Bluesjr Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Just bought my first Gibson being a 1998 ES335 and by the serial number it was built in Nashville. While checking out the back of the headstock I realised that the curves of the volute blending into the neck are not symmetrical. You can see in the attached photo that the curve on the right is as it should be while the curve on the left is like a dog's hind leg. The rest of the guitar is beautiful workmanship, but as this cost me more than a months wages maybe I'm being a bit picky ;) I was pretty surprised when I found this. Would you expect this workmanship to have passed QC at that time ? Gibson Headstock.tiff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabberwocky Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 How does it sound? How does it play? Those should be your main concerns. It could also be the famous Jimmy Page asymmetrical neck carve that was popular in this time frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundjunkie Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Ditto the last comment. I'm jealous! I want a 335 REAL BAD. From the photo it doesn't look like a broken headstock repair, but what do I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesjr Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 How does it sound? How does it play? Those should be your main concerns. Yeah I agree completely that how the pups sound and how I like the neck profile etc is really the main thing. In those respects this is the best guitar I've owned. Personally build quality does come into the mix for me on higher end guitars. I was mainly trying to get a feel for other's experiences with workmanship from Nashville in this era . I think it's just strange that this slipped by QC. Just surprised that it made it through. Maybe the neck was done by a less experienced builder or someone was having a bad day. Don't get me wrong this is won't ruin my life, just shooting the proverbial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Don't go by the serial number to determine where the guitar was made. Go by the label. If the label say Nashville, it's a Nashville-built guitar. If the label says Memphis, it's Memphis-built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 sorry. double post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 I've seen similar asymmetry on some of my Gibsons too. It never bothered me. OK to have a little evidence of human hands in the process, I guess....though I suppose I wouldn't feel that way from an entirely hand-crafted instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluesjr Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 Don't go by the serial number to determine where the guitar was made. Go by the label. If the label say Nashville, it's a Nashville-built guitar. If the label says Memphis, it's Memphis-built. Yeah I had read that the label would give me either Nashville or Memphis as the place of manufacture. I was a bit surprised that neither were shown on the label. The serial number is all I could really go by. I've seen similar asymmetry on some of my Gibsons too. It never bothered me. OK to have a little evidence of human hands in the process, I guess....though I suppose I wouldn't feel that way from an entirely hand-crafted instrument. Well thanks for that post, maybe I'm not going crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabberwocky Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Rather it be carved a little too thick than too thin. Your headstock shows the right amount of carve on the right-hand side (looking at its backside). It is the left-hand side that is left a little "thick". I guess a little more could have been taken off but if it does not interfere with your fretting hand, I would leave it alone. As spitball says, it shows a bit of handwork behind it. Be glad it is not all CNC-machine-perfect. You have a great axe. Enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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