A Guide to Guitar Headstocks

A guitar is an amazing piece of art that has been evolving for hundreds of years now, and perhaps the most important ramification it has undergone is its transformation from an acoustic to an electric instrument. Transforming the guitar to electric didn't only change the way it sounds, but the way it looks too, because the resonance box was not needed anymore. I could go on and on about the different parts of the guitar, their functions and styles, but here I will concentrate in one of the most stylish pieces: the headstock.

The word headstock itself can mean many things, like some kind of bearing, but in a guitar context the headstock is the piece that holds the strings at the end of the guitar and includes a set of tuning machines. As you might figure out by now, the headstock is a very important piece because it allows the strings to be fixed and the guitar to stay tuned.

The tuning machines are usually placed in the guitar headstock in line, or in a three per side patter, but there are guitars with all kinds of combinations. They are made from metal and in one end they hold the strings; they have a gearing mechanism that is turned in one end by hand, and transfers the rotation to the part holding the string. This then rotates until the string is fixed and properly stretched. The more stretched the string, the faster it vibrates and the higher the note it produces.

There are two main configurations of the headstock in relation to the guitar neck. Some guitars have straight headstock; this means that the headstock is aligned with the neck. Manufacturing is easier in this type because no angles are involved, and the neck-headstock assembly can be built from a single piece of wood. Angled headstocks are different; depending in the style of the guitar and the manufacturer, they can be seen in angles ranging from about five to up to 25 degrees but it is unknown which angle is the best in terms of sound.

It is important to note that the headstock of a guitar is like the signature of the guitar manufacturer. The headstock is the piece that has the company logo stamped in it in a variety of materials. The shape of the headstock is also like a trademark for most companies. The headstock outlines for guitar manufacturers such as the Fender with the classic Stratocaster, ESP with its straight headstock and in line configuration, Jackson angled and pointy, Dean with its "V" kind of style or BC Rick with the warlock shape.

When trying to choose a headstock, make sure that you are cool with its style. There is no better than other styles because people like different things. As far as sound goes, there isn't anything definitive either because most manufacturers claim they are the best, so just choose something you like and are comfortable with.