Pilot Headstock Shapes

[fronobulax]

I'm lazy and I know I could get answers searching or just asking @The Guilds of Grot.

There are three distinct headstocks seen on Pilot basses. There are more than one name for each type although some names have a lot of consensus behind them. I would like to gather Pilot headstock pictures, discuss or agree on the name for the headstock shape and perhaps assign some approximate dates to when the headstock was in use.

At some point I will distill this thread into a new sticky that has the commonly accepted name (or names if there is that much controversy) and a picture of each style.

I think this is a "cake knife" and it comes from an '87 Pilot.

 

[GGJaguar]

I believe you're right - that's a cake knife head.

 

[lungimsam]

Glamstock ‘84
Wonder if there were tuning and pinging problems with this design.

 

[lungimsam]

Footstock and Brokenfootstock 4-toe in one pic. 5-toe footstock in the other pic.
"Lady foot" would add a touch of elegance to the name and fit with the historical lore that guitars are shaped after the contours of the female body.
They kind of look more like a bound foot than a normal foot though.

 

[lungimsam]

"Reindeer" or "Deerhunter" "4-point buck" headstocks:
4 antler on a side
3 antler on a side

 

[lungimsam]

I believe you're right - that's a cake knife head.

Also called a "pie-server" But I think "cake knife" sounds better.
These unofficial names are cool but it would be interesting to see what the manufacturer called them.

 

[lungimsam]

5-antler Reindeer.
5-Point Buck?
Deerhunter?:

 

[fronobulax]

Wow!!!!

I wasn't thinking of non-four string headstocks and I don't think I even knew the 3x1 existed.

 

[fronobulax]

These unofficial names are cool but it would be interesting to see what the manufacturer called them.

The names come up enough that I'm not sure Guild ever had an official name because if they did we would have found it.

I suspect, like so many things Guild, the change in headstock was not really treated like a change in spec.

Once we get the Pilots sorted out it would be interesting to have time periods for changes because it might be that the bass headstock was tweaked to match a guitar that was introduced into the line.

 

[SFIV1967]

Trying to put them all in one post:

1


2


3, 3a


4,5


6, 7


8, 9, 10


8a


11, 12


13


14, 15, 16


1= "Cake server" (I just made this name up...) on Jerry Peek's very early (?) Pilot with black Guild roof logo, no Pilot decal
2= ? - no "Pilot" decal,
3= "Foot"- no "Pilot" decal, Jerry Peek's' second one,
3a= same kind like 3, "Foot"- no "Pilot" decal,
4= "Foot"- no "Pilot" decal,
5= "Foot", BH101559
6= "Foot"- 5 string, no "Pilot" decal,
7= "Foot" - 5 string
8= "Hockey stick" - no "Pilot" decal,
8a= same like 7 but the decal is made from little lines, BH100046
9= "Hockey stick"
10= "Hockey stick" SB-604 BH100268
11= "Cake knife", JL000093, 1987, 602 in 1990 catalog
12= "Cake knife"- 5 string
13= "Cake knife"- not a 6 string bass but a GX series guitar! HJ000741
14= ?
15=? - 4 string 3-1 configuration
16= ? - 5 string, SB-602V AL050021

Definitely there were lefty headstocks, which I don't think I need adding here.
If you find more note down the serial number and model if possible.

Ralf

 

[lungimsam]

interesting to have time periods for changes

Hans would have to define those I think.
Some of the pics I pulled from the net had dates but I didn't want to put them up incase the sources were wrong.

 

[GGJaguar]

1

Shark mouth?

 

[SFIV1967]

Some of the pics I pulled from the net had dates but I didn't want to put them up incase the sources were wrong.

I started adding the serial numbers.

 

[mavuser]

Shark mouth?

snaggle tooth!

 

[Nuuska]

Short veer

We had a danish member here - EWH - he was into Pilot basses - I helped him to get one from Finland - I sent him some strings - and he sent me beautiful glass candle bases . . .

Unfortunately I have lost his contact info - if any of you happen to have it - please help me make contact w him again.

He was even more €%&/( than me - so he quit this forum . . . .

ERIC - if you read this - please e-mail me - Nuuska

 

[dluxe]

 

[dluxe]

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

I'm lazy and I know I could get answers searching or just asking @The Guilds of Grot.

There are three distinct headstocks seen on Pilot basses. There are more than one name for each type although some names have a lot of consensus behind them. I would like to gather Pilot headstock pictures, discuss or agree on the name for the headstock shape and perhaps assign some approximate dates to when the headstock was in use.

At some point I will distill this thread into a new sticky that has the commonly accepted name (or names if there is that much controversy) and a picture of each style.

I think this is a "cake knife" and it comes from an '87 Pilot.

Aren't you stepping on Han's toes with this venture? Do you not think that he has the factory "names" for these headstocks already in Volume II? I'm pretty sure he was reluctant to use "Cake Knife" because they would not recognize that in Europe.

Tread lightly my friend...

(Just for the record, I don't ever remember seeing the 3+1 on the Pilot Pro before. I do remember Han's showing me a photo at the Arlington jam of a Bass with 3+1 but I don't know if that was a Pilot Pro or not!)

 

[SFIV1967]

Just for the record, I don't ever remember seeing the 3+1 on the Pilot Pro before.

Here's the 3-1 Pilot where that headstock was from:



Ralf

 

[SFIV1967]

Jerry Peek's one has to be an extremely early one. That "cake server" (vs. cake knife) headstock as I would call it seems to be very rare. Yellow headstock on the front with black Guild roof logo. Have not found better pictures but that one is pretty good from the back.



Ralf