Larger Headstock

[btomlinson]

Does anyone prefer this to the new Vintage smaller headstock? I am curious. I have an 06 360 JG with the big headstock and I hate it. The smaller ones look so much nicer.

How long did they use the larger headstock?

Thanks

[jwilli]

A rough estimate......'85 - thru some of '07. I like the smaller headstock too.

[btomlinson]

That long? iassume there are many out there. I am not alone.

Thanks

[jwilli]

There were some large headstocks in the early '70s too. It may have been due to the change in tuners. From Klusons to Grovers, etc....

[paologregorio]

I definitely like the smaller headstock. I'm having the headstock on one of my Ricks trimmed to vintage proportions and refitted with Klusons. I might have it done to at least one of my other Ricks. There are luthiers on this forum who are experts at this if you want to get it done, but you'll be without your Rick for awhile, so make sure you have a spare Rick to play.

[btomlinson]

I like that idea. I thought it was a bit much but I wonder how much that would cost?

[chucksimms]

It was until I bought my first vintage Rick (a '66) that I was really aware of how great the difference was. I think there's a few who express a preference for the 'paddle' but I am not among them. Glad they've slimmed it down again. It's funny, for all the complaining people do about this company Rick's actually been very aware of what customers have been asking for the last few years and making changes (C series, thinner neck profile/vintage circuit on the 4003, slimmer headstock, etc.). I still think they should clone my '66 335 and make it a signature edition. Might help if I were famous though.

[paologregorio]

I like that idea. I thought it was a bit much but I wonder how much that would cost?

PM Dale Fortune or Paul W and they'll let you know.

[jch]

I like the smaller headstock too,
but i wouldn't say no to any Rick with the larger one either.

[jingle_jangle]

It's fairly simple (I know, I know, everything's relative!) to narrow the headstock, and I've done it to more than a few Ricks. Less than an hour's work with a spindle sander. But then the real work begins--the refinishing necessary to make it look like it started narrow. If the Rick is MG or JG, it's fairly straightforward. Colors like MID, AZ, Ruby, BB, and other solids usually require a neck refinish, as these colors are tough to match and blend without an obvious line appearing somewhere. Same for any burst.

Theoretically, just the sides of the headstock would have to be refinished...how hard is that? Good question...but take a good look at your headstock...see where the front face and side faces meet? There's a ever-so-slight radius there; it's not a sharp corner. This is done for two reasons: it's nicer to the eye, and paint sticks better to it. Question: where on the radius does the masking line go, if you don't repaint the entire headstock at least? Answer: it can be done, but not 100% successfully every time, and not systematically.

I've done it as part of a restoration and as part of a refinish, no problem, but on an otherwise-nice Rick, it's a bit more work to get a nice and long-lasting result.

[btomlinson]

Paul,

Thank you for your reply. I don't think I would change it. I like the smaller headstock much better and I do have a 660 AFG with the smaller headstock. No need to alter a perfectly good Rick that plays very well.

Thank you.

[Buddy Clontz]

I guess I'm swimming against the current here...but I actually like the large headstock...LOL Now don't get me wrong...I do think the smaller headstock looks nice as well.

[sharkboy]

Most of mine have bigger heads and I never get tired of them. I might have a slight preference for the smaller ones, but I even think the big ones are proportional.

[scott_s]

Another vote for the slimmer headstock, even though my '04 has the bigger one. It's not a big issue for me though...

[2112]

I thought Ric lost it when I started seeing those huge headstocks.
I checked out a 4003 in 2004. The neck was too fat and it did not feel right, and that headstock was just too damn big.

I guess that it didn't help that the store that had it did not have it set up properly and the strings were dead as a doornail.
I guess that is maybe one reason that it hung there on the wall for so long.

That's one gripe that I have about some music stores. If you are going to want to sell a guitar, then you should have the thing ready to play the way it should, or at least close. And maybe clean the thing once in awhile.

Would anyone be interested in test driving a new car that looked like it spent the weekend at the mud pit and sported old flat tires?

Soorry, I had to rant.