Baxter and Jonathan discuss the look and feel of reverse headstock guitars. Specifically the Fender variants. Why would you want one? Is it more than just the look or is there a change in the feel and sound?
This video was meant for me. I always found them cool ever since I used them on a Firebird, and I always thought Hendrix looked bad ass with it upside down. With all that said I prefer it over the traditional styled headstock and wish a lot more non-metal guitars did it.
You guys are my favorite thing to watch. Info and laughs. You need to sponsor a date night at the movies with your guitar. Where you pick the movie and everyone brings their favorite guitar. Imagine a theater full of guitar freaks and their guitars. What would people think? 😂🤣
Not only do reverse headstocks look cool, but they're more ergonomic as well, since your left hand is already in the right orientation to reach up and tune, instead of having to twist your wrist the other direction first
Like Yngwie said it facilitates wider hybrid gauging -something that matters even with a locking nut... But what I've loved about the reverse tunerline with a "trem" is how with the standard nut the strings most evenly fluctuate during vibrato use- the lows don't just crash and the plain strings have alot more useful range; That's been my reason for favoring them!
No is the short answer, hell no is the longer answer. That’s all fine and dandy for my Fender, but how can I tell if my Les Paul headstock is on upside-down?? 🤔
I hadn't even thought about the distance to the tuning pegs change on the strings giving it a jangly feel and changing the tone a bit. That's very cool and hadn't occurred to me. I've seen other videos where they use the so called "Jimi" string gauge which is supposed to give you that jangly feel too if you want that and tuning down a half step adds to that feel as well.
I have 2 Stratocasters with reverse headstocks. I got those necks specifically for the look, pickup orientation is standard righty. I don't notice any difference in tone, tension or tuning stability. A little bit of a pain to tune in a hurry, sometimes I reach for a wrong tuner, but just a bit of a learning curve. Definitely looks cool and I always get a bunch of comments about it, mostly good.
I find it easier to tune once I got used to it, the reach is shorter and I don't have to change the position of my hand to tune. I think it changes the sound, and the feel. The Hendrix Tribute is easier to play than a converted lefty, because he fret markers are on the side you can see, and the knobs rotate in the correct direction. You could modify a lefty to be like that. Bending the high strings seems easier with the shorter overall length of the string - behind the nut matters too.
The other thing you didn't mention is the position of the volume and tone knobs. I read a book called "Excuse Me While I kiss the sky" when I first started playing in the early '80s and in it they said Jimi liked the volume knobs on top because he could adjust them with his thumb while playing. Makes sense especially for a musician who uses the volume control on the guitar a lot to get those subtle crunchy low volume Fuzz Face tones.
"Reverse Headstock - Yes or No?" Then I saw the 12 and a half minute runtime. After having watched you guys for so long, the thought wasn't how can you talk about this for 12 minutes? It was "how did you keep Baxter from talking for 15 minutes?" Love the videos as always, fellas.
I have two reverse headstock guitars. One Strat and an Ibanez with a tilt back. I really like the Strat reverse headstock with staggered tuners and no string trees. I find the reverse headstock suits this set up better than the standard headstock orientation. Cheers!
Yes!!!! Big Jimi fan, however I never knew how much I would LOVE a reverse headstock on my own guitar until I actually put one on: Am.Pro Jaguar with reverse small headstock (i.e., lefty K.Cobain Jag replacement neck). I feel this reverse headstock accentuates the “offset” look.
I have strats with reverse headstock (the big one of course), and i have a couple with the regular, righty headstock. I also have a lefty Squier strung righty, for the full Hendrix experience (pun intended). I prefer the reverse headstock, but for me, it's purely a matter of cosmetics. I know some people say there is a difference in tone and feel, but i have to say i don't really notice it. In any case, i find the differences negligible. In the case of the Squier, it's totally different, but that is of course because of everything being totally backwards. It is limiting to play, really, but feels really cool too.
This might be a stupid question but what did Jimmy do with the nut. Did he spin it around or did he file them. If he filed them he still had a high e riding in a low e string slot etc etc
Many years ago, I had a Firebird with a reverse headstock. But it also had those banjo tuning keys that went straight back. It was a cool set up. A few years ago, I was without a guitar and a dear friend gave me a Washburn Nuno Bettencourt with a reverse headstock (not the kind of guitar I would have chosen but who says no to a free guitar?). It had normal tuners and were kind of a pain to use. I'll stick with 6 on the top, except for my one and only Les Paul Studio.
Nice ! A friend of mine has a Firebird like that which I enjoy playing on occasion . His has banjo tuners which are also locking , something I hadn't seen before.
