Martin headstock volute

[Lacks Focus]

Originally Posted by saxonblue

On another tack my Cole Clark has one too & I believe they all do. They have a separate headstock that is jointed & glued to the neck so there may be a structural advantage in using one.

This makes sense. If you look at the volute as part of the neck, and imagine the headstock is a separate piece of wood, the volute would be an ideal way to design the joint, allowing long-grain surfaces to be glued together, the preferred method of gluing wood, rather than simply butting end grain together, which results in a very weak glue joint, unless it has some other kind of mechanical reinforcement.

[00-28]

Originally Posted by Siddhartha

It reinforces that area of the neck where the headstock meets, and angles. It provides extra wood where the truss rod ends, to increase strength. Otherwise, that wood could potentially be too thin in that area.

(At least this is what I've been told by a luthier way back)

With this thinking, why would there not be diamonds on all Martins, or any other guitars?

The diamond comes from the historic design of necks made with a separate shaft and headstock.

From a previous thread:

Today, a dart serves no purpose, it is for looks. It keeps the vintage appearance for aesthetics only.
This picture from Frank Ford shows how the old necks were made usuing this method to join the headstock to the neck shaft.


Another picture from Dave(Tejas) from UMGF.


.....Mike

Originally Posted by murrmac123

Thank you Todd, for being the only person so far to use the correct nomenclature.

Credit where credit is due. Howard Klepper convinced me to abandon "volute".

[ukejon]

Not trying to be overly picky here but this very cool decorative feature on the back of some Martin necks is probably better described as a raised ornamental lozenge. It is not a volute, which describes a spiral-shaped, shell-inspired ornamental motif that looks like this:



Here is the common dictionary definition:

volute
Syllabification: vo·lute
Pronunciation: /vəˈl(y)o͞ot

NOUN

1: Architecture A spiral scroll characteristic of Ionic capitals and also used in Corinthian and composite capitals.

2: A deep-water marine mollusk with a thick spiral shell that is colorful and prized by collectors. Family Volutidae, class Gastropoda: Voluta and other genera

And here is nature's origin for this classical architectural feature, found on Ionic and Composite capitals:



The headstocks on the first Martin's terminated at the top in a volute:



I realize that the diamond shaped feature on Martin necks has been called volutes by many folks but that terminology seems wrong:

Martin uses language this sort of language, "...V neck with long diamond volute..." So, I find it hard to criticize anyone using similar terminology. As noted previously though, I've settled on "diamond" myself.

[ukejon]

Merely suggesting that outside of walls of the Martin factory in Nazereth, PA, the word "volute" typically is used to describe something quite different. Dare I suggest such a blasphemous notion, but perhaps the Martin folks didn't quite pick the right word here. Now to be fair to them, I also realize that other guitar makers have also described this feature similarly, and perhaps they are seeing it as a highly stylized and reductive variation on the true volutes found in nature and replicated on classical architecture. In short, the word may be commonly used but it is a rather odd choice.

My post wasn't directed at you, Jon. I apologize for making it seem that way. It was just coincidentally after your post.

Your explanation of the term is correct, and that argument is why I now use "diamond" unless I slip back into old habits on occasion.

[ukejon]

I hear you, Todd. It may in fact be that violin makers started using the term 300 years ago, which gives it historical weight. Just seems a bit odd.

[scottishrogue]

This has been a fascinating conversation and I am so impressed, because I can come here and learn interesting stuff every time I visit! If the term "volute" is inaccurate...I'll be lost. Maybe "diamond neck extension"??? Maybe "convolute"???

Glen

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by kydave

Fair enough. I'll balance that out by being in the camp which won't buy guitars with fretboard binding. Maybe not a good reason, but it's just one more thing to come loose & I've seen it too often to ignore. Mainly I just don't like it.

I almost agree with you, but can make exceptions for some wood bindings. I love the sound of a DH-35, but just can't get over that ugly white bound fretboard? I think those white bindings are the worst!

Wooden bindings aren't too bad, but I prefer that pure naked look of ebony!

Don

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Martin uses language this sort of language, "...V neck with long diamond volute..." So, I find it hard to criticize anyone using similar terminology. As noted previously though, I've settled on "diamond" myself.

Originally Posted by ukejon

Merely suggesting that outside of walls of the Martin factory in Nazereth, PA, the word "volute" typically is used to describe something quite different. Dare I suggest such a blasphemous notion, but perhaps the Martin folks didn't quite pick the right word here. Now to be fair to them, I also realize that other guitar makers have also described this feature similarly, and perhaps they are seeing it as a highly stylized and reductive variation on the true volutes found in nature and replicated on classical architecture. In short, the word may be commonly used but it is a rather odd choice.

Well, Martin isn't the only one to misuse a term. Think about about C. Leo Fender and his use of Tremolo and Vibrato!

[Jeff Scott]

Sorry, double post.

Originally Posted by Jeff Scott

The diamond on my Martin looks different than this one pictured, which is very obvious as having been carved to that shape with the headstock being one with the neck. Mine appears to have different grain pattern on the headstock compared to that on the neck/diamond, along with a very disconnected look at the bottom of the headstock where it meets the neck. Perhaps mine, being a custom instrument, actually has a separate headstock that was attached to the neck?

So unlikely that I have little fear of calling it impossible. Martin has different "diamond" patterns depending on the model. Some do look quite different than others.

[Jeff Scott]

I don't have a hosting site setup but I can e-mail a photo of the back of my Martin's headstock to some if they want to post mine, thanks.

[Long Jon]

Thanks for the schooling guys.
It's going to take a little while for my "mouth memory" to adapt to the new, correct, nomenclature .

Not really a worry, as it only ever comes up in threads on here.

Anyhoo, I'll be vigilant from now on, ready to correct any future offenders I catch !