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I actually prefer the Epiphone headstock shape


crust

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I find it interesting how so many people have such strong opinions on what the headstock looks like.

 

I just don't care.

 

I'm probably the only member that feels this way. But I just don't pay that much attention to it. It's not important to me.

There's so much other stuff I care about, when it comes to the look of a guitar.

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i care cause it gives guitar balance i have a riviera and an Lp ' date='ive had the Lp sinice i was 18 loved it then got the riviera and i could totaly see the diff of how it sits when on the strap [/quote']

 

And you think that is due to the "shape" of the headstocK?

Think again.

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I find it interesting how so many people have such strong opinions on what the headstock looks like.

 

I just don't care.

 

I'm probably the only member that feels this way. But I just don't pay that much attention to it. It's not important to me.

There's so much other stuff I care about' date=' when it comes to the look of a guitar.[/quote']

 

 

Yeah, the (real) reason anyone would "complain" about an Epiphone headstock, is because

it IS "Epiphone" written on there, and not Gibson....or whatever. I've always thought, that

the Gibson clones, that Epi makes, should have the Gibson headstock, like my MIJ '62 SG does.

AND, the models that were/are true Epiphones, have the Epi headstock, true to the originals.

But, that's just Me! I love evey Epiphone I own! They are not Cheap/Fake Gibsons, to me!

Admittedly, all but one (the MIJ SG), are semi's, and true to their originals, except in their country

of manufacture (for 3 of them)...but, even the Riviera P-93LE IS an "original!"

 

Epi headstocks are beautiful! Now...Dean and PRS, and some of those "Metal" guitas...

THOSE are UGLY...IMHO. ;>) LOL! But, for those that like/love them, "Rock On!"

 

CB

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But I would really like to see all Epi's with this

 

38epihead.jpg

 

Where did you find that headstock? On what guitar, may I ask?

 

That is the traditional Epi "offset hair part" headstock with clipped corners.

 

The offset hair part goes back to the mid 30s.

The "centre notched headstock with clipped corners (as what is on the more

recent ones) is what some models had in the 50s..Like the Zephyr (Emperor)

Regent with the vine headstock emblem...which btw is mistakenly referred

to as the "tree of life"..that it ain't. It's more of a vine- like in the morning glory

vine sense.

 

Earlier Epis, like the '39 Broadway acoustic up to the '53 Broadway, which

also had the offset "part" with a unique MOP symbolic ..paisley curves

vine with a small diamond along with their famous "Super 400" style

cast tp or Frequensator and the famous Epiphone butterfly tuners.

 

I like their vintage look so much better than the elongated "Gibsonized"

headstock of the late 50s/60s...at least they have recognized that

part of the tradition.

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Right! Origins, in the 1930's, for the Vintage Masterbilt and Jazz boxes, of that era.

I've seen several Jazz box guitars, with that headstock (WITHOUT the clipped corners),

but not many WITH the clipped corners. But, then...I've hardly seen that many old '30's

Epiphones, of any model, up close and personal....but, mostly, in photos. So...any pictures,

with descriptions and dates, would be Great!

 

Cheers,

CB

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Yeah' date=' the (real) reason anyone would "complain" about an Epiphone headstock, is because

it IS "Epiphone" written on there, and not Gibson....or whatever. I've always thought, that

the Gibson clones, that Epi makes, [i']should have [/i]the Gibson headstock, like my MIJ '62 SG does.

AND, the models that were/are true Epiphones, have the Epi headstock, true to the originals.

But, that's just Me! I love evey Epiphone I own! They are not Cheap/Fake Gibsons, to me!

Admittedly, all but one (the MIJ SG), are semi's, and true to their originals, except in their country

of manufacture (for 3 of them)...but, even the Riviera P-93LE IS an "original!"

 

Epi headstocks are beautiful! Now...Dean and PRS, and some of those "Metal" guitas...

THOSE are UGLY...IMHO. ;>) LOL! But, for those that like/love them, "Rock On!"

 

CB

 

And your '62 SG has THE headstock. Quite possibly the most beautiful SG I have ever seen. And that is the headstock I wanted in all my Epis.

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Guest icantbuyafender

I can live with cut corners. Epi cuts corners all the time, but when I get through with them, Ive cut NO corners modding them, and that matters more to me.

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I prefer the Epiphone headstock to the Gibson open book. From a design point of view it looks more cohesive with the shape of a Les Paul or SG. Yes I know I bang on about this a lot. This is not to say I loathe the open book headstock on a Les Paul or SG. It's certainly iconic and classic, and aesthetically pleasing from that point of view. The Epiphone one is more cohesive from a pedantic design point of view.

 

I love the headstock used on the archtops too, Casino, Dot, etc. Classic and cohesive.

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I much prefer the Epi LP/SG headstock, especially when it's bound. I cannot stand the Casino-style one, it just looks too goofy for me. The Sheraton-style one is also very good.