I like the look of the reverse headstock.... I've always wanted one and almost bought a lefty once- but the shop raised the price before i got back with the money. ESP makes a model of guitar that looks like a reverse headstock.
I got a Chapman ML1 because it was cheap, like all my guitars! Got a little confused what end to start tuning from compared to the other 'normal' headstock guitars I own!
I'm a lefty player. I recently picked up a Squier Supersonic, which is basically a jaguar which is reverse offset and reverse headstock. It only comes in righty...so I strung it lefty, and now it looks sort of normal...but not really. I also flipped a righty single cut guitar, (a gibson L6-S)---It looks weird, but sounds cool.
I love reverse headstock. I got a Washburn Bettencourt N1 way back when and have been hooked on them since. That guitar has sustain for days! Never had an issue figuring out which way to turn the keys. My friends at college had way better (read: more expensive) guitars and they kept asking to borrow mine. I have a Strat and the N1 is still my ride-or-die. Hopefully, the next axe is the Fender Hendrix, so right body with reversed headstock.
@@TribalGuitars I said that i agree with all of your points PLUS that is easy to change chords with no issue figuring it out wich way to start (because low E is the longest now)
@@SandBoy408 Chords are chords regardless of the length of strings, and all the strings are in the same place and order unless one plays like Eric Gales, who truly plays a guitar flipped upside down.
The only reverse headstock I have is one I dont really have to deal with too much because it has a locking nut. I only have to worry about string changes.
5:32 I recently got a very cool 60s Tiesco Telecaster style and it has no dots on the side and it drives me nuts. I'm definitely going to have to make some alterations.
I’d always loved the way Hendrix looked holding that upside down Strat so I finally got a lefty 1994 American Strat and strung it righty. I love it. Only issue, the weight is distributed differently and makes it neck divey and a little uncomfortable after a hour or so of playing.
I’ve wanted to do that for years, just cause I’m a Hendrix fan. I assume that I’ll hate it and never play it but it’ll look cool next to my posters and records!
One thing you guys didn't mention in this video is that the tremolo bar position changes to the top instead of the bottom. This makes it closer to your hand and easier to use in my opinion because it's right there and you don't have to reach down to grab it. The SRV strat doesn't have a reverse head stock but does have a left handed bridge for this reason. I've never had a reverse headstock strat but I did add a Washburn wonder bar tremolo system on a guitar when I was a kid and you could put the bar on the top or the bottom so I put it on top instead.
I guess that’s one of those intangibles that have drawn players to the Firebird… I never thought about that before you guys mentioned the difference in string length . I just know my Firebird 1, besides being my favorite guitar, just has that “something “ different from my Telecasters and my one Esquire
Reverse headstocks rule. I enjoy them most on guitars that I down tune, due to that slightly longer string pull. Most of my guitars are 3x3 headstocks (Gibsons) but I have a Jackson Dinky that I really love and it has a reverse headstock. Looks aggressive, which is a bonus as well.
I just bought an Epiphone Firebird that has a reverse headstock. I didn't buy it because of that (I wanted a mini Humbucker guitar and it looks cool) but now I have it, it makes me smile because it's different. The guitar rocks too, more importantly :-)
To your side note on Johnny Cash… I help run a festival in Bon Aqua on his farm. Would love to have y’all come by sometime and show you around. The festival is called “Lifest Music City”
Wasn't Paul before Jimmy. The reverse headstock is awesome and definitely adds a coolness factor in the arsenal. Although I don't have one I take the time for putting a bur under my saddle.
I have 4 with reverse headstocks. Ergonomically it’s actually better for me for tuning purposes. I broke my wrist years ago and it’s harder for me to tune Palm down. I really don’t notice any difference in the playability or the sound.
Big John "The Bell" and Baxter the "GQ Dark Wizard" my names for you lads! reverse headstock def cool! also love the gruff Baxter sir, but just commit and grow that awesome man beard! plus both of you have great feel and touch on the git-fiddle!
I don’t mind them on tilt back headstocks, but not on a Fender style, where you need a string tree. Wound strings and a string tree is a recipe for binding.
The most common problem of reverse headstock, it is harder to stretch/pull string 0-1-2:( it is good for Drop C drop B tuning I returned my Grgr131ex (black ) reverse headstock and took the grgr131dx (red) reg headstock
I’ve always wanted to get a left handed strat and restring to play right handed; my own Hendrix guitar. I assume that I’ll hate playing it but still want one to hang on the wall. Otherwise I’ve never really cared about the headstock, beyond anxiety of it possibly breaking off of my not Fender guitar
Another advantage for a Floyd or any tremolo with a locking nut: You can just use the fine tuners at the bridge and not worry about the tuners on the headstock Being upside down.
loved this examination of the reverse headstock- thanks for the good good goodness. but... if you really want your brain warped, check out the right-handed guitar played as-is by lefty gunslinger Doyle Bramhall III. seeing him play with Roger Waters was transformative.
