Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: MrBump on December 04, 2013, 09:09:20 AM

Title: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: MrBump on December 04, 2013, 09:09:20 AM
http://www.lodestoneguitars.com/electric/electric-standard/index.asp (http://www.lodestoneguitars.com/electric/electric-standard/index.asp)

These are horrible!  Even worse than those James Tyler monstrosities that PQ likes...
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: darkbluemurder on December 04, 2013, 09:33:26 AM
I think the Tyler headstock is more ugly but I agree that they obviously did not put too much effort into that design. Ultimately it's matter of personal preference, of course.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Dave Sloven on December 04, 2013, 09:50:43 AM
Yuck.  That reminded me of the Wangcaster
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: ericsabbath on December 04, 2013, 10:32:21 AM
Quote from: Agent Orange on December 04, 2013, 09:50:43 AM
Yuck.  That reminded me of the Wangcaster

my first though, either
 :lol:

heritage also makes awful headstocks, which is a shame, cause they have really really nice bodies
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Lucifuge on December 04, 2013, 07:34:40 PM
Fender Starcaster.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: richard on December 04, 2013, 09:16:58 PM
Epiphone. Horrible.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Jamie on December 04, 2013, 09:38:31 PM
Any Steinberger (if that counts)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Andrew W on December 04, 2013, 09:38:53 PM
Quote from: richard on December 04, 2013, 09:16:58 PM
Epiphone. Horrible.

I'm not having that. The batwing headstock is awesome:
(http://epiphonewiki.com/images/thumb/5/5f/Coronetheadstock.jpg/300px-Coronetheadstock.jpg)

My personal nomination for worst headstock, and rest of guitar come to that, is the Valeno:

(http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/103630913-studio-still-life-of-a-1972-veleno-guitar-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=R4V%2FQay2ANwpmCZhkZDSEvp2K%2BpbDPaio2kNUMXsFVY1iVNqoqrhJ9%2FD%2FnDsfHJlPKrryotN0kdjhXa8vq1Nqg%3D%3D)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Dave Sloven on December 04, 2013, 10:57:54 PM
I've always hated those huge Dean headstocks.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Philly Q on December 04, 2013, 10:59:41 PM
I thought this was going to be a Tyler thread!

That Lodestone headstock is very ugly (as is the guitar), but it wouldn't be too bad if it was a bit more streamlined.  It actually made me think of the Yamaha RGX-A2 headstock, in a way, which I really like:


(http://www.partituraonline.com/fotos/-yamaha-rgx-a2-wh-3.jpg)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Philly Q on December 04, 2013, 11:04:22 PM
Quote from: richard on December 04, 2013, 09:16:58 PM
Epiphone. Horrible.

I know this is a common headstock we see every day, but I really, really hate the standard Korean Epi Les Paul headstock.  Those "cut off" top corners are just awful (there's something strangely distressing about the three-screw truss rod cover, too).


(http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/bad_mario135/Epiphone%20Les%20Paul%20Custom%20Ebony/0811231104-headstock-l.jpg?t=1262219841)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Dave Sloven on December 04, 2013, 11:08:06 PM
I have an Epiphone Explorer, which has the same headstock shape as a Gibson Explorer.

My bandmate has just purchased the 50th Anniversary SG from Epiphone (the two P-90 model), and that has the ugly headstock, although it doesn't look as bad as the Les Paul one above, I think because it doesn't have all the trimmings.

(http://www.keymusic.com/gfx_productcode/XL/125272/2/Epiphone-50th-Anniversary-1961-SG-Special-P90-Outfit-Ebony.jpg)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Philly Q on December 04, 2013, 11:17:08 PM
I don't know why Epiphones don't have the Gibson headstock shape, since it's a Gibson brand.  Maybe it's for some kind of trademark reasons, or maybe just product differentiation.

My Japanese Epis all have the "proper" shape, thank god.

(http://epiphonewiki.com/images/thumb/5/5d/LQheadstock.jpg/300px-LQheadstock.jpg)

Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Lucas on December 04, 2013, 11:40:48 PM
Quote from: Agent Orange on December 04, 2013, 10:57:54 PM
I've always hated those huge Dean headstocks.
so you might hate my Dean Caddy then  :D :lol: :lol:

personally I dont like those thin Parker headstocks as well as all those diabolic BC Rich things.

Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Dave Sloven on December 04, 2013, 11:46:07 PM
Oh I had a BC Rich Warlock many years ago, atrocious headstock.  Being my first instrument and me being ignorant and all, first string change I started by removing the heavy string first.  Big mistake!! The string angle is so severe on the headstock that by the time I removed the D string the G string proceed to tear the nut straight off the neck!!!  It was replaced with a brass nut (we're talking 1991 here folks) and I always backed all of them off gradually across strings after that!!!  Big, ugly bass.  The only thing that prevented neck dive was the big ugly body.  The hard case was so big that people thought I had a keyboard in there.  Hands down the worst instrument I've ever owned.

Actually the angle might not have been that great, to think of it - it might just have been that there was an angle and the nut was very poorly attached
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Afghan Dave on December 05, 2013, 03:51:26 AM
Quote from: Philly Q on December 04, 2013, 11:04:22 PM
Quote from: richard on December 04, 2013, 09:16:58 PM
Epiphone. Horrible.

I know this is a common headstock we see every day, but I really, really hate the standard Korean Epi Les Paul headstock.  Those "cut off" top corners are just awful (there's something strangely distressing about the three-screw truss rod cover, too).


(http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/bad_mario135/Epiphone%20Les%20Paul%20Custom%20Ebony/0811231104-headstock-l.jpg?t=1262219841)

I have an Epi LP Custom that is a bloody great guitar... it's just... I can't get over the headstock..

