a chip on the back. Felt damn lucky, but must be living right in the eyes of God!!

 

Can I get an Amen?? ;P

Wow... AMEN , Brother....

I want to see the video of that one...

[smurph1]

Slightest impact? More like when people drop them or the fall off of guitar stands. Take care of your instrument (Heritage or Gbrand) and it will give you a lifetime of music.

What he said.. Just respect your instruments and don't go all "Hendrix" or "Townshend" on them and you'll be fine..

[fxdx99]

By design, any guitar with an angled headstock that breaks the parallel plane formed from the back of the body is exposed to breaking more than a guitar with a parallel-to-neck headstock (example LP vs Tele style). Lay your guitar on a table - if the back of the headstock hits the table and there's space underneath the body, the design inherently is more exposed on a fall where the headstock is the first point to hit. That said, Heritage knows how to build guitars and compensate as much as possible.

 

Whoa - Mark's experience sounds like a testament to build integrity. Ouch.

[jrfreed]

Been playing for some time and never fallen victim to a breaking headstock. Use straplocks (dunlop's have been great to me) and keep the case handy.

 

If the gig is mellow I'll use a stand for breaks...but if the place is rowdy and drunks abound...I put her back in the case to ease the temptaion of of some ass-clown grabbing it and busting out his rendition of Freebird or Stairway.

 

To your original question...no, Heritage is no better or worse in regards to headstock stability compared to Gibson, Gretch, PRS etc.

[Connor]

These stories are hard to read. I felt a shiver go down my spine when I read about Mark's guitar being airborn.

 

One thing I thought I would mention is that Mahogany is much more brittle than Maple. It resonates better too. That may be one reason why breaks seem more common on Gibsons than Fenders.

[pro-fusion]

It seems like you hear these headstock stories more about SGs than about any other Gibson, and I'm not sure why. Early SGs also have a problem with the neck joint coming undone because there isn't a large point of contact between the neck and body.

 

Gibson's idea of using a volute was a great way to reinforce the headstock, and I'm not sure why all of the vintage snobs got all pissy about it. It represents a real improvement in the design.

[smurph1]

It seems like you hear these headstock stories more about SGs than about any other Gibson, and I'm not sure why. Early SGs also have a problem with the neck joint coming undone because there isn't a large point of contact between the neck and body.

 

Gibson's idea of using a volute was a great way to reinforce the headstock, and I'm not sure why all of the vintage snobs got all pissy about it. It represents a real improvement in the design.[/qu

[FredZepp]

It seems like you hear these headstock stories more about SGs than about any other Gibson, and I'm not sure why. Early SGs also have a problem with the neck joint coming undone because there isn't a large point of contact between the neck and body.

 

Gibson's idea of using a volute was a great way to reinforce the headstock, and I'm not sure why all of the vintage snobs got all pissy about it. It represents a real improvement in the design.

 

Probably Townshends fault ( about the SG's ) , don't you think...?

 

 

 

I think that that cutaway pic explains it pretty well, I became more cautious after seeing it..

and yeah the volute was right under the thinnest part , I believe.

But Gibby was making so many bad decisions at the time, they couldn't be trusted to get one right.

[smurph1]

Probably Townshends fault ( about the SG's ) , don't you think...?

 

 

 

I think that that cutaway pic explains it pretty well, I became more cautious after seeing it..

and yeah the volute was right under the thinnest part , I believe.

But Gibby was making so many bad decisions at the time, they couldn't be trusted to get one right.

Yeppers!!

[hiro]

that side cut pic, really showcases the weakpoint . . .

 

I remember in 2001, there was this story floating around that if you slammed the case of a gibson too hard while closing it'd break the neck of the gibson inside LOL

 

had a bunch of laughs form that.

[Gitfiddler]

Here' the only time I experienced a broken neck...

 

Gibson replaced my original LP Supreme with a brand new one after the white binding started turning black. (Case color bled into it over the course of a year). They shipped me a new Supreme that arrived with a broken headstock. There was NO padding inside the case!!!!!!!!

 

I shipped it back to them with a very special love letter.

 

The replacement guitar arrived in two weeks....again with NO padding inside the case. Fortunately there was no damage to the instrument. Geez!!

 

No problems with any Heritage necks...ever...period.

[Kuz]

Wow, I think this kind of strange.

 

If I drop a guitar, I would expect it to break. (I would not blame any manufacture for having a "fragile" neck")

 

If I drop my $4.5K camera, I would expect it to break too. (I wouldn't say "those damn Nikons or Canons" aren't built strong enough).

 

Seems common sense to me.... don't drop them, use strap locks, put the guitar in case when not using, ect.....