Headless guitars are on the rise! And no, I don’t mean zombie guitars. From the early years of the Steinberger models to the new age of Kiesel and Strandberg, many guitar builders have chopped off their headstocks to create these foreign, extraterrestrial-looking objects called “headless guitars.” They might look complex and intimidating. But if you try one out, you might find it’s friendlier than it looks.
Thinking about getting a headless guitar? Let’s take a deeper look into the pros and cons of headless guitars and how they might work (or not) for your style.
The history of headless
Headless guitars have been around for quite some time. Some have said that they've even dated back to the late 1800s when a violin maker by the name of Johann Matthias Kolditz was working on improving tuning stability in string instruments. While their official origins are unknown, the commercial success of headless guitars wouldn’t happen for nearly another 100 years.
In the wacky and wild 1980s, two people named Ned Steinberger and Stuart Spector created the Spector NS2 bass and Steinberger Spirit guitars.
As you might have guessed, neither of the guitars had headstocks. Instead, the tuners were installed at the bridge, leaving a blank, empty space at the top of the neck.
As if the lack of headstock wasn’t weird enough, these instruments also weren’t made from wood like traditional guitars. They were instead made from a graphite carbon-fiber blend of materials. At the time (and even still today) they were something out of this world!
Although many retailers held back interest in selling Ned’s wacky design, Dixie Dregs bassist, Andy West, saw the funky guitars the NAMM show, which resulted in Mr. West wielding a headless Steinberger bass backstage. Naturally, people became quite interested in the weird-looking guitar and flocked to the Steinberger booth.
The rest has history. Everyone loved the Steinberger guitars for their iconic headless, and some might say “space age,” design. Legendary artists like Eddie Van Halen, Sting, David Bowie, and Mark Knopfler took headless Steinberger guitars to the stage and began the headless revolution.
Today, more guitar manufacturers like Ibanez and Strandberg are making headless models to suit modern guitarists’ demands. With virtuoso players like Tosin Abasi, Plini, and Jacob Collier just to name a few, you can’t find a prog-rock band without one!
The benefits of headless guitars
Why did guitar makers decide to go headless with their designs? There are lots of benefits to going headless:
- Improves tuning stability
- Reduces weight
- Better ergonomics
- Balances better on a strap
One of the main features of headless guitars is the obvious lack of a headstock. Instead of headstock tuners and body-mounted tailpiece, headless guitars combine the tuners with the bridge/tailpiece to create one all-in-one, “can-do-it-all" piece of body hardware.
Since there’s not a big hunk of wood at the end of the neck, headless guitars tend to be lighter and more compact than their headed counterparts. While a typical guitar weighs about 8 pounds (3.6 kg), a headless guitar model will weigh around 5.5 pounds (2.5kg). That means less strain on your back and shoulders when you play long sets!
Another cool feature of headless guitars is the various shapes they come in. Most headless guitar models focus on ergonomics, meaning the guitar is built to feel comfortable as you play. You’ll see all kinds of funky shapes designed to help you play longer.
Many headless guitars also offer multi-scale necks with fanned frets, which allows for easier playability and string tension. Fanned frets aren’t positioned straight across the fretboard like traditional guitars. As you move higher up the neck, the frets become slanted or “fanned,” allowing each string to have a unique scale length, which helps with ergonomics and string tension. That means less effort to reach all those frets, less strain on your fingers, and beautiful bends.
Since these types of guitars don’t have a headstock, headless guitars are known to have a brighter, focused, and more cutting tone compared to guitars with a headstock. You’ll see many of the Kiesel and Strandberg headless guitars being used by jazz-fusion or even metal guitarists. Ultimately, they can cover a broad range of styles and sounds, even for all you pop or straight-ahead rock enthusiasts.
Headless guitars can produce everything from crystalline cleans to articulate and authoritative distorted sounds when kicked into overdrive territory.
One of the highlights for these headless axes is the tuning systems. They tend to be way more stable because the tuners are at the bridge. You’ll notice in the Steinberger guitars and basses that a double ball locking system was used to fasten the strings for strong and consistent performance. The locking system also results in lower string tension, which makes it easier to press down and bend the strings.
The shorter-scale neck allows for comfortable and balanced playing. It’s easy for your fingers to move up and down the neck.
Comfort and versatility are definitely some of the main highlights of playing headless guitars and basses.
