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Headstock design rant! http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=23806 |
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Author: | Mike Baker [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 12:54 am ] |
Post subject: | Headstock design rant! |
I've been working on my first scratch build for at least a year now. In that time I've drawn out countless headstock designs, none of which I cared for. Tonight I finally found one I liked, so, in a fit of satisfaction and enthusiasm, I transfered it to my headstock and cut it out. It was only while preparing to glue up the headplate that I noticed that it is very similar to a well known higher end production model guitar. ![]() ![]() ![]() This is my first, and definately not for sale, but it bugs the you know what out of me that after nearly a year trying to design a headstock shape, this is what I've come up with. I don't have enough material left to alter it, so I'm stuck with it. Sorry, just needed to vent somewhere. Carry on and thanks for reading. |
Author: | Ziegenfuss [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:47 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Headstock design rant! |
I would say not to worry about it. I fear that often we can try so hard to come up with something "new" that we no longer arrive at a geometrically pleasing design. Unless you copied it spline point for spline point, it is still your design. Subtle changes based on a foundation can make for a more balanced intrigue, but those are just my thoughts. We have a tremendous legacy of guitars to look back on - that is a lot of artistic inspiration. I would try to use it rather than try harder to avoid it. Stephen |
Author: | Mike Baker [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:25 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Headstock design rant! |
Thanks, Zieg! I spent some time today on it. I cut the headstock before I glued up the headplate, so that I could use the cast-offs of the headplate to make a truss rod cover, so today I used a coping saw to cut it close to size and then shaped it to the headstock. It is definately my own design, and I'm growing to love it the more I look at it. A year is long enough to struggle with headstock design. I like it, and I'm keeping it. |
Author: | MRS [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 1:38 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Headstock design rant! |
I was at work tonight and i was sitting there trying the same thing. To come up with a original headstock for the guitar I'm building and it is difficult finding something that hasn't been done or something that would be feasible. Some i came up with are really cool looking but if you get to radical it might not be stable enough for the job....Mike |
Author: | Ricardo [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 9:47 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Headstock design rant! |
I've always been partial to headstock designs similar to Kevin Ryan's rather than the Martin look, because I don't like seeing strings squished together or making abrupt changes in direction from the nut. |
Author: | lp man [ Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:55 pm ] |
Post subject: | Re: Headstock design rant! |
for the fist guitar i did i trytryed to not make the thinking too critcal so i did a design similar to the bodycut out and it looked nice for the first guitar |
Author: | R Bryan [ Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:57 am ] |
Post subject: | Re: Headstock design rant! |
After refining the headstock shape on my latest e-bass project, it had similarities to about 3 different makers. It was a design from scratch, built around the following requirements: making the head as compact as possible; functional tuner position yielding reasonably straight strings across the nut; lines that complement the body shape If I was doing this for anything more than an expensive hobby, I would probably look at changing a couple design elements to make it unique- to avoid irritating other makers. I may be wrong, but I would think that most independent professional builders wouldn't mind if a design element is copied, as long as credit is given. Rodger |
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