Reverse Headstock vs. Regular

[theactor19]

What would you guys go with for your hendrix strat. I assume most will say reverse. Lets get some pros/cons.

I'm looking at buying a neck from musikraft and this is the only thing I am stuck on.

For those who own a reverse headstock neck, what is your experience with it in terms of playability, feel, tuning stability, tone, etc.

Thanks!

[Tone seaker]

I personally would go with normal for right handed body. to me reversing the neck on the body looks weird

[Roe]

reverse should give you softer bass and stiffer highs - not a good idea as far as i'm concerned

[Tone Slinger]

Exactly, thats what I was trying to relate.

[Xplorer]

but, wasn't it a little part of Jimi's sound ? after all , it's maybe researching for the same qualitys, but also the same defaults ?

[Brandon]

I play a right handed strat flipped for a lefty like Jimi, which is 95% of my experience with strats as I don't own a left handed strat. Whenever I do play a normal lefty strat, to me it obviously lacks something of the hendrix essense. I recently played a $30,000 1960 lefty strat through some vintage marshall stacks, it sounded great of course, but it still lacked something IMO.

I believe a big part (but not the only part) of the hendrix tone is in the string tension because of the backwards neck.

The flipped thing is different and even plane weird to some guitar enthusiasts, but IMHO it's essentialist for the Hendrix tone. It's part of the whole magic of the hendrix tone!

It depends on how much of a nut you are for really nailing the hendrix tone, what lengths you're willing to go to get every detail right, or if you're willing to take shortcuts and cut corners. Perhaps you want more versatility and want a normal strat feel and sound rather than a focused hendrix thing.

An idea: if you want a flipped neck, but want the string tensions to be more like a regular strat, you could always put 9's for the unwounded higher strings, and put in 10's or 11's for the wound lower strings.

[theactor19]

I'm with Brandon. I want the whole hendrix vibe in tone and feel.

Check out this guy.. he's got a warmoth reverse headstock, and definitely has the vibe if you ask me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtFUY6nikr4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Xplorer]

his fuzz isn't always deep spot, except mostly when rolled off to me, but you're right, there's really something about the neck, very noticeable in the cleans, this vibe ! makes me want to order the same neck ; )
but then how to ask them to put a fender decal on it before putting the varnish ?

[theactor19]

his fuzz isn't always deep spot, except mostly when rolled off to me, but you're right, there's really something about the neck, very noticeable in the cleans, this vibe ! makes me want to order the same neck ; )
but then how to ask them to put a fender decal on it before putting the varnish ?

I was talking to some people on the forum and they were saying to just slap the decal over the finish.. and u can always put some coats over it later if you want.. but its fine over it.

And yeah. I noticed about the cleans too. I think its his fuzz boxes. I've tried the 70', and wasnt really impressed. Plus he's using fuzz pedals into fender amps, which will change a bit of the jimi vibe.

[Xplorer]

nice ! then i'll go this way, thanks !

but i'd need to win at the lottery : need a new musikraft strat body, paint, pickups, work on a fretless neck, this reversed neck, with lacquer, work on another neck finish, amps projects .... pfiouuu ! lol
at least when there's no money in the pocket, we can work on our playing. i've discovered a quite nice teaching video, quick licks, in jeff beck style , it's quite nice, i never use it, but this time it's interesting, i'm gonna learn a lot with this video i think.

[Brandon]

nice ! then i'll go this way, thanks !

but i'd need to win at the lottery

SERIOUSLY

[Xplorer]

yes, seriously ; ) i've planned to win 20 000 000 euros at the lottery next week.

[Tone Slinger]

Still, a guitarist has to look in the mirror sometimes. Look into your OWN eyes.

To 'pick up' on some vibe and tone from others is great, but you will notice (at least I have) that maybe your HEROES could have been better, or put differently, just didnt 'sound' good in all the ways you ounce thought they did.

NEVER diminish what YOU have to offer because of 'apeing' some other guitarist (I'm in it alot, but just look at the EVH forums ).


If your used to a righty body and neck, then you will probably not like the lefty.

That is if you are accomplished at the guitar much. If you are not too far along, playing-wise, then the 'change' might not be as noticable.

[908ssp]

I think having the bridge pickup slanted lefty style is more important that the head stock. The poles being farther from the bridge for the treble strings and closer for the bass strings. That makes the high E fatter an the low E thinner.

[Xplorer]

yes that's true.
if he has several strats, then one reversed would be ok if he wants to test it the hendrix way. i think i'd do it, just because i'm attracted to this. in the end, we all have a different filter in us, with all the other influences sinces Hendrix/ like fingerprints. from this, we can probably see what directions are the best for us, to improve. out own style.