Editing Headstock

{{about|part of a stringed instrument|motorized chuck component|lathe|other uses|Headstock (disambiguation)}}

{{incomplete|date=April 2014}}

[[File:Guitar May 2009-1.jpg|thumb|right|Classical guitar headstock]]
A '''headstock''' or '''peghead''' is part of a [[guitar]] or similar stringed instrument such as a [[lute]], [[mandolin]], [[banjo]], [[ukulele]] and others of the lute lineage. The main function of a headstock is to house the pegs or mechanism that holds the strings at the "head" of the instrument. At the "tail" of the instrument the strings are usually held by a [[tailpiece]] or bridge. [[Machine heads]] on the headstock are commonly used to tune the instrument by adjusting the tension of strings and, consequentially, the pitch of sound they produce.

== Construction details ==
[[File:Bass guitar headstock.jpg|thumb|left|Bass guitar headstock]]
Two traditional layouts of tuners are called "3+3" (3 top tuners and 3 bottom ones) and "6 in line" tuners, though many other combinations are known, especially for bass guitars and non-6-string guitars. When there are no machine heads (i.e. tuners are not needed or located in some other place, for example, on guitar body), the guitar headstock may be missing completely, as in [[Steinberger]] guitar or some [[Chapman stick]] models.

[[File:Guitar headstock angle.png|thumb|Schematic section shows both '''straight''' and '''angled''' headstocks. Note the '''β''' angle between the fingerboard surface and headstock surface]]
The headstock may be carved separately and glued to neck using some sort of [[woodworking joints|joint]] (such as a [[scarf joint]]). There are two major trends in headstock construction, based on how the string will go after passing the nut. The advantages and disadvantages of both trends are very debatable and subjective, so these two variants are used:

* '''Straight''' headstocks form a single plane with a flat surface of neck (and fingerboard). This makes neck and headstock easier to manufacture, they can be constructed from a single piece of wood. [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]] usually uses non-angled, straight headstocks. Because of the low angle of the string over the nut, '''string trees''' may be used to avoid the string coming out of the nut while playing.
* '''Angled''' headstocks form some kind of [[acute angle]] with a surface of neck. The value of "magic angle" (called ''headstock pitch'') that gives the best tone and stability is also very debatable, but it is usually in a range from 3° to 25°. For example, various manufacturers and particular guitar models use:
** Guitars
*** 4°: [[Guild Guitar Company|Guild]]
*** 11°: [[C.F. Martin & Company|Martin]]<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6052023 |title=UG Community @ |publisher=Ultimate-guitar.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref>
*** 12°: [[Paul Bigsby|Bigsby]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bigsbyguitars.com/guitars/BY50/index.html |title=Bigsby Guitars & Vibratos - Official Website |publisher=Bigsbyguitars.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]] SGV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.giles.com/yamaha1/pressreleases/Guitars/sgv.htm |title=Yamaha SGV Series Takes Guitar To The Extreme |publisher=Giles.com |date=2000-04-14 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref>
*** 13°: [[Peavey Electronics|Peavey]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/detail/cat/59/item/111047/number/00463470/V-Type%3F+NTB+TR.cfm |title=Peavey.com |publisher=Peavey.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> Warmoth<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=angled_strat_warmothpro|title=Warmoth replacement guitar necks: Warmoth "Pro" 13°}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warmoth.com/bass/necks/necks.cfm?fuseaction=include_13angled|title=Warmoth replacement bass necks: 13° Angled Pegheads}}</ref>
*** 14°: [[Gibson Firebird]] V<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/Firebird/Firebird%20V/ |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> and VII,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/Firebird/Firebird%20VII/ |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> [[Gibson Explorer|Gibson X-plorer]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/X%2DPlorer/X%2Dplorer%20New%20Century/ |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> some vintage Gibson guitars,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson5.html |title=Vintage Guitars Info - Gibson solidbody vintage guitar collecting |publisher=Provide.net |date= |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> [[Washburn Guitars|Washburn]],<ref>[http://www.washburn.com/products/electric/N4VINTAGE.html]</ref> most budget [[Epiphone]] replicas of Gibson models<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epiphone.com/news.asp?NewsID=556 |title=Epiphone Musical Instruments - News |publisher=Epiphone.com |date=2006-05-31 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref>
*** 17°: [[Gibson ES-335]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/classic/ES-335.html |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> [[Gibson Les Paul]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/LesPaul/Standards/Standard/ |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> [[Gibson SG]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/SG%20Specials/SG%20Standard/ |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref> [[Epiphone]] Casino<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/products/epiphone/stuff/casinos.html |title=Epiphone Musical Instruments |publisher=Gibson.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref>
** Bass guitars
*** 10°: all Gibson basses<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/Products/GibsonElectric/Gibson%20Electric%20Guitars/Gibson%20Basses/ |title=Gibson Guitar: Electric, Acoustic and Bass Guitars, Baldwin Pianos |publisher=Gibson.com |date=2008-06-24 |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref>
*** 12°: Yamaha SBV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musiciansnews.com/bass/25/yamaha_sbv500_bass_is_a_true_alternative.shtml |title=Yamaha SBV500 bass is a true alternative |publisher=Musiciansnews.com |date= |accessdate=2010-08-10}}</ref>
*** 14°: most Epiphone replicas of Gibson models
*** 24°: Kinal<ref>[http://www.bassnw.com/Used%20Basses/kinal_M21_custom_neck_thru_6.htm ]{{dead link|date=August 2010}}</ref>

[[Luthier]]s of both styles frequently cite better sound, longer [[sustain]] and strings staying in tune longer as advantages of each style. Fragile construction is cited as a disadvantage of each style too: single-piece necks are more likely to break on occasional hit and are harder to repair, while glued-in necks can break with time.

