Headstock shape is weird on new LP s ??

jbzoso2002 · Dec 9, 2016

For the 1st time in some years I looked online at brand new USA Les Pauls and the
shape of the head stock is goofy.

Why would Gibson do this??:hmm

Just curious.

Jimmy

jbzoso2002 · Dec 9, 2016

https://media.sweetwater.com/images...122765/160122765-detail3-large.jpg?ef4a8343ad

J T · Dec 9, 2016

That photo angle is not straight on. The headstock is tipped back giving a "Short" looking persepective.

latestarter · Dec 9, 2016

Its the same shape as ever, just that it's angled away from the camera.

clearmudd · Dec 10, 2016

Yep they're funky. 50's style the middle(or book seam as some call it) was taller then the sides, now the sides are pointing up almost level with the middle....it seems they have more point in recent years. Maybe I'm just old-school.

jbzoso2002 · Dec 11, 2016

No, its not the angle at all, the shape is different from an original or a historic.

I saw a reissue SG in a store some years back and it had the same shape.

It looks wrong, another reason I will stay away from new USA models.

Jimmy

K701 · Dec 11, 2016

They've been this way for a few years now. The SG 61 reissue has an even weirder shape that has one side more emphasised than the other- like a sharp tick. That one I find ugly, but the regular ones like in the link I don't mind- kind of like a mini Norlin. I wouldn't want that shape on all my Gibson's but it makes a nice change and helps date the guitars at a glance.

If you want the old style headstock now you have to buy a custom shop guitar.

Big Al · Dec 13, 2016

jbzoso2002 said:
No, its not the angle at all, the shape is different from an original or a historic.

I saw a reissue SG in a store some years back and it had the same shape.

It looks wrong, another reason I will stay away from new USA models.

Jimmy

Well it ain't no original and it ain't no Historic. Non issue for me as something like that wouldn't keep me from buying one. Looks just like one of them there new Gibson geetars too me.:##:hmm:laugh2:

Gearbug · Dec 16, 2016

I am getting a Traditional HP 2016, and lately realized what I didn't like about the looks of it. I think the headstock is bigger than what I'd expect. This might apply to HP models in general, could be because of the G-force design, just speculating though.

B Ingram · Dec 16, 2016

latestarter said:
Its the same shape as ever, just that it's angled away from the camera.

jbzoso2002 said:
No, its not the angle at all, the shape is different from an original or a historic. ...

Now, now girls... You're both pretty!

The Gibson USA guitars have a wider headstock than original or reissue guitars. The exception is (was?) the LP Classic, which used the more historically-accurate narrower headstock (as well as press-in bushing for the tuners, rather than the screw-in bushings and washers shown in the photo).

The wider headstock make the open-book scroll look more-squat in the Gibson USA guitars. However the linked Sweetwater photo does have the headstock tilted back from the camera, exaggerating the difference. If you're unsure of the tilt, just look at the tuner posts.

I prefer the appearance of the historic/reissue/LP Classic headstock, as well. But there haven't been any further changes to the headstock that I'm aware of in at least the last 20 years.

K701 · Dec 18, 2016

B Ingram said:
Now, now girls... You're both pretty!

The Gibson USA guitars have a wider headstock than original or reissue guitars. The exception is (was?) the LP Classic, which used the more historically-accurate narrower headstock (as well as press-in bushing for the tuners, rather than the screw-in bushings and washers shown in the photo).

The wider headstock make the open-book scroll look more-squat in the Gibson USA guitars. However the linked Sweetwater photo does have the headstock tilted back from the camera, exaggerating the difference. If you're unsure of the tilt, just look at the tuner posts.

I prefer the appearance of the historic/reissue/LP Classic headstock, as well. But there haven't been any further changes to the headstock that I'm aware of in at least the last 20 years.

