The Downsides of Headless Guitars?

[bostjan]

Holy crap some opinions flying at full mast here...

The Kiesels should be fine. Some headless designs are just shitty designs, so just because it's a headless, it shouldn't make it more difficult to set up, but it might, if it's a bear to set up. Same could be said for regular headed guitars with shit hardware on them, though.

As for headless guitars looking nerdy/dorky/dweeby, yes, but this also applies to most guitars these days. If you see a bloke playing a guitar, that bloke is evidently likely to be an opinionated knob like the rest of us guitar players, .

 

[Emperoff]

I don't play out so it's not a difficult decision for me

I do, hence having other preferences (equally as valid as yours).

So the moral is: Buy whatever guitar makes you happy and enjoy it. It's a good thing not everyone thinks the same way, so we can have goddamn variety.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

The disadvantage is that most of them look like someone took a hacksaw to both ends.

Any "advantages" of a headless guitar that I've ever heard about can also be achieved with a well-designed standard guitar. The one exception is the lack of headstock to knock into stuff with, but that's easily resolved by not being clumsy / careless (if it was such an issue, surely headless guitars shouldn't have an upper horn either).

 

[Tree]

I live in a smaller, pretty cramped apartment. Not having a headstock makes a huge difference.

Also, a properly designed headless will weigh significantly less than most standard guitars. So if you have neck/shoulder troubles it can be a big improvement. Similarly, a well made and thought out design should also have quality parts that aren’t any more difficult to work on than other hardware.

 

[spudmunkey]

. The reasons I'm not into them are lack of trust in hanging them in a wall hanger, even with a wider stock area post-nut, just doesn't give confidence.

"String swing wall stand" could be one option. I think it can come in slat wall mount, too. A slight tilt back, so it's like a regular stand you can't trip over.



I don't own a headless. And in fact my next guitar likely won't be...but would like to some day.

Right now, if I wanted to put a guitar case in my trunk, it has to go in at an angle, effectively taking up the entire trunk unless you're only taking small things with it. A headless case fits straight across nicely. A headless case is much more likely to fit into an airliner overhead compartment. No matter how much one can cite legislation or argue about what's "allowed", you're still at the mercy of geometry. With a normal guitar case with backpack straps, I have to awkwardly duck under doorways...not with a headless case.

A Strat is, what, 40"? A headless 25.5" scale guitar could be under 30"...that 25% reduction in length just feels so different in-hand.

 

[The Monster With .]

I don't have any headless guitars, but I've always assumed they would have significantly less neck dive? I kinda wish I'd have gone headless on my 8 sitting, cause it dives like crazy.

 

[profwoot]

I don't have any headless guitars, but I've always assumed they would have significantly less neck dive? I kinda wish I'd have gone headless on my 8 sitting, cause it dives like crazy.

I've got a fixed bridge strandberg that is perfectly balanced and one with a trem that is very slightly body heavy. Neck dive is definitely no issue.

 

[HoneyNut]

So... According to your logic it's ok to consider aesthetics when purchasing a guitar, but not how it actually looks on you when you play it?

Don't know about you, but when I buy clothes, I put them on to see if they suit me fine or not.

How it look matters. How it suits the player matters. Id be weird seing Slash with a headless.

But that era of guitar playing over. It's done for. Putting your legs apart like James Hetfield or Slash, just looks dorky in this age. This is what is spinal tap to me now.

The headless guitar to me, fits more like how you see a saxophone player. Its more about the player, and the music, less attention on the guitar. But if the guitar looks good, sure. You either like the Kiesel shape, or Strandberg, or the Hydra whatever. But hanging a guitar low, with long hair and black leather pants or ripped jeans....is over. It just looks gimmicky, and fake today, unless you're already an established band, and you are hetfield, slash or adam jones or that guy from foo fighters whatever.

If you are still hanging your guitar low , you end up looking like a nickelback cover band. Nothing wrong with that though.

 

[lurè]

If you play headless guitars people are expecting a guitar clinic every note you play.
I've got the worst of both worlds: sucking at the instrument and looking horrendous; but at the end I dont give a fuck.
I just have fun with it.

 

[tedtan]

Guitar height isn’t a matter of what is dorky, gimmicky, or “fake”; it’s about the height that allows the player to play properly without putting any extra stress or tension on the player. And that, itself, is a combination of the player’s arm length and technique, not fashion.

 

[Emperoff]

How it look matters. How it suits the player matters. Id be weird seing Slash with a headless.

But that era of guitar playing over. It's done for. Putting your legs apart like James Hetfield or Slash, just looks dorky in this age. This is what is spinal tap to me now.