Artists who use headless guitars
Eww, headless guitars are so weird. Who would ever want to use them!? Uhhh... actually lots of people! Including many legendary artists. Here is a list of our top 15 of artists who have used headless guitars and basses:
- Allan Holdsworth – Carvin/Kiesel
- Sting – Steinberger
- Mark Knopfler - Steinberger
- Geddy Lee – Steinberger
- Plini – Strandberg
- Eddie Van Halen – Steinberger
- Jacob Collier – Strandberg
- Andy West - Steinberger
- Ichika Nito – Ibanez
- Yvette Young – Strandberg
- David Gilmour – Steinberger
- David Bowie – Steinberger
- Per Nilsson – Strandberg
- Tim Miller – Kiesel
- Paul Masvidal – Steinberger
Ditching the headstock might seem like something new, but there have been a lot of artists who have shredded headless guitars and basses over the years — and it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.
You should definitely check out some of the videos of these incredible musicians and see their headless guitars in action!
My experience with headless guitars
You probably think I’m writing this piece because the AMS overlords demanded that I actually do some work around here, but that’s not the case at all. I actually own two headless guitars.
I was initially interested in headless guitars because of the tuning stability. And being lightweight would definitely make my life performing a lot easier… physically.
My first headless guitar was a turquoise Steinberger Spirit GU-7R. It was quite a beauty, if I do say so myself. I swapped out the pickups with a pair of Oz Noy’s custom Fralin pickups. The stock EMG pickups were okay, but Oz ended up cutting me a good deal on these gems, so I had to do it. This guitar flies now!
At first, I wasn’t used to how light the guitar was and how easy it was to move all around the neck. If you’re a guitarist who plays more legato, these guitars are awesome! No wonder Holdsworth loved these things. And my trans-trem bridge was great for bending and keeping the strings in tune. No more worrying about stage lighting or string bending causing tuning issues.
Of course, nothing is perfect. My main complaint about headless guitars is getting ahold of the double ball strings — and replacing them. They’re not as accessible as regular strings and replacing them is kind of annoying since the length of these strings is pre-determined. Getting them all set up in your guitar is a pain at first, but it’s not terrible once you get the hang of it.
My second headless guitar was an Ibanez Ichika Nito model, which I have used on many recording sessions and gigs. This was a recent addition to the Ibanez guitar family since they just started to hop on the headless guitar bandwagon. To be honest, they did a great job with it! The neck feels a little thicker and wider than other headless guitars, without it being too much for my preference.
The Ibanez also has a 5-way pickup selector, along with a switch which allows you to choose between a humbucker or single coil sound in the R1 S-S-S pickups. It sounds pretty cool and very versatile when it comes to tone shaping on this guitar, which was partly why I chose this model in particular. I love the sounds you get, especially since I like to go between a Stratocaster and a Les Paul tone, depending on the musical situation I find myself in.
The Ibanez’s Nyatoh wood body gives the guitar a rich mid-low end without muddiness, allowing the higher end to shine through without competition. When it comes to changing strings, you can just use any regular strings and don’t need the proprietary strings that Steinberger guitars use, which honestly makes life so much easier!
So... would I suggest a headless guitar...? [answer: Yes]
Popular headless guitar brands
Steinberger might have started the headless trend, but they’re certainly not the only players in town. If you’re looking for a headless guitar or bass to call your own, here are a few of the best brands in the bizz:
You can’t go wrong with a headless guitar from any of these brands. Try them out and see which one fits your style!
Ready to lose your head(stock)…?
No matter your style, a headless guitar might be just the gadget to help you craft your sound. If you’re looking for a new guitar that’ll sound good and attract a lot of attention, then you can’t go wrong by going headless.
It’s important to test drive a headless guitar before you buy, just to make sure it suits your playing style. That’s why AMS offers an industry-leading 45-day return policy to make sure you have plenty of time to try new gear without the risk. Get a headless guitar and play it for a month and a half. If you don’t like it, send it right back! We’ll help you find the perfect guitar for your style, even if it takes a few tries. I’m sure you’ll be surprised with how much you come to like the headless axe.
Need a little help with your search? Call the AMS Customer Service experts at 800-458-4076. They’re all experienced musicians and can walk you through the decision of going headless. One way or another, we’re going to find your perfect instrument. And that’s a threat promise!