I live in Sydney and my son worked on the film Australia and everyone in the family hates that film. On the reverse head stock idea. I am building a partscaster and I may go reverse headstock. Strat body and 2 humbucker size P90’s in a hard tail.
Ask Richard Fortis about the reverse headstock he talks about it in depth. Also you should ask Laura Cox as she plays 2 guitars with the reverse headstock a Flying V and a Firebird & plays them well.
I have a Chapman ML3 with a reverse headstock….there is definitely a different string tension where I can string it with 12-56 Not Even Slinky strings and tune it to Eb Standard with perfect tension
I made a promise (to myself) that I would never buy a Chapman guitar as long as Rob Chapman is in any way associated with them. Some look cool, but he's a d#@£ so I'm boycotting them. I hope yours is a good one though. ✌️
I love reverse headstocks for no locking guitars with tremolo bridge. Reason? It makes the strong break angle much more even across all string and no need for string trees!
They a look cool, but I find it awkward to tune I do have a 12 string with 6 a side tuners, and the 6 high strings are also awkward But I have spoken to people who love reversed headstocks, and so it’s cool to have both for variety
I have a Squier Super-Sonic, one of the coolest looking guitars ever. Sports a reverse offset downsized Jaguar body and headstock. A great playing and sounding instrument.
I can't say I am a fan of how it looks, but it does change the tone and performance of the Strings by extending the bass String and shortening the Treble strings, its just one of those things you need to play to see if you Like it or not, that or Get an Ernie Ball Guitar with 4 x 2 headstock, The Best REO Show ever was Tampa Ft Homer Hesterly Armory, REO was the Opening Act, followed by Cactus( was initially conceived as early as late 1969 and originally featured former Jeff Beck Group members lead vocalist Rod Stewart and guitarist Jeff Beck, xylophone player/vocalist Adele Smitchell, and former Vanilla Fudge members bassist Tim Bogart and drummer Carmine Appice) and headliner was Spirit with Randy California, Right after Cadillac Cowboys came out as the Follow up to 12 Dreams Album on June 2,1972, and before you Slam the Venue, The Doors, Blue Oyster Cult and many others played there
I say yes to reverse headstocks. I'd also say that I prefer the reverse Gibson Firebird. The non-reverse ones look weird to me, and not nearly as cool.
Weird that we automatically think of the reverse body shape whenever Firebirds are mentioned, but I agree non reverse firebirds look weird and I’d even say ugly. Funny how some shapes look killer standard or reverse, Paul Gilbert’s Fireman is a reverse Iceman and both look incredible to me.
I don’t like the way it looks on a strat, but I don’t mind it as much on tele. A reverse headstock wouldn’t be a deal breaker if I loved the sound and feel of a guitar though.
I feel like the reverse headstock is that "other people cool". It looks good when certain people use it, but I don't like it enough to buy one, and I'm also not sure I could pull it off. Same goes for evh stripes. It's an iconic look, just not one I can pull off
Great show as always, Baxter, Johnathan. I received a text with your Casino logo and it says I won something. I doubt it. It just says to text a number. Fake right? I don't want to text the number cause it some kind of scam. I never win anything. If you don't answer no problems. I know you guys are busy. Later..
Yeah to reverse headstocks in fact some brands should only be offered in reverse the classic Jackson pointed headstock should only come in reverse in my opinion. I’m not a big fan of the CBS headstock in reverse ( or regular orientation ) I used to love the CBS headstock but prefer the smaller fender headstocks now and the smaller version looks great in reverse . I think the Ibanez standard 6 on one side headstock looks incredible reversed too. I’ve never had a guitar with a reverse headstock and I can imagine that tuning mind be a little adjustment. I would think for a standard fender scale and someone who prefers 9s and tuning a half step down the extra tension on the wrapped strings would be nice. I usually play light top medium bottom but the last time went to standard 9s and tuned 1/2 down the wrapped strings are almost too loose for me. I have pretty heavy hands both fretting and aggressive picking attack and probably prefer more tension on my wrapped strings than most. Reverse headstocks are a big yes for me, but I love relic guitars, both natural and brand new relic jobs, so what do I know.
oh man Baxter you sound like my cool uncle Andy. he would come to basketball tournaments with us and only play Johnny Horton I love it so much more that I'm learning guitar.
Wrong is right, and right is right. But old Ned had that sussed, and now we also have Yamaha, Strandberg, and That German House Brand whose name we shall not speak! P.S. Mine's an Ibanez, with that obligatory reversed headstock, of course.
