Headstock Change

[Revolution Six]

 

 

Beauty

[Revolution Six]

Killer MIJ headsrock, MIJ Epi are Elitist

 

 

[Pinch]

Not Legit... :unsure:

 

LOL!

[mbberry]

I've always preferred the Gibson headstock, on Epi guitars that are of Gibson designs. Les Paul, SG, 335, etc. Like the ones

for the "Japanese Only" market! I'd like to see Epiphone do that, on all those (Gibson) clone models. The Epiphone original

designs, should retain the Epi headstock, be it the extended "hourglass" or the clipped cornered "Jazz Box" verion(s).

The exception, for me, would be on the Sheraton. I love the old "Kalamazoo" era headstock, as opposed to the clipped corner

version they're using now...which, to ME, is too large for the Thin-line Sheraton body. To me, it looks out of proportion.

But, that's just ME.

 

 

CB

 

Couldn’t have said it better myself CB

[Jeff Bostic]

I own two 1950s Epis and never really noticed the headstocks so I guess they do not bother me. Both are acoustic guitars though. For me I guess it comes down to whether you see the feature as having a sonic payoff or as just aesthetics. I had always heard that back in the day Epiphone went with the larger headstock to add mass to the neck of their archtops which in theory increased sustain. Kind of like the Fender Fat Finger. So I guess the question is, assuming it did enhance the sound in its day, is it still necessary today or, if not, do you keep the headstocks because of tradition.

 

At first with my LP standard it was kind of like "yeah the headstock looks a little strange". But after setting the guitar up for me and loving it, that strange looking headstock began to look really cool. I've had some past girlfriends effect me the same way :).

[Sleeko]

Fortunately I love the Epiphone Tree of Life headstock. Goes back a long way and has a lot of history behind it. I understand what you say completely though as one headstock I've never warmed up to is the one found on the Heritage guitars.

 

 

[Sleeko]

Here is what you need :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's funny right there. Looks like a hairpiece for Epi's

[Jeff Bostic]

That's funny right there. Looks like a hairpiece for Epi's

 

I'd rather go bald :)!

[Megafrog]

Beauty

 

Beast

[Viktorija Arsic]

Agreed. I like Epi's for what they are, a great budget-minded guitar. No need to get pretentious.

 

Same here! I think Epiphone headstocks look fine. And even elegant, if they're bound and have some extra bling.

 

Giibson looks nice too, but it's also impractical, considering the headstock angle. But at the end of the day....it's just the headstock.

 

I think as guitarists sometimes we put too much emphasis on the least important part of the guitar

[mihcmac]

Here is what you need :

 

I don't wanna see what the Beast is doing with his other hand......

Edited June 20, 2018 by mihcmac

[tweed2]

Not Legit... :unsure:

 

That's the first thing that popped into my head, when I saw his posting......

[Annevm]

On 12/1/2017 at 3:46 PM, Revolution Six said:

Here is what you need :

 

 

 

 

http://captainrodger.free.fr/Mes%20gifs%20anim%E9s/

Edited April 1, 2021 by Annevm
Double post

[Annevm]

On 12/1/2017 at 3:46 PM, Revolution Six said:

Here is what you need :

 

 

 

 

http://captainrodger.free.fr/Mes%20gifs%20anim%E9s/lawl.gif

Can you tell me where to buy this or how to make one? Do you by any chance have a blueprint? That would be much appreciated. Best wishes.

[mihcmac]

12 hours ago, Annevm said:

Can you tell me where to buy this or how to make one? Do you by any chance have a blueprint? That would be much appreciated. Best wishes.

Just get a new model Epiphone with the original 50's Kalamazoo headstock.

Edited April 1, 2021 by mihcmac

[Prestachuck]

On 4/1/2021 at 3:49 PM, mihcmac said:

"Just get a new model Epiphone with the original 50's Kalamazoo headstock."

Damn! I just ordered a used LP Standard with the "funny looking" headstock. 😄 It never really bothered me all that much.  For the cash I saved buying a used one, I can live with the headstock.   In fact, I kind of like it.  I think the problem that most people who don't like the Epi headstock have with it is that it is not a Gibson headstock.  Well, it doesn't come with a Gibson price tag either, and it's less likely to break off since the angle is more sensible and it has a volute.

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by Prestachuck
Spelling

[mihcmac]

2 hours ago, Prestachuck said:

Damn! I just ordered a used LP Standard with the "funny looking" headstock. 😄 It never really bothered me all that much.  For the cash I saved buying a used one, I can live with the headstock.   In fact, I kind of like it.  I think the problem that most people who don't like the Epi headstock have with it is that it is not a Gibson headstock.  Well, it doesn't come with a Gibson price tag either, and it's less likely to break off since the angle is more sensible and it has a volute.

Fortunately the new Epiphones with the Kalamazoo headstock don't come with the Gibson price tag either..

[Yorgle]

The new headstock design actually pre-dates the Gibson/Kalamazoo era.  My ‘56 arch top was built in New York and it has that same style headstock as did other Epi arch tops as far back as 1939-40.  