I bugs the hell out of me..

Like an emotional splinter that irritates me every time I pick up what is an excellent guitar.  :(
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: gwEm on December 05, 2013, 10:01:41 AM
I *like* the Tyler headstock and don't care about the Epiphone one.

That Valeno is truly horrible though, as is the Lodestone.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: WezV on December 05, 2013, 06:13:29 PM
it makes more sense on the pro ones,  I think the lodestone headstock concept is pretty neat
(http://www.lodestoneguitars.com/electric/electric-pro-s/images/electric-s_headstock.jpg)

those standard seem to just be a normal headstock in the same shape
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: darkbluemurder on December 06, 2013, 09:47:10 AM
Quote from: Agent Orange on December 04, 2013, 10:57:54 PM
I've always hated those huge Dean headstocks.

+1.

But that Valeno is really scary.

I also dislike those pointy headstocks. Probably OK for big stages but very dangerous in small club stages.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Mr. Air on December 06, 2013, 01:04:33 PM
I can name a few ugly headstocks: B C Rich warlord, Parker fly, Blackmachine B2, 80s hockey stick headstocks in general, anything that's too pointy.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Dave Sloven on December 06, 2013, 02:30:04 PM
I like the old Kramer hockey sticks!!

I'm surprised that no-one has mentioned the Gibson Melody Maker headstocks yet
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 05:37:19 PM
The headstock on the Gibson Moderne is totally weird. Looks like a foot without toes.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Philly Q on December 06, 2013, 06:08:41 PM
Quote from: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 05:37:19 PM
The headstock on the Gibson Moderne is totally weird. Looks like a foot without toes.

Any headstock which needs four string guides can only be a bad design.

The Futura is bloody weird too.


(http://inlowguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/gibson-futura_hsf.jpg)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 06:34:19 PM
Quote from: Philly Q on December 06, 2013, 06:08:41 PM
Quote from: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 05:37:19 PM
The headstock on the Gibson Moderne is totally weird. Looks like a foot without toes.

Any headstock which needs four string guides can only be a bad design.

The Futura is bloody weird too.


(http://inlowguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/gibson-futura_hsf.jpg)

Yeah, four stringguides is a designflaw pur sang. That Futura-headstock is bizar too.
It looks like they lost direction at Gibson in those days. Or everybody was constantly drunk in the designdepartment.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Philly Q on December 06, 2013, 06:42:36 PM
Quote from: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 06:34:19 PM
It looks like they lost direction at Gibson in those days. Or everybody was constantly drunk in the designdepartment.

Well, the Futura evolved into (or was the bar-steward cousin of) the Explorer.

So back in 1958 they had Moderne and Futura - misses.  Flying V and Explorer - definite hits (in the long term anyway)!

Probably a better success rate than Gibson's designers in 2013......
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Andrew W on December 06, 2013, 11:26:53 PM
Quote from: Philly Q on December 06, 2013, 06:42:36 PM
Quote from: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 06:34:19 PM
It looks like they lost direction at Gibson in those days. Or everybody was constantly drunk in the designdepartment.

Well, the Futura evolved into (or was the bar-steward cousin of) the Explorer.

So back in 1958 they had Moderne and Futura - misses.  Flying V and Explorer - definite hits (in the long term anyway)!

Probably a better success rate than Gibson's designers in 2013......

I'd say Ted McCarty knew his onions. Well knew his funny shaped guitars at any rate.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: xXNicFlairXx on December 07, 2013, 01:39:07 PM
Speaking of pointy!
Guild X-79
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: MrBump on December 07, 2013, 07:10:58 PM
Quote from: Guild S-60 on December 07, 2013, 01:39:07 PM
Speaking of pointy!
Guild X-79

Ooh, yes.  Pointy.

But I actually quite like that, despite being a rotten traditionalist.... The geometry makes sense to me somehow.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Philly Q on December 07, 2013, 08:47:31 PM
Quote from: MrBump on December 07, 2013, 07:10:58 PM
Quote from: Guild S-60 on December 07, 2013, 01:39:07 PM
Speaking of pointy!
Guild X-79

Ooh, yes.  Pointy.

But I actually quite like that, despite being a rotten traditionalist.... The geometry makes sense to me somehow.

I remembered seeing an old ad with Allen Collins playing one, and thinking it looked cool.  But he actually looks pretty awkward, I think....

(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/ALLEN-COLLINS-ROSSINGTON-COLLINS-BAND-GUILD-X-70-GUITARS-AD-8X11-ADVERTISEMENT-/00/s/MTA2Nlg4MTI=/z/nQIAAOxyhs9RBc0u/$T2eC16hHJHgE9n0yHGLBBRBc0ujd!!~~60_57.JPG)
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Mr. Air on December 08, 2013, 03:51:45 PM
Quote from: Guild S-60 on December 07, 2013, 01:39:07 PM
Speaking of pointy!
Guild X-79

Very very ugly - not just the headstock but the body as well.
Title: Re: And The Award For The Ugliest Headstock Goes To...
Post by: Telerocker on December 08, 2013, 05:54:52 PM
Quote from: Philly Q on December 06, 2013, 06:42:36 PM
Quote from: Telerocker on December 06, 2013, 06:34:19 PM
It looks like they lost direction at Gibson in those days. Or everybody was constantly drunk in the designdepartment.

Well, the Futura evolved into (or was the bar-steward cousin of) the Explorer.

So back in 1958 they had Moderne and Futura - misses.  Flying V and Explorer - definite hits (in the long term anyway)!

Probably a better success rate than Gibson's designers in 2013......

Probably true. At the same time I cannot understand why Gibson launched some great shapes and designs (Les Paul and Explorer are my solid body favs) and at the same time came up with the most hideous guitars.