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fender3x
10-11-2018, 01:27 AM
Over in the "Building Your Pitbull Guitar" part of the forum there are forums on Decals and on shaping headstocks. Finding myself at a loss for how to do my next headstock, I thought it would be good if there were a thread where folks could show off "headstock art" either that they had made or that they found to be an inspiration. Here's the one-and-only that I have made so far. Very simple. Did not cut the stock headstock. Waterslide decals were made with MS Word, an inkjet printer, and a bit of Krylon Workable Fixatif.

28997

Andy40
10-11-2018, 05:57 AM
My tele headstock.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181109/69c2f65abfb0d4ea136a6bbae9fcda58.jpg

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fender3x
10-11-2018, 07:07 AM
Very cool

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JohnH
10-11-2018, 04:05 PM
Great idea for a thread!

Both those headstocks are cool but that tele one really does it for me

blinddrew
11-11-2018, 08:31 PM
Here's my only effort to date: https://i.imgur.com/LcSICRN.jpg
The blank was off centre and I wanted a simpler scroll at the top. I looked at my other guitars and none of them had a chamfer on the headstock so I added one. :)
The logo was a laser printer > packing tape > soak off in water job. Only thing I'd do differently there is apply it much sooner in the oiling process (say after the first half dozen coats).
Got a more complicated plan burgeoning for the next one.

fender3x
12-11-2018, 12:29 AM
I like it. Also a beautiful truss rod but cover. Did you find it or make it?

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blinddrew
12-11-2018, 12:52 AM
Thanks, TRC was a homemade job. Bit of pine trimmed to size, was trying to be sympathetic to the waisted effect of the headstock, dyed with some watercolour paint, sanded, over-sanded, dyed again, repeat... Managed to mimic the horizontals in the scratch plate as well, but that was equal parts luck and judgement... ;)

Sonic Mountain
12-11-2018, 06:31 AM
Cool thread, keep them coming!

neverwas
12-11-2018, 03:34 PM
I'll throw a few of mine in. The pics are from the build diaries and are maybe not the best angles but you get the idea.

RC-4
29021

FB-1M
29022

And the inspiration,
29023

My interpretation on an ES-3
29024

Grant

fender3x
12-11-2018, 09:51 PM
All I can say is wow! Those are truly works of art

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blinddrew
12-11-2018, 11:28 PM
Strewth those are nice! Gauntlet well and truly laid down. :)

Sonic Mountain
13-11-2018, 04:44 AM
I'll throw a few of mine in. The pics are from the build diaries and are maybe not the best angles but you get the idea.

RC-4
29021

FB-1M
29022

And the inspiration,
29023

My interpretation on an ES-3
29024

Grant

These are gorgeous, big fan of this one.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29024

Andyxlh
13-11-2018, 05:16 AM
These are gorgeous, big fan of this one.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29024

Agreed, that is fantastic

Simon Barden
13-11-2018, 08:30 PM
We know all about XXXX in the UK.


http://youtu.be/Z023prwCkgs

Simon Barden
13-11-2018, 08:33 PM
And also:


http://youtu.be/mtwkDGlpWJk

wazkelly
14-11-2018, 02:39 AM
Couple of good ads Simon. Never see them before. Must have been done for export markets only.

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Simon Barden
14-11-2018, 04:06 AM
There are quite a few more like that. Shame they all seem to be of such a poor quality. Like the beer. The stuff brewed in the UK as XXXX was nothing like the XXXX export cans that you could sometimes get.

king casey
14-11-2018, 04:22 AM
There are quite a few more like that. Shame they all seem to be of such a poor quality. Like the beer. The stuff brewed in the UK as XXXX was nothing like the XXXX export cans that you could sometimes get.

Beer doesn't travel. Only the license to make it.
I bought a six pack of Fosters when I was living for a time in South Wales (not 'new' south wales) and it was quite good.
Even the so-called quality Stella Artois isn't actually 'imported' and the reason why it tastes wildly different to the tap variety.
Thing with most Aussie beer is that it all comes out of the same vat.
Hilarious the arguments you hear about what brand is better than another.

cheers, Mark.

(edit) I remember seeing those XXXX ads. Could have been when I was in W.A.
The best beer ads were the Holsten Pils with Griff Rhys Jones in the 80's.

wazkelly
14-11-2018, 06:50 AM
The domestic XXXX Gold ads a few years ago with 4 mates on various fishing adventures were hilarious and some of the best.
Agree about imported beer tasting different, particulary in stubbies as it is all made under licence. Suspect some cans may arrive via ship, just need to read fine details on packaging.

