StrumConstantly
Tele-Meister
Are Gretsch Jet headstocks as fragile as Les Paul's? They are both made of mahogony and look awfully alike...
Do Gretsch Jet headstocks suffer from the dreaded fragile Les Paul neck syndrome?
- Thread starter StrumConstantly
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.
andromeda673
Tele-Meister
i refuse to buy a epiphone or anyform of gretsch, i don't trust them, plus i don't care for the les paul body style.
but thats a good question, I don't know if they do or not
but thats a good question, I don't know if they do or not
BritishBluesBoy
Former Member
Les Paul's don't have fragile necks, nor do Gretsch guitars. Guitars are musical instruments and not meant to be dropped or otherwise mistreated. If you mistreat any decent instrument it will break. The idea that Les Paul's have fragile necks is a total joke, if they were so fragile - no one would play them, and guess what? Lots and lots of people do...
StrumConstantly
Tele-Meister
Andromeda,
Just out of curiosity, why don't you trust any Grestches or Epiphones?
Just out of curiosity, why don't you trust any Grestches or Epiphones?
superbadj
Poster Extraordinaire
I have two Gretsch guitars.
I just try not to drop mine.
No headstock is ever gonna break or crack without abuse. I've read that traditional headstocks (gibson-style, angled pegheads) are somehow inherently weaker. But again, unless you slam the neck against something, it's not going to break.
Of course, if it does break....you could reinforce it and put it back with some big old screws to hold it together.
Then it would be a like a tele headstock upside down!
I just try not to drop mine.
No headstock is ever gonna break or crack without abuse. I've read that traditional headstocks (gibson-style, angled pegheads) are somehow inherently weaker. But again, unless you slam the neck against something, it's not going to break.
Of course, if it does break....you could reinforce it and put it back with some big old screws to hold it together.
Then it would be a like a tele headstock upside down!
Couldn't agree more.
Post Toastie
Poster Extraordinaire
I had a Gretsch DuoJet and the biggest problem with these since the late 90s is flat or dead spots on the frettboard.
Jett
Tele-Holic
I have had my 75 Les Paul Deluxe for 20 plus years and never had a problem. I dont play out anymore, but this guitar was on the road for many years and still going strong.
one of my dumbest moments: snapping the headstock off my 64 Gretsch Tennessean. coming home drunk as hell (i blame, YOU, brother dave!). knocked it off a stand in the bedroom. Snap! ouch! the booze helped dull the pain til the morning. paid a bundle to have it repaired. that said, it's probably stronger now than it was originally. though, of course, devalued. at least the snapped Rickenbacker neck happened onstage...
rhh7
Tele-Afflicted
I don't gamble anymore...but I would bet if you spoke to professionals with lots of repair experience...Gibson Les Paul headstocks break maybe 10:1 as often as Telecasters...the design is inherently more fragile...just my amateur opinion of course.
Anchoret
Friend of Leo's
To actually answer the question, the Cor-Tek built 5000-series almost certainly have scarf-jointed necks, as does every Cor-Tek contract guitar I've ever seen with a tilt-back head. Scarf-joined heads are much stronger than one-piece necks. The high-end 6000-series instruments do not appear to be scarf-jointed. My new Tennessee Rose has a three-piece center-laminated neck for strength.
Gibson necks have always been at least fragile. Gibson addressed this problem many years ago by a neck volute, which was not popular and was mostly dropped. I have personally seen two spontaneous head separations on cheaper modern Gibsons in recent years. They simply broke off when not in use, presumably due to poor wood in an inherently weak area.
I have dropped many Gibsons over the last four decades (some repeatedly) but have not separated a head yet.
Gibson necks have always been at least fragile. Gibson addressed this problem many years ago by a neck volute, which was not popular and was mostly dropped. I have personally seen two spontaneous head separations on cheaper modern Gibsons in recent years. They simply broke off when not in use, presumably due to poor wood in an inherently weak area.
I have dropped many Gibsons over the last four decades (some repeatedly) but have not separated a head yet.
Walter Broes
Tele-Afflicted
I wouldn't take any angled-back headstock guitar in a gig bag, or throw it around, but new Gretsches are fairly sturdy all things considered. Most hollowbodies have a three-piece maple neck (lengthwise), which also helps.
Vintage Gretsches though....the headstock is not especially fragile, but you're lucky if the neck stays attached!
Vintage Gretsches though....the headstock is not especially fragile, but you're lucky if the neck stays attached!
musicalmartin
Poster Extraordinaire
We all know that all Stratovarius violins were tested by ramming into an amp ,and they have lasted centuries so why worry about a mere Gretsch
Ben Harmless
Poster Extraordinaire
Fords and Hondas are built differently too. Hondas tend to be lighter weight.
The secret is: Try not to crash.
BTW, my Gretsch Historic Series remains in one piece after quite a number of punk rock shows.
The secret is: Try not to crash.
BTW, my Gretsch Historic Series remains in one piece after quite a number of punk rock shows.
That's not a "fragile design", just a design difference. If Teles had set necks and a 17degree angled headstock they'd suffer the same "dangers" that folks claim the LP does. The ONLY broken headstocks I've ever seen or heard about on a LP came because someone dropped, hit, stomped, rolled over it, or some other type of ABUSE.
Anyone who moans that a particular guitar can't take enough ABUSE would be ...well....let's just leave it there.
Nope, a tele would not suffer the same dangers as an LP if they had a 17 degree headstock. A tele is a TWO PIECE guitar, the neck joint absorbs much of the shock in a fall.
And yes, Gibson's are fragile, as a repair guy in my former life I've reglued 50 Gibson headstocks at least and NEVER reglued a fender. If a fall is bad enough to break a fender headstock, then there is certainly greater damage to the rest of the guitar.
superchicken_VI
Friend of Leo's
Keep your guitars in cases and don't drop them. They tend not to break this way.
If I dropped any of my trumpets, it would have to go to the horn tech to get repaired. No maybe about it. Why would expect a guitar to perform differently?
If I dropped any of my trumpets, it would have to go to the horn tech to get repaired. No maybe about it. Why would expect a guitar to perform differently?
But the real difference--as an experienced Fender player and guitar-thrower once told me--is "you break a Fender neck, you just replace it."
Nope, you didn't read my post very well. For your info, the Gibson is at least a TWO PIECE guitar as well....
Try just reading what I said before you jump. And I submit you reglued 50 Gibsons that had been ABUSED.
Similar threads
- Poll
