Headstock Thickness

[smjenkins]

I was comparing my Fender neck to my Warmoth one.  I noticed that the Fender headstock is noticeably thinner than the W one.  I haven't measured the, but it could be as much as 1/8" different.  I like the look of the thicker headstock, but I'm surprised this isn't discussed here more often.  Do you guys know why the thickness is different?

 

[AutoBat]

My W headstock is the same thickness as my old F one, but my friend has an Eric Johnson strat, which has a noticeably thinner headstock.

 

[mayfly]

Interesting.  Mine are similar to fenders that I have seen.  The other observations I've made are they are noticeably thicker than Gibson headstocks, but thinner than rickenbacker headstocks.

Didn't think much of it to be honest.  The tuners fit - that's all that matters to me really.

 

[smjenkins]

Thanks guys.  My Fender is a 2006 American Deluxe.  The neck has Fender's version of a compound radius (9.5" -14") so maybe more than just the radius is different on those necks.

 

[bigguspickus]

My W headstock is the same thickness as my old F one, but my friend has an Eric Johnson strat, which has a noticeably thinner headstock.

When I was building my Black Strat, I tried putting a set of Gotoh staggered Kluson-type tuners on it from the EJ Strat.

The headstock was too thick. The pegs for the bass strings just cleared, but the pegs for the high strings were too short.

I emailed Warmoth the pictures, and asked if the headstock on this neck was thicker than a Fender headstock?

Gregg told me:

The standard Strat peghead thickness has been 9/16” forever. I just put the calipers on 6 of them I have on the shelf and the thickness varies from .563 to .587” . I don’t know if the EJ signature model is made to a thinner specification or if the tuners are whacky….

I found out later that the EJ headstock is thinner. Closer to 1/2" than 9/16”, with the difference taken mostly off the front.

It's obvious now. :doh: Looking at one straight on, next to an American Deluxe. See the walnut plug?

The tuners are wacky. The EJ Strat has to use special flat bushings for clearance, even with the thinner headstock!

LSS; I bought a set of normal tuners to finish the guitar :guitaristgif: and kept the staggered ones for a future project.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

My W headstock is the same thickness as my old F one, but my friend has an Eric Johnson strat, which has a noticeably thinner headstock.

The Eric Johnson Strat also has a bound fingerboard and asymetrical neck profile, not all - but the few I've seen.  Your W is more comparable to Fender than this Fender.

 

[The Deacon]

P Bass neck Fender (Left) and Warmoth (Right)
WTF???

To thin this out, I guess just sand an entire 1/8th inch off the rear of the neck?

 

[pwrmac7600]

P Bass neck Fender (Left) and Warmoth (Right)
WTF???

To thin this out, I guess just sand an entire 1/8th inch off the rear of the neck?

That 1/8th of an inch is where all the tone lives, sand it off and you'll kill it!!!! :icon_biggrin:

 

[The Deacon]

why is it like this? I don't remember the Fender Headstocks ever being this fat?

 

[mayfly]

er, it's like that because that's a better way to build it. 

as I said, 10 years ago now it seems (!) as long as the tuners fit, you're good

 

[The Deacon]

Okay, by the numbers. Just a few to get an idea. Headstock Thickness from random guitars pulled off the shelf from Danny D's Music Hacienda in League City, TX. Pete did the measurements himself and we can conclude that there is an acceptable range that falls withing the Fender "Guidelines" (Term used loosely like drop tunes strings)

Squire Guitar
0.56
0.58
0.575

MIM Fender Guitar
0.560
0.545
0.55

USA Fender Bass
0.625
0.615
0.635

Warmoth Bass
0.635