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Dedman
14-11-2018, 07:45 AM
Yup, BWS sells both imported and locally brewed Asahi, the local stuff isn't a patch on the imported.

Sonic Mountain
14-11-2018, 08:51 AM
Yup, BWS sells both imported and locally brewed Asahi, the local stuff isn't a patch on the imported.

Agreed. Really enjoyed it in Japan, just not the same here.

Somebody should post from more head stocks before this turns into the beer appreciation thread :)

trv
15-11-2018, 07:15 AM
These are gorgeous, big fan of this one.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29024


Agreed, that is fantastic

I'm with you guys, this is on another level. I really like how you took inspiration from that D'Angelico and made it your own

AerGuitar
17-11-2018, 11:39 AM
My tele headstock.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181109/69c2f65abfb0d4ea136a6bbae9fcda58.jpg

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I reminds me of the Friedman headstocks

Andy40
24-11-2018, 03:16 AM
Yep, that was the idea, except with different veneers

blinddrew
14-11-2019, 04:37 AM
Like that a lot. :)

TZK321
14-11-2019, 07:40 AM
Here's mine. It's pretty simple compared to the ones in this thread.

fender3x
14-11-2019, 09:36 AM
Nothing wrong with simple and elegant especially when it's well executed. I like TZK's--which is simple but also totally unique. I don't think I have seen another like it.

I like McCreed's too. I thought for a long time about how to do something like a badge, but never came up with one I liked.

My original idea for this thread was to generate ideas. Its also generating art, which is great. Still the usefulness of the thread is for folks to get ideas they can execute.



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fender3x
14-11-2019, 09:50 AM
I gave up on doing the water slide decals. I was never happy with how they finish.

This is the only part of finishing that has worked for me. A little clear coat. Sand flat. Decal. Lots and lots of clear coat.



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fender3x
16-11-2019, 04:26 AM
O would not say paltry. There is something different to like in all three. In the first you have great wood grain, and your simple but curved text is sylish without interfering. On the second one that does not have much woodgrain, the dark strips and wood truss rod cover accent it just enough.

What I like about the third one is what you figured out to put in the "bulb." That's often space that looks kind of empty...and attempts to fill it don't always work. My SX bass did it well. So does yours.

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FrankenWashie
16-11-2019, 06:44 AM
O would not say paltry. There is something different to like in all three. In the first you have great wood grain, and your simple but curved text is sylish without interfering. On the second one that does not have much woodgrain, the dark strips and wood truss rod cover accent it just enough.

What I like about the third one is what you figured out to put in the "bulb." That's often space that looks kind of empty...and attempts to fill it don't always work. My SX bass did it well. So does yours.

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thanks Fender, very kind words. I think the third is also my favourite, it’s a build for a long time colleague and the “Kangaroo Island Special Edition” is a shared in joke for us.

JimC
21-11-2019, 04:57 AM
32791
My ESB4. I see its got a scratch already!

fender3x
21-11-2019, 09:07 AM
The tree of life MOP inlay is really nice. I don't see the scratch, so you should probably stop telling people about it ;-)

JimC
21-11-2019, 06:24 PM
The tree of life MOP inlay is really nice. I don't see the scratch, so you should probably stop telling people about it ;-)
But if one person, feeling depressed and unhappy about a scratch on their hard work, sees my post and thinks "at least I'm not the only one" then I've made the world a slightly better place, and that's a good thing...

fender3x
22-11-2019, 08:20 AM
But if one person, feeling depressed and unhappy about a scratch on their hard work, sees my post and thinks "at least I'm not the only one" then I've made the world a slightly better place, and that's a good thing...By that reasoning my last build is Prozac ;-)

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fender3x
22-11-2019, 08:29 AM
Sonic you are the king of the decals. I am curious about what's under a couple of these. The Steampunker in particular. Love the compass. Also is "Victory" an Airline style?

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Sonic Mountain
22-11-2019, 01:13 PM
How do you mean "Under"? The rest of the guitar?

The Victory is my first go a building a body and its a flying V rip off, but a bit different.

Of you click on my user name you can go and have a look at my builds under the 'latests threads' link, but here are those two.

https://i.imgur.com/oaw2tlS.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/Smrr2Pn.jpg

fender3x
22-11-2019, 08:12 PM
How do you mean "Under"? The rest of the guitar?

Yes that's what I meant ;-)



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fender3x
22-11-2019, 08:13 PM
...also Wow!

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JimC
22-11-2019, 11:23 PM
That V is such a smart job.

fender3x
23-11-2019, 01:18 AM
Just went through...and Sonic has a truly impressive array of unique instruments.

