Reverse headstock?

[Jongpil Yun]

What's the advantage? I figure it makes the low strings tighter and the high strings looser, but how much so? How does it figure into your playing?

Sorry for all the questions lately, getting a custom guitar built

[OzzyC]

It changes the percived tensionso the lower strings would feel looser and the higher strings tighter, actually.

With a locking nut in use, the only difference is asthetic.

[Michael]

Tension wise, wouldn't it be the oposite of a standard headstock?

[mnemonic]

differences in string length dont change the tension, differences in string guage, and scale length will change the tension tho.

it seems like its mainly for aesthetics though, as having all the tuners on the bottom is kinda inconvenient, for me atleast, because i always turn the wrong tuner, gah

[Prometheus]

From what I've heard, it's the opposite actually. I think it's Noodles that has a custom KXK (the same company that made Karl Sander's awesome V), and he reckons he needs thicker strings on his reverse headstock guitar to have the same feel as the thinner strings on his other guitar, if that makes sense. Both have the same scale length, so the apparent lessening of the tension seems to be the fault of the reverse headstock. Bit of an eyeopener, I thought.

Still, they look so damn cool, it's probably worth it

[Jongpil Yun]

Well, I guess I was way off there, lol.

[Sebastian]

Reversed headstock.. i dont know whatadvantages it has..


But its looks killer ... and that counts for me

[ZPQ]

With a locking nut it'll make no difference.
With a regular nut the difference will be slightly noticable when string bending - the change in total length means there's more (or less) metal to contribute to the stretching. Longer string should mean it'll be easier to bend.

[metalfiend666]

Originally Posted by ZPQ

With a locking nut it'll make no difference.
With a regular nut the difference will be slightly noticable when string bending - the change in total length means there's more (or less) metal to contribute to the stretching. Longer string should mean it'll be easier to bend.

Spot on. The tension of the string will be identical for reversed or standard headstocks assuming the scale lengths, string gauge and tunings are the same. As ZPQ says the bending ability will alter, but this difference is only a slight one. Also as ZPQ said, a locking nut negates any differences anyway.

[7 Dying Trees]

My hair doesn't get caught as much in reverse headstocks. Shallow, i know.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by 7 Dying Trees

My hair doesn't get caught as much in reverse headstocks. Shallow, i know.

Well, we can't have that happening, now can we?

There was a thread about the misconceptions of reverse headstocks earlier.

Reverse Headstock Misconception

I just think they look cool.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by mnemonic

differences in string length dont change the tension, differences in string guage, and scale length will change the tension tho.

True - the tension will be the same regardless of what the headstock does after the nut, when tuned to a given pitch.

However, it IS easier to bend the bass strings on a guitar with a reversed headstock. it has something to do with tensile strength, I believe - metal is able to "flex" a certain amount per inch, basically, and accordingly it follows that the longer a string composed of a certain material, the more of it there will be to have a certain amount of "give" to it. It's subtle, but if you have a couple extra inches in play behind the (non-locking) nut, then the string will be a little more stretchy, and thus easier to bend.

A locking nut, of course, and none of this matters.

[playstopause]

Originally Posted by rg7420user

There was a thread about the misconceptions of reverse headstocks earlier.

Reverse Headstock Misconception

I just think they look cool.

Still being RHLC prez, i feel i should add that they're UBER cool.
...

I was also thinking about this recent thread as a good answer to the question.
It says it all.

[Rick]

As still the VP of the RHLC, I agree.

[Durero]

Are you going to use a locking nut Jongpil?

[Sebastian]

Originally Posted by rg7420user

As still the VP of the RHLC, I agree.

VP= Vice President ?
RHLC = Reversed Headstock ... LC ?? stands for ?

[Jongpil Yun]

Originally Posted by VEGETATHEPUPPET

VP= Vice President ?
RHLC = Reversed Headstock ... LC ?? stands for ?

Lover's club, I'd guess.

Anyways, no I won't be using a locking nut, but whatever.

[Sebastian]

Oh... right....

[canuck brian]

A reveresed headstock is more metal than a non-reversed headstock.

[mnemonic]

Originally Posted by Drew

True - the tension will be the same regardless of what the headstock does after the nut, when tuned to a given pitch.

However, it IS easier to bend the bass strings on a guitar with a reversed headstock. it has something to do with tensile strength, I believe - metal is able to "flex" a certain amount per inch, basically, and accordingly it follows that the longer a string composed of a certain material, the more of it there will be to have a certain amount of "give" to it. It's subtle, but if you have a couple extra inches in play behind the (non-locking) nut, then the string will be a little more stretchy, and thus easier to bend.

A locking nut, of course, and none of this matters.

yeah, i see the logic behind that. is it really that noticeable tho? i've never really tried two guitars that were teh same accept for the headstock.

i know my dean and strat are both the same scale length with the same string guage, yet on my strat, the strings feel tighter, i've yet to figure that one out.

Originally Posted by canuck brian

A reveresed headstock is more metal than a non-reversed headstock.

this i gotta agree with this

i still prefer 3+3 or 4+3 tho, easier to tune without turning the wrong tuner

[Jongpil Yun]

The most metal headstock is made out of the bones of your fallen enemies.

[Durero]

Originally Posted by Jongpil Yun

Anyways, no I won't be using a locking nut, but whatever.

If you want to experiment before committing to your design, and you're concerned about your lowest string feeling too loose with a reverse inline headstock, you could take any inline headstock guitar with the same scale length as your custom design and try stringing both the lowest & highest strings with the same gage & tuning as the lowest string intended on your custom.

If the string with the long distance from nut to tuning machine feels significantly looser than the one with the short distance to tuning machine, then you may want to reconsider your design. However I'd be very surprised if you found this to be the case. Much more likely is that you would be able to confirm to yourself that the difference in feel is so subtle that you'd barely notice it, if at all - and you can windmill to your hearts content!


As Rick pointed out earlier in the thread, this issue is covered in great detail in this other thread: Reverse Headstock Misconception

[Durero]

Originally Posted by Jongpil Yun

The most metal headstock is made out of the bones of your fallen enemies.

that totally conjured up an image in my mind of your 'enemies' being a hoard of Terminator androids that you single-handedly massacre and use their super-strong titanium alloy 'bones' as a trophy headstock...

[OzzyC]

Originally Posted by mnemonic

yeah, i see the logic behind that. is it really that noticeable tho? i've never really tried two guitars that were teh same accept for the headstock.

i know my dean and strat are both the same scale length with the same string guage, yet on my strat, the strings feel tighter, i've yet to figure that one out.



this i gotta agree with this

i still prefer 3+3 or 4+3 tho, easier to tune without turning the wrong tuner

IF the dean has a floyd, (or other floating trem.) the trem will raise a bit when you bend a note and cause other strings to go out of tune. If this doesn't happen on the strat, that would explain the difference in percived tension.

[Jongpil Yun]

Originally Posted by Durero

that totally conjured up an image in my mind of your 'enemies' being a hoard of Terminator androids that you single-handedly massacre and use their super-strong titanium alloy 'bones' as a trophy headstock...

Guitar World: Now, I notice you've got a new guitar. The headstock in particular catches my eye. You used to use a brass nut, but what's this new headstock made of?

YOU: Terminator.

Guitar World: Huh?

YOU: Terminator. It's made out of Terminator.