Taylor Headstocks

[brianf]

Are most Taylor headstocks spliced on? Thanks


brianf

[hank]

brianf: I believe Taylor started that tactic about three years ago. It's supposed to save wood ......... and does. I played my friend's $8000 Taylor custom last week. Something about that neck joining and $8k that didn't quite work for hank, if you know what I mean. :stone

[brianf]

brianf: I believe Taylor started that tactic about three years ago. It's supposed to save wood ......... and does. I played my friend's $8000 Taylor custom last week. Something about that neck joining and $8k that didn't quite work for hank, if you know what I mean. :stone

Hank; as I have posted before I'm still hunting for an acoustic. I thought I had it nailed down when my local shop gave me a great price on a 614CE in natual finish. So I'm strumming away and the guitar sounds great. The owner of the shop says to me "One thing I want to point out". He flips the guitar over and shows me the splice. He knows what I'm like and that I should see this before giving him the Amex. WTF!!!!

I know, I know, the guitar sounds great and the splice is probably the strongest part of the neck.

Well lets check out the 814CE same thing :bug


Well maybe back to Martin. Man I'm picky.


brianf

[hank]

Martin? Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm. My fav.

[johnlg]

Martins are my favorite as well, 3 in my woodpile. I do have a Big baby Taylor for travel and I love it. The "joined" head is a Bob Taylor innovation. The way Bob does the joining, the head is actually stronger than a regular head stock.

Taylor used to offer a free DVD or Video on their website showing the pounds of force required to break off their head stock. The Taylor joint takes a lot more stress than a solid wood neck/head before snapping.

Scientifically, the Taylor design is stronger. Being somewhat traditional in my love of lutherie, I still like a one-piece wooded neck. I like to look at the back of a neck and think, wow that's pretty.

I've never heard about the "saving wood" angle. I think that mahagony is farmed with conservation and controll in mind. I always hear the strength in design angle.

FWIW,

John

The 214's are nice little fingerstyle guitars, 1 3/4 nut and OOO sized body like my Martin OM. I may buy a 214 someday if $780 USD fall out of sky and hit my head. That would be cool.

[UfoPilot]

Hank; as I have posted before I'm still hunting for an acoustic. I thought I had it nailed down when my local shop gave me a great price on a 614CE in natual finish. So I'm strumming away and the guitar sounds great. The owner of the shop says to me "One thing I want to point out". He flips the guitar over and shows me the splice. He knows what I'm like and that I should see this before giving him the Amex. WTF!!!!

I know, I know, the guitar sounds great and the splice is probably the strongest part of the neck.

Well lets check out the 814CE same thing :bug


Well maybe back to Martin. Man I'm picky.


brianf

Martin uses plastic (micarta) fingerboards, so you're screwed either way. What's wrong with companies these days.:(

[hank]

Martin uses Micarta only on a limited few of the lower to mid-level models.

[Tonefiend]

I know a bit about the neck joint, I make the necks and have glued those up.

The joint is done to save wood as it has no effect on tone and is virtually invisible.

Every so often somthing will happen in production and we will loose a neck. Typically it's broken and thrown away. I personally have broken many necks which I do by putting them on the ground and stepping on them. They don't break under my 250 lbs and I have to give it a good bounce or two. They never break along the joint, always through it. It's truly much stronger than a non joined headstock.

Also the tolerances are insane and the headstock is the same piece as the neck.

I have also fixed MANY broken headstocks, and never a Taylor. Ungrafted guitars fall apart like a cheap suit.

I would not give Taylors grafted head a second thought!