Headstocks

[Embenny]

Lately my favourite is the Coronado shaped headstock, also like the pre CBS jazzmaster and Firebird shaped headstock. What really puts me off is the truss rod adjustment hole, looks totally wrong imo, but it's more practical.

The Firebird headstock with the carved edges is one of the most beautiful designs ever made, IMO.

I've dreamed of having a custom neck made for a Fender/Gibson mashup that uses it. It would look so great with an Offset body.

[Stephen_42]

Telemasters/Jazzcasters have Tele headstocks and I’ve never heard anyone have a problem with it.

Two things:

1) Are those bodies as large as the Jazzmaster, or are they slightly scaled down?

2) Does the fact that they’re primarily set up/outfitted as Teles (bridge, pickups, switching) cause people to be okay with that smaller headstock in that scenario?

I’m thinking one or both above might be at play.

1. I think they're typically standard JM size, but don't quote me on that.

2. Regardless, I think a Tele headstock would look better even on a standard Jazzmaster. They're more minimalistic, and are the only Fender headstock design that I can think of that doesn't look naked without a brand logo.

[PixMix]

Jazzmaster, to me, is just right. It also fits the overall silhouette of the rest of the guitar both with respect to proportions and shape. I don't dislike any of the standard Fender headstocks, although years ago I used to find Tele headstocks not very pleasing aesthetically.

[GreenKnee]

I just had a quick search for Jazzmaster with Telecaster neck to see how it works with the Jazzmaster equipment rather than a telemaster setup.



For me, this design really works. Gives the top of the guitar a sleek look, almost aerodynamic which fits with the space age aesthetic of the guitar I guess. It mirrors the body shape but scaled down.

[pscates]

Absolutely. As I said in my first post in this thread, Leo got it right the first time (Broadcaster/Telecaster, and the original Precision Bass). Those headstocks, to me, are “Fender”. Simple, attractive. And they do indeed look great on other Fenders.

I know there’s that heel mismatch, which makes it tough to slap a regular square-heeled Tele neck onto a Strat or Jazzmaster without some modifying…and that’s probably why you don’t see it done much. But at places like Warmoth and Musikraft, where you can order a Tele neck with a rounded heel, to go on your home-built Jazzmaster-y type guitar…why not?

[JSett]

Each to their own but I've never been a fan of the Tele headstock at all. It looks stunted, like the runt of the litter.

Gimme a big ol' batswoop over a Tele any day of the week. The bigger the better. I wanna be able to paddle my boat with it

[GreenKnee]

Oddly enough, I don't think it suits a Jaguar at all though

[sal paradise]

Wow. I always thought there were 2 Stratocaster type headstock shapes: JM/strat & Jag/mustang/CBS.

Can’t believe I’ve never noticed the differences before

[Stephen_42]

Oddly enough, I don't think it suits a Jaguar at all though

See I think that looks great! (Aside from the weird 12 fret marker, but that's not really relevant).

[muffonrat]

Lately my favourite is the Coronado shaped headstock, also like the pre CBS jazzmaster and Firebird shaped headstock. What really puts me off is the truss rod adjustment hole, looks totally wrong imo, but it's more practical.

I too have started to really dig the Coronado headstock!
And I know what you mean about the truss rods...I like the looks of the vintage ones...but I’m thinking of getting a headstock truss rod neck for one of my JM’s just for dealing with rapidly changing environments when gigging or recording..I can take the neck off no problem but it is a more tedious pain in the ass..
——-
On a JM the pre-CBS headstocks are perfection to me.

Strats...I prefer the small 50’s ones, but the big ones have a certain vulgar panache about them too

On Tele’s...I guess traditional.. I used to just hate on them, so stunted and ugly, but they’ve grown on me.

The Starcaster ones are fugly deep down, but I could live with them, and can even convince myself that they are kinda cool

Sometimes I manage to make small adjustments to the truss rod without taking the neck off, it would be a quarter turn adjustment maximum. Would not recommend that though cause it doesn't work with all the guitars and will have to sand a little bit of the pickguard.

[sal paradise]

Oddly enough, I don't think it suits a Jaguar at all though

See I think that looks great! (Aside from the weird 12 fret marker, but that's not really relevant).

Perfect shape for jabbing into a speaker cabinet.

[muffonrat]

Lately my favourite is the Coronado shaped headstock, also like the pre CBS jazzmaster and Firebird shaped headstock. What really puts me off is the truss rod adjustment hole, looks totally wrong imo, but it's more practical.

The Firebird headstock with the carved edges is one of the most beautiful designs ever made, IMO.

I've dreamed of having a custom neck made for a Fender/Gibson mashup that uses it. It would look so great with an Offset body.

Firebird headstock shape is kind of goofy nice to me, it actually looks like a beak so it makes sense to call the guitar a firebird .
Been also thinking about having a luthier built a trini lopez copy guitar for me, since both reissues and vintage ones are way out of my price range atm.

[pscates]

I love it on the Jaguar even more. Looks like a compact little hot rod.

[Lost In Autumn]

I came of age and began playing in the early 80's, when CBS-era Fenders were regarded as junk, so I had a deep aversion to large headstocks. I eventually quit playing more or less around the late 90's-early 2000's, but picked up guitars again about 3 years ago. I got a Vintage Modified Stratocaster and really came to love that guitar; now, I find myself preferring the larger headstocks and am not fond of the smaller, vintage Strat style.

[Jaguar018]

I like how entirely subjective this sort of thing is.

Never liked the telecaster headstock. The smaller Strat style one is okay, but once I started playing Jaguars I've grown to like that style the best.