 

The usual Gibson one seems too bland and genericky to me.

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I find it interesting how so many people have such strong opinions on what the headstock looks like.

 

I just don't care.

 

I'm probably the only member that feels this way. But I just don't pay that much attention to it. It's not important to me.

There's so much other stuff I care about' date=' when it comes to the look of a guitar.[/quote']

 

No Brad, you're not by yourself on this one.

I really don't give a rats a.......well, y'all know what, about headstock shapes, as it has no effect on comfort OR tone.

If I DID care about shape, then my Agile LP would still be in a warehouse in N.H. instead of warming up to play here in a minute or two.

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I personally love 4 kinds of Epi Headstocks....

 

 

1) The one that Carverman has as an Avatar (probably from an Elitist Byrdland or Emporer Regent or something)... It's fairly different-looking than the ones found on the 'regular' Sheratons... The corners are much rounder and the 'Epiphone'-inlay just fits perfectly with the size of the headstock, sometimes I get the feeling the headstocks too big for the tiny logo...

 

2) The one found on the 'John Lee Hooker' Model... It's just perfect. Perfect size and form, I especially love the 'moustache' where the Epiphone Logo sits in

 

3) The Casino, Riviera, basicly the 'original' Epiphone-headstocks from the 60's, especially the ones with that nice pearl inlay in them (like the texans and rivieras of the day)... Although I don't understand why Epiphone narrowed down this type of headstock in the 90's... I prefer the wider ones with the 'curve' on the sides (like on my chinese texan, it looks suerb).

 

4) The Casino/Coronet/Wilshire/Wildcat headstock from the late 50's and early 60's that's the most similar to a Gibson 'open-book' headstock and which has the Epiphone 'plaque' on it...

 

 

I was never a fan of the Epi LP/SG Headstock... It's a Gibson Copy, it should have the correct headstock.

It's like putting a Strat neck onto a Tele, it just doesn't look right to me...

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I can live with cut corners. Epi cuts corners all the time' date=' but when I get through with them, Ive cut NO corners modding them,[/b'] and that matters more to me.

 

Nice object statement there. LOL!

 

Historically speaking, the clipped corners on the original NYC Epiphones goes back to the strong

competitiveness between Epiphone NYC and Gibson.

 

Gibson would come out with this model and then Epiphone would come out with a similar (but different,

of course) to compete head on. This was at it's strongest when Gibson came out with the Super 400

jazz archtop..Epiphone's Emperor grew not only to the same size (18 inches in the bass bout) but another

1/2 inch bigger to 18 1/2. There was some issues between Epiphone and Gibson on the actual headstock

shape, so Epiphone experimented to come up with their unique style(s) as to different from Gibson..

who eventually trademarked theirs, after trademarks were available in the 40s or 50s.

 

While Epi did have several headstock designs..including the famous Triangular shaped white plastic nameplate

used on some of their less expensive models,

over the years they experimented with various headstock shapes.

 

..including..

 

- banjo style (used very early on ..in the mid 20s for their Recording series flat tops. Some with the unique

concave cutaway...long before the venetian/florentine styles became popular on guitars

- center "bump"...used on their archtops in the mid 30s

- center " raised triangle"

- the symmetrical part (ala Gibson open book)

- symmetrical with clipped corners

- offset part (asymmetrical)

--and the one you see above ..asymmetrical part with the clipped corners.

 

Now, one would ask..were they going through some 'identity crisis" with their various headstock shapes

and guitar models?....hard to say..but one thing they were proud of was their fine craftmanship and

creativeness of the artisans that worked for them in NYC...at a time when their guitars were touted

(by some) to be better than Gibson.

 

Their inlay work was par-excellence. No other guitar maker took the amount of time to rout and inlay

those delicate flower motifs on their top of the line models.

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I personally love 4 kinds of Epi Headstocks....

 

 

1) The one that Carverman has as an Avatar (probably from an Elitist Byrdland or Emporer Regent or something)... It's fairly different-looking than the ones found on the 'regular' Sheratons... The corners are much rounder and the 'Epiphone'-inlay just fits perfectly with the size of the headstock' date=' sometimes I get the feeling the headstocks too big for the tiny logo...

 

[/quote']

 

Close..it's a Terada (MIJ) Broadway Elitist.

 

The one I bought stamped "used". Epiphone stripped her down and sold her as a reject without their so called "Lifetime Warranty"...but they couldn't strip her of her pride and pedigree though.

 

I gave her a home, restored her to her former glory and now she sings for me!

 

While she carries the "nazi concentration camp survivor like" scratched out SN inside and on her headstock..she still is

in every sense a proud Epiphone..proud of her roots and tradition.

..kudos to Anastasios (Epi) Stathopoulo for producing her heritage.

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I was somewhat aware that Epiphone has produced many differing headstock designs, these additional pictures are rather cool.

 

Any pics of the batwing, hockey stick and Moderne ? Any others ?

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