Sonic Mountain
31-03-2020, 09:03 AM
Just went through...and Sonic has a truly impressive array of unique instruments.

Heh cheers. Might as well pop this one in here.

https://i.imgur.com/qutlyIj.jpg?1

fender3x
01-04-2020, 02:45 AM
I really like the combo headstock.

fender3x
03-04-2020, 06:59 AM
Heh cheers. Might as well pop this one in here.

https://i.imgur.com/qutlyIj.jpg?1

I like this...simple and unique...but it has been bothering me that it also feels familiar. I finally realized why...

34360

My kids will think you're the coolest ;-)

Tassieaxeman
03-04-2020, 10:43 PM
Some white MoP cut a triskillion similar to the fret markers and inlayed a silver 1963 rams head shilling. MoP truss rod cover. Next one gets a more elaborate inlay as my cutting skills improve

fender3x
03-04-2020, 11:44 PM
That is gorgeous. I have wondered about inlaying a coin. Seems to have worked really well. The fret inlays are beautiful as well.

DarkMark
25-09-2020, 03:51 AM
Here is my GR-1SF modified to nylon string and my ES-3 with gold glitter inlay.

HarmonIser
26-03-2021, 07:05 AM
@fender3x
Harmony/Silvertone did some awesome headstocks, right from the beginning. I've been discovering more about them, and digging the history of the company. In Australia, they're rarely seen, but in USA they were producing more guitars than both Fender, and Gibson combined, when they were at their peak. Cheaply produced, and shipped out to department stores, and sold through Sears & Roebuck catalogues, many peoples' first guitar purchase was made by Harmony in Chicago.
As cheap working guitars go, the old models quite often don't last that well, with necks requiring resetting, etc. Harmony fans on forums tell stories of pulling them out of bins, or dumpsters, or finding them abandoned in someone's attic/basement, , or buying them for bargain prices at "thrift stores", etc. These ones typically, have been beaten up, or when the action starts to make them unplayable, they're put away in a cupboard and forgotten about. Then they're fixed up, and sold on, or treasured as a freebie/cheapie that just needed a bit of work to make a great player again.
Here's a few more headstocks using tortoiseshell, or other ornamentation - others (like my current GAS source, the H62), used a rosewood veneer, with the Harmony logo, and Fleur de Lys (like the top one to the left with tortoiseshell).
39845

fender3x
26-03-2021, 07:52 AM
Those are cool. I also like the tortoiseshell veneers. I haven't seen one for years, but they used to be very common here as you say. My mom has one in her basement that is about 50 years old. It needs a new nut and bridge, but is otherwise a fine player. Too bad that hers got short changed in the headstock. Just black with a gold logo...and a fleur de lis, I think.

fender3x
20-08-2021, 12:04 PM
My latest is very simple. My take on a batwing...although not quite the same as an Epiphone or Burnes...

41336

41337

Troy murley
05-07-2023, 04:40 PM
44506It's just a basic inkjet decal job but I'm stoked it turned out exactly how I wanted it.

Jetblack
08-07-2023, 01:48 PM
I think thats a great idea, I am challenging myself for the head stock design of my JB4A when I get it. I do like the original Fender Jazz Bass shape but now leaning more toward the Fender J-av75 shape, a little more emphasis on the higher set curves than the original shape, but of course that makes it a copy. So I'm playing with the shape to give it my edge, so to speak. Ive also created a few logo copy stickers with mixed results, the costs of inkjet cartridges makes me cringe, and I have used a few over the years, I would hate to add it all up, definately the down side of. Looking for production costs effective tips for that.

Jetblack
08-07-2023, 02:57 PM
I'm liking the idea of the Bass head stock Dusty Hill (ZZ Top) used, that came already attached to his porn shop Fender PBass. Upside down head stock, which would mean changing out the neck for a right side neck but using the left body. Something about that setup appeals to me, I like the idea of tuning the strings under rather than over. Grey Matter is now churning....

ElleBrooke
22-07-2023, 01:52 AM
This is the first headstock I ever cut, for a TL-1L kit. Wood burned and painted with acrylics. Not a fan of the traditional telecaster headstock shape, but this is kind of a nod in that direction.

https://i.imgur.com/ZENa1ej.jpg

Jetblack
24-07-2023, 01:15 PM
44609 This is my first "reshape" head stock with a some early transfers, I made up using some downloadable media and a little tweaking.

Jetblack
24-07-2023, 01:23 PM
Looks great, I especially like the body color, what process did you use ?? Is that a stain color or ebonzing what did you use for the final coat ?? Nice touch with the Octopus tentacles and bridge, that looks like quite a bit of work, well done.