I have always liked the look of it and it actually put the tuners in a better place imho. The tuners face down and you don't have to reach around the neck to make a quick tuning adjustment. Other companies are making them standard in some cases

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

I think this is one of those issues that's really subjective based on personal taste more than any sense of practicality. Personally, I've played instruments like Jackson's with the reverse headstocks and I've always found them -most- annoying. If I were to approach this from any sense of logic though I would also say that a great many people who have played "Strats" (or Strat styled instruments) are also simply used to the more traditional headstock and tuning key setup. Think of it like this...computer keyboards. The "QWERTY" style of key placement was designed for the original typewriters of yor not because it was practical or "ergonomic", but simply because it kept the keys from getting stuck when a person was typing. Now a days with computers, that's of course no problem at all yet the QWERTY standard remains. Why? Because that's what everyone is used to. Yes, there have been "other" keyboard designs, but they just never seem to catch on. Same thing with the headstock issue...that's just what the majority of folks are used to.

Either way, if you really want a reverse headstock Strat (or Tele), just go out and buy yourself a left-hand neck and put your right hand nut on it. Who knows...maybe you'll start a new fad .

Just my $.02 worth,
Jim

I hear what you are saying, and that was an intelligent response. However, to me, the inverse headstock look was actually invented on a strat when Hendrix turned a righty into a lefty. I know he turned the whole guitar upside down, but ergonomically speaking the tuners have better placement, as your hand stays in the playing postion. It was earliest that I seen an upside down headstock. Some have even said that the part of the big low E sound that Hendrix got was because of the low E having the longer distance to the tuning post to the nut. I am not sure if this makes sence since the string vibrates mostly between the nut and saddle, but maybe there is some additional vibration there that adds some sustain and resonance through the neck to the body.

Also, it has caught on with other brands, but not the one that seemed to the "first" in Fender,and that is interesting to me. Thanks for your input to this discussion, I appreciate it.

Also, what was it that you found annoying about the inversed headstock? Or was it the fact that you were playing a Jackson?

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Actually it wasn't so much that it was a Jackson that bothered me, just the headstock. The guy who played lead for my band a few years back had a...I think it was a "Dinky" with the reverse headstock. The guitar itself really felt quite similar to my my old NJ Kramer. It was just every time I'd go to "tweak" the tuning, there'd be this moment where my hand would reach up and grab "air" because the tuning keys weren't there. Between my Kramer (typical "bananna" headstock) and my Strats, it's just become second nature for me to go for the top side of the headstock without thinking about it.

Other than that, I actually liked the Jackson. I didn't care for the Floyd Rose trem...I was always a Kahler guy myself (in fact I replaced the FR on my Kramer with a Kahler many years ago). I also like the traditional 6 point trems on Strats.

You are right about the whole Hendrix thing...I never really thought about it like that. I've always been a little fascinated by the whole right handed guitar thing for a lefty there as I'm a lefty myself who plays guitar right-handed. I guess it's more fair to say that I'm "semi-ambidextrous" in that there's some things I do left handed and some things I do right handed. I eat and write with my left hand, I throw and catch with my right hand (and yes, I suck at baseball) and I can play pool, golf and I can play drums either way. Yea...I know...I'm a little f---ed up! LOL! In Hendrix's case, I really don't know if there were too many lefty Strats around at that time, let alone how they sounded or anything so I'm sure part of it was just that he did what he needed to do to play...and that's certainly cool. Either way it never really crossed my mind about the upside-down headstock...hmmmm. I'm sure it would still drive me nuts .

Ha! Lot of us about. You, me, Mark Knopfler, Gary Moore - and many others, apparently.

Cheers - C

The longer length to the tuner is said to increase tension. You dont notice it on the high E where the string is tense anyway. Reverse the headstock and you will feel a marked difference. Whether it sounds different or not is debatable. Hendrix had a different sound full stop it would be hard to determine what part was down to altered string tensions.

Personaly i've a jackson dinky with a reverse headstock and i love it. String spread north of the nut is way off but its floyded so it doesnt come into it.

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No no and no

There are a few models that have reversed headstocks, but most people prefer the non-reversed "normal" headstock, including me.

I like the standard headstock myself, like tuning it better, like the way it looks better, etc. I have no interest in a reversed one since they look silly to me. Hendrix did it out of necessity. Although I totally respect Jimi and his playing, I don't really want to emulate him, and don't think a reversed neck will make me "play like him" or have any connection with him whatsoever.

For a right-handed person to do that on purpose - well, I can't relate to that I guess. For those that like that, get a model with it reversed or buy a left-handed neck.

I have a 60's MIM strat with the reverse headstock its sweet

Sweet!

I love the way the strat is too, I won't be changing mine. But hey, if I got a second....

You get used to the tuning and like it. Gibsons give it to you both ways

_________________
Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Don't forget me too!!!

Albert King was lefty , what he did was take a standard tuned righty, and flip it over. he didn't restring or anything.And he was the first KING of the Blues, Freddy and BB were after.

Most of my guitars have tuners on both sides (wow--imagine a 12 string with tuners all on one side!)
And I find it more awkward to tune the higher strings that have the tuners pointing down not up.

So while part of it is what you're used to--part of it will be preferences based on other reasons. I really like my mustang in that respect because all the tuners point up. But on the 3 a side ones--I find it a lot easier to tune, and to change strings on the lower strings with the tuners pointing up.

But hey--it's not like we all have to do it the same way. It would be nice for you if the inverse headstock was more readily available. But maybe if you're buying a Fender the store will swap necks for you? I know when I bought my Mustang I liked the body that had a maple fingerboard, and not the body that had a rosewood one, but I greatly prefer rosewood boards. So they swapped necks for me. If it means a sale they may very well do it for you.

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It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.

Don't forget me too!!!
[quote]

Or my brother.......

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It's a mix between Jazz and Funk, it's called "Junk"

Me three!

Isn't it interesting that there seem to plenty of us lefties around who don't play guitar left-handed? Personally it was just the first way I picked up the guitar and it felt comfortable, but I have always thought that actually we are playing left-handed, given that the majority of the more articulate work is done with the left hand. Therefore you right-handers are actually playing left-handed as far as I'm concerned!!!!
Just a thought...

E

[quote=Me three!

Isn't it interesting that there seem to plenty of us lefties around who don't play guitar left-handed? Personally it was just the first way I picked up the guitar and it felt comfortable, but I have always thought that actually we are playing left-handed, given that the majority of the more articulate work is done with the left hand. Therefore you right-handers are actually playing left-handed as far as I'm concerned!!!!
Just a thought...

E[/quote]

Me four! There were no lefty guitars around when, as a kid, I started picking up my brother's band's instruments so it just seemed natural to play with a right handed guitar. It made sense to me that my more dextrous hand would be better for fretting.

I think once you move beyond straight up/down strumming, that the more intricate work is done by the strumming hand.