Apart from its main function, the headstock is an important decorative detail of a guitar. It is the place where overwhelming majority of guitar manufacturers draw their [[logo]]. Some guitars without machine heads (for example, ones equipped with [[Floyd Rose SpeedLoader]]) have a headstock for purely decorative reasons.

== Signature headstock outlines ==
[[File:Ibanez Artcore headstock.jpg|thumb|right|Headstock from an ARTCORE series guitar by [[Ibanez]]]]
[[File:IbanezJem555BK-headstock.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ibanez JEM]] 555 BK headstock]]
[[Image:SeagullHeadstock.JPG|right|thumb|275px|Details of a '''Seagull Guitar''' headstock.]]

Most major guitar brands have signature headstock designs that make their guitars or guitar series easily recognizable. As seen in a section below, even "copied" at the first glance designs retain clear visible changes in dimensions, proportions of elements, etc., so it is almost always possible to tell a major brand of a guitar by looking at headstock.

=== Fender-like curved 6-in-line headstocks ===

<gallery>
Image:Fender headstock telecaster.svg|[[Fender Telecaster]]
Image:Fender headstock normal.svg|[[Fender Stratocaster]], regular version, used on modern Mexican and American-built guitars (other than the Highway One (Upgrade) series), as well as the brief-lived Korean-made [[Fender Stratocaster]] of the early 1990s.
Image:Fender headstock big.svg| Large [[Fender Musical Instruments Corporation|Fender]] first seen on the [[Jazzmaster]], introduced 1958; also seen on the [[Fender Jaguar]], "CBS" version [[Fender Stratocaster]] (from 1965 to 1981) and early 1970s [[Telecaster]] Deluxe. Currently used on 1970s Stratocaster reissues, Highway One Strats, [[Squier]] guitars, and '72 Telecaster Deluxe reissues
Image:Gibson headstock firebird.svg|[[Gibson Firebird]] series (also used in reverse)
Image:Washburn headstock n.svg|[[Washburn Guitars|Washburn]] N-series (reverse)
Image:Floyd rose headstock.svg|[[Floyd Rose SpeedLoader |Floyd Rose SpeedLoader Guitars]] decorative headstock, no machine heads at all
</gallery>

=== Gibson-like 3+3 headstocks ===
<gallery>
Image:Gibson-headstock-LP.svg|[[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]], used on most of their acoustic and electric guitars since the 1930s, and many before that.
Image:ESP headstock EC.svg|[[ESP Guitars|ESP]] EC-series
Image:PRS headstock.svg|[[PRS Guitars|PRS]] asymmetric, used on most guitars
Image:Prs headstock santana 3.svg|[[PRS Guitars|PRS]] symmetric, used on Santana 3 model
Image:Gibson headstock flying v.svg|[[Gibson Flying V]], 1958 issue
Image:Rickenbacker headstock.svg|[[Rickenbacker]]
File:Dean Headstock.jpg|[[Dean Guitars|Dean standard Headstock]]
Image:Gb headstock.svg|[[Greg Bennett Guitars|Greg Bennett headstock]]
</gallery>

[[File:Slotted Headstock I.jpg|thumb|Slotted headstock on an acoustic guitar. Normally these are found on classical (nylon string) guitars.]]

=== Pointed headstocks, 6-in-line ===

<gallery>
Image:ESP-headstock-sharp.svg|[[ESP Guitars|ESP]] "pointed" headstock, used on Horizon NT-II and M-II guitars, as well as many signature models (also used in reverse)
Image:Ibanez headstock pointed.svg|[[Ibanez]] "pointed" Ibanez signature headstock, used on most rock-series solid-body electric guitars (also used in reverse)
Image:Jackson headstock pointed.svg|[[Jackson Guitars|Jackson]] "pointed" headstock, used on almost all solid-body electric guitar series (also used in reverse)
Image:Washburn headstock pointed.svg|[[Washburn Guitars|Washburn]] "pointed" headstock, used on almost all rocker-series electric guitars (also used in reverse)
</gallery>

==Matching headstock==
[[Image:PScardinalHeadSample1 20150921 (23831611941).jpg|thumb|right|Matching headstock on an electric guitar]]
On some electric guitars and basses the finish used on the body is also applied to the face of the headstock. Generally, matched-headstock models carry a price premium over their plain counterparts due to the extra processes involved in the finishing process.

Although Fender no longer offers matched headstocks on production models made in the [[United States]] or [[Mexico]], certain models from [[Fender Japan]] are available with matched headstocks.

The definition of a "matched headstock" varies between manufacturers and players - for example, the headstocks of [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson]] guitars are nearly always black, and it is debatable whether a black-bodied Gibson has a matching headstock. Generally, a guitar is only considered to have a matching headstock if the guitar is usually produced without matching body and headstock finishes.

== References ==

{{Reflist|2}}

[[Category:Guitar parts and accessories]]
[[Category:String instrument construction]]