Why?

[fendermojoman]

Question:
Why do I see so many Gibson headstocks break off
and not other brands necks ? ? ?

[Tone2TheBone]

Because of the thin amount of wood surrounding the truss rod adjustment nut and area routed out for it. The headstocks are also 3 pieces of mahogany.

[Spudman***]

Gibson, like Tone says uses mahogany for their necks. Other manufacturers use maple and the cuts are different. The mahogany is more prone to breaking because of how it is cut.

[hubberjub***]

I have two Gibsons and both have had headstock repairs.

[just strum]

Are you talking about breaking due to banging them in to something? I also don't understand what three pieces of mahogany have to do with breaking.

[Radioboy950]

Question:
Why do I see so many Gibson headstocks break off
and not other brands necks ? ? ?

I play both, and have never had a problem. How are they "breaking off"?

[sunvalleylaw]

Are you talking about breaking due to banging them in to something? I also don't understand what three pieces of mahogany have to do with breaking.

Are not quite a few nice acoustic guitar necks mahogany? Must be the combo of the shape, glueing and wood used as alluded to by Sir Tone.

[pes_laul]

If I'm thinking right aint shecters made with mahogany?

[just strum]

Are not quite a few nice acoustic guitar necks mahogany? Must be the combo of the shape, glueing and wood used as alluded to by Sir Tone.

The gluing of the wood is what puzzles me, three pieces or two pieces of wood glued together are stronger than a single piece. If it is due thinness where the head meets the neck, that I could understand.

The Gibson heads are so big, maybe you just can't avoid hitting them into something.

[Spudman***]

This is what I had run across a couple of days ago.

The way these necks are constructed makes them prone to injury. They are cut from a single piece of mahogany with grain that runs straight through the bulk of the neck. The problem is that the grain does not run the direction of the headstock as well. Mahogany is not particularly strong along the grain and shears more easily than most wood along the grain.

I also did some research and discovered that Gibson headstocks break with little to no encouragement. They're just poorly designed, because they're set at a 17-degree downward angle, which isn't helpful to the wood grain, thus greatly weakening the headstock. They're usually a very easy fix, and they break very cleanly. After first repairs, people usually never have another problem.




This makes sense because the headstock angle is different from the grain direction of the rest of the neck.

[just strum]

This is what I had run across a couple of days ago.

The way these necks are constructed makes them prone to injury. They are cut from a single piece of mahogany with grain that runs straight through the bulk of the neck. The problem is that the grain does not run the direction of the headstock as well. Mahogany is not particularly strong along the grain and shears more easily than most wood along the grain.

I also did some research and discovered that Gibson headstocks break with little to no encouragement. They're just poorly designed, because they're set at a 17-degree downward angle, which isn't helpful to the wood grain, thus greatly weakening the headstock. They're usually a very easy fix, and they break very cleanly. After first repairs, people usually never have another problem.




This makes sense because the headstock angle is different from the grain direction of the rest of the neck.

Interesting and makes sense. I guess I will use my Ibanez or Squier when I ram the head of my guitar into the amp to impress the wife and dogs.

[Spudman***]

Interesting and makes sense. I guess I will use my Ibanez or Squier when I ram the head of my guitar into the amp to impress the wife and dogs.

Smart thinking. A Travis Bean is another good option.

[hubberjub***]

I'll avoid the problem and just buy a Steinberger. They've already done the work for me.

[Plank_Spanker]

Gibson necks are delicate. There isn't a great deal of wood present where the headstock angles down. This is why I'm a fanatical preacher of strap locks - especially for Les Pauls.

[Brian Krashpad]

Lotsa good info above. Use of mahogany rather than maple (though in fact some oddball LP's from the dreaded Norlin era had maple necks) and the headstock angle are big factors, as well as the way they're constructed.

A lot of modern guitars, especially inexpensive to midpriced ones, get around the headstock angle problem by using a scarf joint. This joins the headstock to the neck down around the 2nd or 3rd fret area, using an angled cut to get more surface area for the join. You can see the scarf joint here quite clearly:



I noticed this type of joint on the back of several of my guitars' necks.

[Tone2TheBone]

Gibson necks are delicate. There isn't a great deal of wood present where the headstock angles down. This is why I'm a fanatical preacher of strap locks - especially for Les Pauls.

I totally agree with you Spanky.

[Iago]

geez.. just like a month ago I almost dropped my bandmate's LP! The strap slipped off but I grabbed it before it hit the floor (you guys remember the Clapton issue on The Band's Last Waltz?) That would be a real disaster! Strap-lock them!