Gibson Headstock/Neck Transition

kafka · Jul 3, 2019

I've seen a few examples of 100% authentic Gibson headstocks that have a very sharp headstock/neck transition. Attached is the back of a 2013 Government Les Paul that illustrates what I'm talking about. This particular headstock is very triangular as it extends into the neck. However, I've seen a handful of others with more rectilinear carves, some that transition more or less into the neck, and of course many more with a much softer carve. Aside from the whole volute/non-volute question, does anyone have any more info on the variation of this design detail?

Big Al · Jul 3, 2019

The carve is basically the same. They are all hand sanded on a drum sander, iirc, and some will vary a little as a consequence.

kafka · Jul 5, 2019

I wouldn't describe that carve as a little variation. It looks more like an attempt to re-work the design. There seems to be a number of examples from the ~2013-2016 time period.

Big Al · Jul 5, 2019

Describe it however you want then.

AJCR · Jul 5, 2019

Transition also depends on the neck profile.
And how it looks will depend too on the paint type. Metallics always exaggerate curves and lines.

Big Al · Jul 6, 2019

It's alot to do with the build process. You see this with the top carve too. Oversanding will diminish the dish, while a less aggressive sanding will show a deeper, more dramatic dish, same model, same factory, same yom. Metallic paint always pronounces the appearance.

kafka · Jul 6, 2019

Here's the back of one of those 2015 G-Force LP headstocks. It looks like they thickened up the cheeks a bit, and that they're also a bit flatter. Look how sharp that line is. Of course there's some variation from guitar to guitar over the decades, but there are a few finer points that stand out about this particular variation.

I've seen a number of headstocks like this, particularly among G-Force guitars, but it's in no way exclusive to guitars with it. It seems to show up slightly before they were an option. I've never seen that kind of a flat surface on earlier LP's. It seems to show up around 2013.

It could be a result of tooling. Maybe they got a new CNC and were experimenting with the processes. Or, maybe it was an attempt to put some more wood to strengthen the headstock.

Big Al · Jul 6, 2019

kafka said:
Here's the back of one of those 2015 G-Force LP headstocks. It looks like they thickened up the cheeks a bit, and that they're also a bit flatter. Look how sharp that line is. Of course there's some variation from guitar to guitar over the decades, but there are a few finer points that stand out about this particular variation.

I've seen a number of headstocks like this, particularly among G-Force guitars, but it's in no way exclusive to guitars with it. It seems to show up slightly before they were an option. I've never seen that kind of a flat surface on earlier LP's. It seems to show up around 2013.

It could be a result of tooling. Maybe they got a new CNC and were experimenting with the processes. Or, maybe it was an attempt to put some more wood to strengthen the headstock.

Bro, they did change the heastock shape a few years ago. Much discussed at the time. Wider with sharper points. Could account for what you are seeing. That's what they look like now. Has been since 2016/17? I forget the year it changed.

kafka · Jul 7, 2019

That may be the case. It's not something I've followed. I've just noticed a number of guitars over the past few years that struck my eye as different, and I'm trying to understand what I'm seeing.

If they're addressing other aspects of the headstock such as the width, it certainly makes sense that they may have also fiddled with the cheek/neck transition.

Gibson Headstock/Neck Transition

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