Since 2015 they've fattened up even more so than the style you mention. That Sweetwater image with headstock leaning away doesn't exaggerate the difference, it lessens it! Also there is an exception to the USA line, the 2002/2003 LP Standards had a narrower smaller headstock more like the 1960ish shape (this was advertised as a selling point along with the choice of 50s or 60s neck brought out the same year). I had a 98 SG standard that was narrower than the ones you mentioned but not as narrow as the 2002/2003 LP shape. The current line though, LPs and SGs both have the same wider shape that is even wider at the top. As I said before, it's like a mini Norlin. I have one on my SG and I dig it. Not sure I'd like it as much on a LP though.

fred dons · Dec 18, 2016

it depends on the year, I have a 2010 with the normal headstock and a 2011 with shorter one, I think they look stubby because the headstock is shorter ("new" standard vs historic or normal standard)

the leg of the G in the gibson logo is almost paralel to the g string tuner on the "new" headstock" whereas with other headstock it is way higher

2013%20Gibson%20Custom%20Shop%20Les%20Paul%2059%20RI-14.jpg

clearmudd · Dec 18, 2016

The top photo is a trad, the bottom photo is a historic, two completely different shapes. Historics are replicas of '50s shape, not the current Gibson USA models. :ganz

K701 · Dec 19, 2016

Yes, the Traditional in the photo has the general slightly wider than original Bursts that B Ingram talks about- that has been pretty much same for the past 20 odd years (with exceptions being 2002/2003 LP Standards, and from 2015 to present where they've been considerably wider than the one in the top photo).

I don't think the lengths have changed? (The logo is just slightly lower down on the Traditional with more space above than the Historic you show. Logo placement differs from guitar to guitar, even in the same run so not a good place to measure from)

B Ingram · Dec 19, 2016

K701 said:
Since 2015 they've fattened up even more so than the style you mention. ...

Well, I went to GC over the weekend and I have to retract the bit about the headstocks on LP Classics: the current models have the same wide/short headstock of the other Gibson USA models.

I hadn't paid any attention to Gibson USA models in about 15 years since I left, and they've gone & screwed up the specs of all their models... Juniors aren't Juniors, Specials aren't Specials, Classic now longer has its features, etc...

All of them had what I call the "Gibson USA headstock". It doesn't look materially changed from what I remember working there up to 2000. That's not to say there aren't subtle changes, but nothing over-the-top which was obvious to me.

Still greatly prefer the headstock shape on my R9 (and what they used to use on the LP Classics, but apparently no more).

latestarter · Dec 19, 2016

My earlier comment was re "modern" Gibson's. I don't think they've just changed this year, which is what the implication was...but I could be wrong.

K701 · Dec 19, 2016

Photobucket has not been working for me for the past 2 days, I can't post my last 10mins effort.

B Ingram- you mean you don't appreciate the Gibson Les Paul Junior Specials? Haha

I think the biggest difference between the ones you remember and present ones, are that the present ones have more of a pointed devil horn look.

fred dons · Dec 19, 2016

clearmudd said:
The top photo is a trad, the bottom photo is a historic, two completely different shapes. Historics are replicas of '50s shape, not the current Gibson USA models. :ganz

sorry for this, these were the ones I was able to find online without to much effort

but as said I have a 2010 Standard with a headstock similar to the historic (lengthwise) whereas my 2011 and 2015 have the shorter headstock, let me post a few pics of them tonight
I think the classics till 2010 also had the longer headstock

Arch D. Bunker · Dec 19, 2016

Those posted pics are pretty useless - these here gives you a better idea of the butt ugly shape of the modern ('Batman') headstock:

compare to Historic:

Maybe management deliberately decided to make the standard headstock of the cheapo lines uglier - "if you want to have a nice looking one, you gotta pony up". :##

fred dons · Dec 19, 2016

agree, I bought a 2013 Standard carcass which has the long neck tenon and I wanted to change it to a working mans '59 but the headstock ruins it

Headstock shape is weird on new LP s ??

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