[pohatu771]

4 hours ago, Prestachuck said:

Well, it doesn't come with a Gibson price tag either, and it's less likely to break off since the angle is more sensible and it has a volute.

It doesn't have a volute. You could argue that the extra material on some Gibson and Martin (and other brands) necks isn't a volute either, but these Epiphone guitars definitely don't have one.

1 hour ago, Yorgle said:

The new headstock design actually pre-dates the Gibson/Kalamazoo era.  My ‘56 arch top was built in New York and it has that same style headstock as did other Epi arch tops as far back as 1939-40.  

This shape also appeared on early Guild models (1952 until about 1959) as well, before Gibson bought Epiphone. After a 1951 factory strike, an Epiphone executive co-founded Guild and hired many former Epiphone factory employees - who kept making the headstock shape that they were used to. Epiphone moved production to Philadelphia in summer 1952.

[cunningham26]

Love a good zombie thread that brings up something so silly! that's OP is so funny, imagine the gall to come onto this board and in post numero uno be like "WE ALL HATE IT RIGHT?!"

the issue, as others have stated better above, is that gibson didn't do what FMIC did and just have an offshore version and a domestic version of the same guitar with the same cosmetics.  That said if this is an issue for you, don't buy the epiphone version of a Gibson guitar- you're clearly going to have a complex about it. 

I've seen tons of live shows big and small where the performers are playing epiphone- sometimes vintage but a lot of times just the $500 MIK casino. You know who doesn't care about headstock shape? Those guys. Be like those guys.

[mihcmac]

Here's me in 2001 playing a professional gig at Hollywood Alley using my 97 G400 with the clipped ear headstock.

I had no qualms about using it even though in the far left of the image you can just see my yellow Gibson SG-X and behind it my Epi LP 100...

Edited April 11, 2021 by mihcmac

[Supersonic]

On 4/9/2021 at 2:53 PM, cunningham26 said:

Love a good zombie thread

That's all this place is anymore. Remember how awesome this forum was about 10 years ago? What a shame how everything ended up. The EpiphoneTalk forum is small but it's pretty cool. There's quite a few people you might remember from the old days there. 

[Prestachuck]

Quote

"Fortunately the new Epiphones with the Kalamazoo headstock don't come with the Gibson price tag either.."

 

No they don't, but a used Epiphone with the old "clipped" headstock is cheaper still and plays exactly the same as a brand new one.

Quote

"It doesn't have a volute. You could argue that the extra material on some Gibson and Martin (and other brands) necks isn't a volute either, but these Epiphone guitars definitely don't have one."

Thank you for the correction on that point.  The Epiphone that I ordered from GC's used site has not yet arrived.  I do still have my 2014 Gibson SGJ and some very nice basses to keep me busy.

Quote

"This shape also appeared on early Guild models (1952 until about 1959) as well, before Gibson bought Epiphone. After a 1951 factory strike, an Epiphone executive co-founded Guild and hired many former Epiphone factory employees - who kept making the headstock shape that they were used to. Epiphone moved production to Philadelphia in summer 1952."

Interesting story.

Quote

"That's all this place is anymore. Remember how awesome this forum was about 10 years ago? What a shame how everything ended up. The EpiphoneTalk forum is small but it's pretty cool. There's quite a few people you might remember from the old days there. "

I wasn't here quite ten years ago, and I've been away from almost all forums for a few.  Every forum that I've ever been on has old threads that come back to life when somebody discovers it through a search and realizes that it's still relevant to their own current situation.  I don't see a problem with that.  Extending conversation on an older thread consolidates the discussions into fewer threads per subject.  But I do see a bit of snarkiness and know-it-all-ism that I don't remember from seven years ago, if that's what you mean.    These are great guitars, but I don't understand why some people have to pretend to be the world's foremost expert anxiously waiting in the wings to smack somebody down.  It's just guitar chatter, and very few of us are Norm from Norm's Rare Guitars.   And Norm is a lot nicer than that.

[Prestachuck]

On 4/10/2021 at 3:16 PM, mihcmac said:

Here's me in 2001 playing a professional gig at Hollywood Alley using my 97 G400 with the clipped ear headstock.

I had no qualms about using it even though in the far left of the image you can just see my yellow Gibson SG-X and behind it my Epi LP 100...

This is awesome!

  I saw Joe Walsh a couple of years ago. He played a PRS SE 245 for several songs.  it was about a $600 guitar, and he sounded killer.  He also seemed to be enjoying playing it as much as he did his other instruments.

Edited April 11, 2021 by Prestachuck

[mihcmac]

52 minutes ago, Prestachuck said:

This is awesome!

  I saw Joe Walsh a couple of years ago. He played a PRS SE 245 for several songs.  it was about a $600 guitar, and he sounded killer.  He also seemed to be enjoying playing it as much as he did his other instruments.

You never know what will do the job the best...

Here I am in 2007 at the HIlo Bay Front playing my Gibson LP Special DC and to the left side you can just see my 99  TV Yellow Epiphone Junior DC, that was actually a much better player than my Gibson.