How to (not) break your headstock

[marc1kim]

They need to bring the volute back. (let the flaming begin!) But all the die-hards hated them since volutes were'nt original spec.

Breaking in the case is comon because the pull of the strings in conjunction with the blow of the fall, is too much for the headstock area to survive.. My 05 Special fell face forward. on a cemement floor at a gig last month and luckily it survived with no damage whatsoever. Tuned it back up and finished the gig. I guess the poly finish kept it from dings, and the fact it was tuned to dropped D flat may have helped it also.

 

[Marshall Arts]

When I transport my guitars I always use the original hard case.

People are stupid, carrying Les Pauls in soft bags.

And when the guitar is shipped through a parcel service or transported between gigs on tour etc.; it's smart to stuff some socks or towels around the headstock to keep it firmly and securely in place inside the case. Or to stop it from warping and wobbling (before snapping) as the case hits the ground.

And the golden rule:

*bangs your head into the wall in the same rythm as I speak*
Never... leave... the guitar... leaning... unsecured... against... ANYTHING.

Please use a stand. Be nice to your guitar and it will be nice to you and your wallet.

 

[Marshall Arts]

In my years as a repairman, I have seen MANY les Pauls break the headstock IN THE CASE.

The guy thinks it is safe and the case gets knocked over, He doesn't even notice it got broken till the next time he pulls it out.

Newer cases are better but the older cases lack padding in the headstock area. Some T shirts or socks under the headstock saves the day!

Damn... I guess I was too slow on the trigger.

 

[TheWellGoodShow]

Bring volute back!!!!

 

[Marshall Arts]

Bring volute back!!!!

Aye!

 

[stryker59]

when purchasing a new lp, go ahead and add the cost of a headstock break repair, break it, then have it fixed! its much stronger after that and you wont have to fret about it any longer!

oh....and it makes the sound better as well!!

 

[BCRGreg]

Yup.

 

[Voxman23]

Yep. LP's can break ina case as well if it drops/falls.

Hang it high on the wall when not in use. I use String Tree hangers. Nitro safe and there when I need it to jam.

yep!

 

[General Disarray]

not

Very nice! Yeah - I would think that would be just a tad stronger than mahogany

 

[moff40]

They need to bring the volute back. (let the flaming begin!) But all the die-hards hated them since volutes were'nt original spec.

+1

Norlin might have got a few things wrong, but they made some improvements as well, IMHO. Besides being an arguably superior tonewood, maple was a stronger wood for the neck. And the volute further strengthened the headstock. Yes the maple necks with volutes broke as wel, but not nearly as frequently as the mahogany did, and does.

As far as I'm concerned, going back to a mahogany neck without a volute simply to please a few cork-sniffers who complained that it wasn't "original spec" was asinine. Following the same logic as those "die-hards", our cars should all have a crank starter, and run on thin tires mounted on wooden, 6-spoke wheels. After all, that was "original spec"...

 

[axepilot]

So as a beginner who keeps his LP out, how do you avoid breaking a headstock? Is it something that I need to worry about?

Always be mindful that LP's don't react well to being bumped around or dropped.

-Transport it in a hard shell case - not a soft gig bag

-USE STRAP LOCKS. Never trust the original strap pegs to hold the strap on. The stock front peg is notorious for letting go of the strap.

-Don't lean the guitar against a wall or whatever when you're not playing it. Put it back in its case, or on a good stand.

-If you put the guitar on a stand to take a break, make sure your cord and strap don't present a tripping hazard that might get your guitar dragged off the stand if someone trips over them. Keep your guitar out of heavy traffic to avoid someone knocking it over.

LP's aren't made of fine blown glass, and they're actually pretty tough instruments - but they don't suffer abuse or mishandling well at all.

 

[MusicWarsVet]

...and here's the result of my brush with entropy. You can see the faint line where the crack was, and the resale value has probably gone kapoot, but I don't care about that. If I was concerned about collectability and such I wouldn't have bought a Studio. I'm just happy to have her back, and the tech said it'll be stronger than it was before the break, which agrees with what y'all have been saying. He did caution me not to expose it to extreme heat, though, since that would break down the glue... I'm good to go!

 

[dennistruckdriver]

Don't drop it on the floor etc.

 

[Alligatorbling]

Don't drop it on the floor etc.

yeah dont throw it up against the cleaning either.

 

[guitarfish]

Buy a Fender...

 

[frankthomson]

not that Im gonna drop this but hopefully its a little more stout then standard mahogany!

thats too pretty to be on the back!

 

[dennistruckdriver]

not that Im gonna drop this....

I would highly recommend you do not test your theory.....

 

[Grand Pappy]

My 76 Norlin has a volute.
I was careless enough to leave a cord/strap tripping hazard at an outside party where alcohol and combustable refreshments were served.
A drunken douche tripped over the cord and my LP flew, bouncing and skidding across the concrete patio floor. My heart came up my throat into my mouth and stopped.
The only damage I experienced was a few chips and nicks and I had to retune, but otherwise, Thankfully, no other damage........ Keep an eye you your loved ones around drunks and stoners!

 

[Adwex]

Don't use a conventional stand, they fall over easily.

At gigs I use this:
Stringswing Rackmount guitar hanger

In the studio, I use this:
Hercules Wood Wallmount Guitar Hanger

 

[MisterPaul]

My 76 Norlin has a volute.
I was careless enough to leave a cord/strap tripping hazard at an outside party where alcohol and combustable refreshments were served.
A drunken douche tripped over the cord and my LP flew, bouncing and skidding across the concrete patio floor. My heart came up my throat into my mouth and stopped.
The only damage I experienced was a few chips and nicks and I had to retune, but otherwise, Thankfully, no other damage........ Keep an eye you your loved ones around drunks and stoners!

This saved me many times: ZZYZX Quick Release Cable Straight