benefits of various headstock plans?

Hey,

I was just wondering what the benefits are of various headstock designs, neck angles, etc.

I know some prefer angled headstocks, some prefer no string trees, some prefer straight string pull, etc.

What are the benefits of various decisions, compromises, one makes in headstock design?

thanks,
RLS

Well Gibson style headstocks on necks made from one piece of mahogany or maple commonly suffer a break when they fall over. Fender designs don't generally do that all that much.

Disregarding strength issues, a headstock is like a foot: everyone thinks theirs are great, and yet everyone else thinks other's are goofy.

Companies who started making guitars before the music made on these guitars existed got their foot in the door with regard to headstock design. They now own what most consider as the way a headstock should look.

Often, when people try to diverge too much from the set norm, it's percieved as akin to putting ruby nail polish on a 6'8" guy's hairy feet.

I believe that subtle, yet enough to be legally different headstock designs will always be commonplace.

Personally, I think a 10 degree angled scarf-joint headstock with the trussrod adjustment at the heel is the best of all worlds. The straight Fender headstock to me always looks like a cost-cutting measure with a bandaid fix called a string tree.