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  #1  
Old 03-17-2013, 10:21 PM
Turp Turp is offline
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Default Martin Headstock with Wings: Perspective

I had owned my Martin for a while before I knew the neck material or that it had wings. After reading some recent comments, out of curiosity, I looked closely again just to revisit just how apparent the joint might be.

They are taper from about 1/4" thick to 0 the wedge is about 3 inches. At first I had to look very closely to determine it wasn't the natural grain pattern.

Just in-case you're wondering, this is what a sample of a headstock with wings looks like.

The best image of the joint with direct light, a single flash:


Image with mixed light source; lamp and flash:


Undetectable from this angle:


I for one, rarely ever pay attention to the back of the headstock except for occasional cleaning. Regardless, it requires effort to observe therefore a non-issue for me.
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Old 03-17-2013, 10:33 PM
Von Beerhofen Von Beerhofen is offline
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It's not a problem for me either, especially since I found that mine doesn't have them,

But seriously, it's just another aestethics issue, if you're willing to pay 500$ more they won't be there. Other then that it's of no importance whatsoever and has no influence on the sound. As been said before, it's quite normal to see em on a wide range of instruments, my vintage 3000$ Gibson ES Artist Active also has them.

Ludwig
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Old 03-17-2013, 10:34 PM
bozz_2006 bozz_2006 is offline
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Don't care. Haven't even checked. Is that good or bad?
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Old 03-17-2013, 10:39 PM
Von Beerhofen Von Beerhofen is offline
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Dunno, but I'd say it shows enormous self control, lol.
Wonder if your gaze doesn't occasionally wander off sneakily into the direction of the back of the headstock, if only to stop wondering for the rest of your life.

Ludwig
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Old 03-17-2013, 10:45 PM
bozz_2006 bozz_2006 is offline
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Not yet. lol.
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Old 03-18-2013, 07:14 AM
bobdcat bobdcat is offline
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If it means a lot more solid necks, so be it. Too much waste cutting billets the traditional way. The wood is running out.
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Old 03-18-2013, 07:33 AM
rmyAddison rmyAddison is offline
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Wings were purely a conservation issue, and mostly Martin is using "select hardwood" now where supply is enough to not use "wings", mostly spanish cedar.

You can still get solid mahogany necks on higher end models but it has a cost, total non-issue to me................
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Old 03-18-2013, 07:40 AM
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Gibson has used "wings" just short of forever. Collings does too, but they match the grain a little better than Martin. Personally, wings don't bother me much. I'd rather have mahogany with wings than SC without wings.
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:00 PM
Von Beerhofen Von Beerhofen is offline
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People should turn wings into an additional feature, after all it takes more time to glue on wings which makes it a more labourious job and is therefore more expensive.
Besides that, like everything added to guitars which has no true function, it should be considered to be additional decoration, like a centre back wedge or a Porsche with racing stripes, also more expensive.
So from now on every wings owner can sneer at the poor guy who couln't even afford wings on his guitar,
Next hype in the production of guitars will be an extra exotic strip of wings and companies will heavily compete to create the most appealing woodcombinations/shapes with additional striped accents.
Man I should have become a guitar designer as the current guys aren't even tapping into this hidden goldmine of wings design, .

Ludwig

Last edited by Von Beerhofen; 03-18-2013 at 12:37 PM.
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:23 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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"Wings???" I have no idea what y'all are talking about...
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  #11  
Old 03-18-2013, 12:29 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DesertTwang View Post
"Wings???" I have no idea what y'all are talking about...

Obtaining a wider piece of wood by joining two or more narrower pieces. If a wider central piece is used and narrower pieces to one or more sides, these narrower pieces can be referred to as "wings". I like mine BBQ'd.
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  #12  
Old 03-18-2013, 12:31 PM
Von Beerhofen Von Beerhofen is offline
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@ Desert Twang

Couldn't afford them either eh?

Ludwig
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:41 PM
Martin00028EC Martin00028EC is offline
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If they don't serve any structural purpose (and I think they don't), why not re-design the headstock to a narrower profile? This way there would be no extra work (and wood) for adding the wings and the environmental issue would be addressed at the same time.

Come on, let's all agree Martin's headstock is not the most inspiring one around... In fact, I cannot think of a simpler head stock design.
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Old 03-18-2013, 12:56 PM
bobdcat bobdcat is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin00028EC View Post
If they don't serve any structural purpose (and I think they don't), why not re-design the headstock to a narrower profile? This way there would be no extra work (and wood) for adding the wings and the environmental issue would be addressed at the same time.

Come on, let's all agree Martin's headstock is not the most inspiring one around... In fact, I cannot think of a simpler head stock design.
You do need that width for string angle above the nut.

There used to be a lot of one-piece tops and backs in the 18th and early 19th centuries when guitars were smaller, Nobody complains about two-piece tops now.
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Several Martins, 2 Guilds, a couple of kits and a Tilton (ever heard of those?),
some ukes and a 1920s Vega tenor banjo


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  #15  
Old 03-18-2013, 01:25 PM
Landru Landru is offline
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Who out there likes wings? Would you - if you had the choice - order them custom? I'm for complete wing disclosure before sale.
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