I've been trying to guess from the pics, but I can't tell - did you modify the existing headstock, or scarf on a new one?
Here you go Philly....
We cut a bit off each side , thus losing the old holes and added more Korina to each side and cut to size
Much better than plugging holes etc in this case
The original 58s had the same construction method - strips were added to the headstock on either side with the grain running parallel to the edge of the headstock.
Cheers Jon, I thought plugged holes might weaken things a bit. Looks very neat, and I agree with Wez, I like the volute. Never been sure why people get sniffy about volutes, I don't know if they actually strengthen things or not but they can't do any harm.
There is only one reason that people get funny about volutes and I have heard some absolute rubbish spouted by people who don't have any idea what they are talking bout.
I'm tempted to make a separate post about this subject as it is so misunderstood.
Let me explain:
At the end of the 1960s /early 1970s Gibson looked at problems often faced by owners of their guitars
One of the main problems was headstocks getting broken off.
At this time they had been mainly making SGs for much of the 1960s which have a habit of falling over if you stand them up or nosediving on s strap and falling off the stupidly small strap buttons that Gibson did and still do insist on putting on their guitars.
One thing that can happen if a guitar falls to the ground and lands on its headstock is that the headstock can get broken off. Another factor that adds to this phenomenon is Gibson's use of 1 piece necks made from mahogany.
So if there is a weak/weaker point (along a grain line) that is where the neck will split.
So Gibson sensibly decided to add a volute - an extra ridge of wood nicely carved to add extra strength just where the neck needs it most. - a good move in my book.
Unfortunately this was the early 1970s and a lot went wrong at Gibson in the 1970s - and what really suffered was their quality control.
The company was being run by business graduates (MBAs) rather than luthiers and changes were brought in to cut costs, to avoid good being returned, or damaged easily.
Some moves were good like the introduction of the volute .
Other things were bad - some guitars became overbuilt (chunky necks) and didn't have the finesse of the guitars of the 50s and 60s.
Some odd designs crept in too, but demand for Gibsons was at an all time high and they couldn't make enough to keep up.
Quality suffered a lot at times .
The thing was that some of those guitars were really great and others were a bit poorly made
Guitarists became aware that things weren't all they should be with Gibsons as a whole and wondered how to tell if it was a good one or a bad one - especially buying second hand.
"It's Easy".........experts would say.
Avoid the ones with the volutes (anything made in the 1970s)
And somehow the volute came to be seen as the problem rather than all the underlying issues.
Now there were some awesomely good 70s Gibsons (some players did have the necks reshaped or refretted by a good repairman and as a result got the best from the guitars).
But the volute was never the problem (although Gibson did allow the volute to get a bit big and ugly at times)Some companies like
Hamer understood this issue and what the good and bad ideas were
Hamer guitars were made with 3 piece necks for stability and resistance to breaking. (Gibson did this for a while too - was a good idea)
Hamer tended to use a small but sufficient volute for strength at times too.
They certainly made some great quality USA made guitars.
They were both an influence on me! ( I tend to make 3 piece necks with a volute)