The headless guitar to me, fits more like how you see a saxophone player. Its more about the player, and the music, less attention on the guitar. But if the guitar looks good, sure. You either like the Kiesel shape, or Strandberg, or the Hydra whatever. But hanging a guitar low, with long hair and black leather pants or ripped jeans....is over. It just looks gimmicky, and fake today, unless you're already an established band, and you are hetfield, slash or adam jones or that guy from foo fighters whatever.

If you are still hanging your guitar low , you end up looking like a nickelback cover band. Nothing wrong with that though.

There's more area between a headless guitar at Tom Morello height and James Hetfiled hanging a guitar at knee height, you know?

It always puzzles me how quick people are to point how wrong you are if you don't like headless guitars hung at chin height. As @tedtan explained, I prefer to hang my guitar where it's comfortable for both arms. As I said, I'm tall. I have long arms, and hanging a guitar high puts unnecessary strain on my shoulders.

 

[HoneyNut]

There's more area between a headless guitar at chin height and James Hetfiled hanging a guitar at knee height, you know?

not with my torso

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Also, a properly designed headless will weigh significantly less than most standard guitars. So if you have neck/shoulder troubles it can be a big improvement.

Not significantly less weight than an Ibanez S though...another option worth consideration for anyone with neck / shoulder / back issues.

 

[Crundles]

I find it adorable how people fear looking dorky with a headless, as if any living soul will ever watch them play

Actual downsides of headless guitars:
- Hardware can be meh
- Hangers and stands
- I don't own enough of them
- I can't play the single one I do own, because I am bad at guitar

 

[NoodleFace]

To me they're extra dumb looking, but to each their own. Like really dumb. VEEEERY DUMB

 

[ArtDecade]

Eddie looked weird playing one and he was the coolest dude to ever walk the earth. What chances do you have?

 

[vortex_infinium]

I’m looking at the Kiesel Vader and the Delos headless model.

A Kiesel with Hipshot(?) hardware is solid stuff.

Where you get difficulty restringing, bad tuning stability, bowed necks, and anything else you can think of, is moreso on cheaper/knockoffs and sketchy companies.

 

[Discoqueen]

Hey y’all!

Thanks so much so far for all the feedback!! I’m enjoying the robust and comical replies!

Anyways, to the point that they look bad lol that’s not really helpful anymore, because it’s been said so much. I def get it!! I’m looking for more like technical issues. For instance, I’m realizing I won’t be able to use a snark to tune it.

If anyone cares, I like how they look. If I look like a dork in my apartment and only my boyfriend sees, that point is moot, neither of us care too mich. To expand on that, you know, on stage I’m a vocalist, so I don’t really play out with my guitars, if I did, though, I wouldn’t mind rockin a headless. Someone already trashed the rest of what I wear on stage anyways (leather pants and the like), so I’m already a lost cause as is ^.~ So yeah, the looks aren’t a downside to me, but respect and understand those who don’t like it!!

 

[Albake21]

Hey y’all!

Thanks so much so far for all the feedback!! I’m enjoying the robust and comical replies!

Anyways, to the point that they look bad lol that’s not really helpful anymore, because it’s been said so much. I def get it!! I’m looking for more like technical issues. For instance, I’m realizing I won’t be able to use a snark to tune it.

If anyone cares, I like how they look. If I look like a dork in my apartment and only my boyfriend sees, that point is moot, neither of us care too mich. To expand on that, you know, on stage I’m a vocalist, so I don’t really play out with my guitars, if I did, though, I wouldn’t mind rockin a headless. Someone already trashed the rest of what I wear on stage anyways (leather pants and the like), so I’m already a lost cause as is ^.~ So yeah, the looks aren’t a downside to me, but respect and understand those who don’t like it!!

I think the reason you are only getting responses about how they look is because they don't have any disadvantages. Like others have said, your tech must be awful if they sent it back not wanting to work on it.

Honestly, the only possible thing I can come up with is that I hated the tuning heads on the ones I've owned. They were hard to turn sometimes. Otherwise, there's not disadvantage to having a headless.... other than looks. Which why the jokes write themselves here.

 

[littlebadboy]

If you mean to play it in your apartment only, there are also lesser priced alternatives. There is EART on Amazon, Harley Benton Dallahan, GOC with nice pink ones (I see some on Reverb now), and the Ibañez Q series.

I play both headless and with headstock guitars. They are both great! But, I find the headless convenient in my tight space. I have no cons about it so far. But.. I am not a pro guitar player, so who am I to say anything.