Headstock Shape

[redhawks2]

I'm recently getting reacquainted with Guilds and have just now noticed that there are two distinct headstock shapes, either flaring in or flaring out at the top. Does Guild reserve whichever shape for certain models, or???
Thanks for any info.

 

[kentukblue]

I believe the flaring in model you were referring to is the very earliest Guilds that had the open book / Gibson style headstock. (Hans and some of the guys here will give you the exact years, but I pretty sure they were strictly made at the Hoboken factory) They werent like this long before changing to the the cloud top headstock that all guilds carry now.

 

[jp]

I think the "open book" headstock was prominent mainly up to about 1962, though I have seen some 1963 examples with them. The newer variation also seems to be slimmer up to about the early 70s and then gets a little wider, or is it just me?

 

[GardMan]

I think what you are referring to are the different styles of headstocks from the 80s on? One style, referred to by Hans as the "center raised" and Beesley as the "domed" style was introduced ~'64 (according to Hans' book) and superceded the "open book" or "lip" headstock. The other looks similar to the domed, but tapers more towards the top so the top is narrower than the base of the headstock. Beesely calls this the "tapered" headstock... and looking thru his "catalog" it appears to have been introduced sometime in the early-mid 80s. I can't quite make rhyme or reason of who got what headstock... it appears most of the low-mid range models (like the D-50) switched headstocks in the mid-80s from domed to tapered. The D-55s have domed throughout, D-60/62/64/66 tapered, D-70/80/100 domed, DV-52/62/72 are all tapered. If there is a pattern, it isn't really obvious to me... Hans?

 

[hansmoust]

If there is a pattern, it isn't really obvious to me... Hans?

Sorry GardMan,

This question needs a long answer. Have no time for that cause I need to get ready for my trip to the U.S.
But believe me, in typical Guild tradition, there was a logical pattern to the use of the 'tapered' headstock. However, Guild managed to 'screw it up' within a short time, so it didn't make sense any longer; sort of like their 'model designations'.

Sincerely,

Hans Moust
http://www.guitarsgalore.nl

 

[GardMan]

Hans,
No worries! Have a good trip to the states! Wish I could meet you, and all the LTG gang in Arlington, but have an exam to give that week.
Dave