Slot head electric guitars.....anyone ??

[gstring]

Does anyone have a slot head electric guitar. I don't see many any where. Why do you think that is ?

I am in the early stages of ordering a custom electric and am pondering having it made with a slot head. It will be my first electric guitar. What are your views on this.

Thanks.

daniel

[TiffanyGuitar]

Slot heads are a historic touch for acoustic guitars. They also change the tension at the nut. Electric guitars don’t have as much history as acoustic guitars - they are a lot newer than historic acoustics. That is why you don’t see them.

If I were you I would not build or have built your first electric. Electrics are different than acoustics in that you need to have some experience to know what you like first. If I were you, start with a telecaster before building anything. It’s hard to go wrong with a Tele.

[rmp]

I think there was one back in the 80s I can't call the name to mind but they were made from metal, or aluminum.

Some guys went for em, they were supposed to be stable, kind of like composite acoustics are today.

The fad died out after awhile and they didn't really have great tone IIRC.

[Steve DeRosa]

First one I remember was the circa-1966 MIJ Domino Rebel, influenced by both the Vox Phantom and Ampeg AEB and pitched toward the surf crowd in the waning days of surf music here in America - here's the Eastwood tribute model:



There's also the current B&G Little Sister, which filters a variety of prewar influences into a straight-ahead modern blues-machine package:

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by TiffanyGuitar

Slot heads are a historic touch for acoustic guitars. They also change the tension at the nut. Electric guitars don’t have as much history as acoustic guitars - they are a lot newer than historic acoustics. That is why you don’t see them.

If I were you I would not build or have built your first electric. Electrics are different than acoustics in that you need to have some experience to know what you like first. If I were you, start with a telecaster before building anything. It’s hard to go wrong with a Tele.

Can you explain to me how a slotted headstock is different than a paddle headstock in terms of any aspect of string tension?

Thanks in advance!

Howard Emerson

[perttime]

An "almost local to me" builder comes to mind:

http://www.wetterstrand.org/electric.php?ePageID=27

[TiffanyGuitar]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

Can you explain to me how a slotted headstock is different than a paddle headstock in terms of any aspect of string tension?

Thanks in advance!

Howard Emerson

There is not much difference in string tension on the fret board, the break angle over the nut is generally a little steeper on slot heads so the tension pressing down on the nut is a little greater. It is rather subtle.

[Dru Edwards]

Hi Daniel, slotheads are nowhere near as popular as acoustics. I'm guessing that Gibson, Fender, and PRS have none in production but it's possible there's one out there in limited quantities.

[TiffanyGuitar]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Hi Daniel, slothheads are nowhere near as popular as acoustics. I'm guessing that Gibson, Fender, and PRS have none in production but it's possible there's one out there in limited quantities.

I agree on the popularity, but I also think that has to do with cost and difficulty of production. Slot heads are a lot harder to make (correctly) than a paddle head. However, I do think a good 12 fret parlor looks best with a slot head. Personally, they seem a little out of place on an electric. The B&G shown above looks nice, but I bet that might not be an "all around" electric. Something more for a specific style or purpose.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by TiffanyGuitar

...The B&G shown above looks nice, but I bet that might not be an "all around" electric. Something more for a specific style or purpose.

I own a couple of twin P-90 guitars, and when I'm not playing my Gretsch 5622 they're the first thing I reach for. Very versatile BTW, and while B&G appears to be pitching the Little Sister (also available as a cutaway and/or with humbuckers) as more of a traditional blues-rock axe IME a guitar of this type will cover more genres than you might think: roots, Americana, '50s/60s R&R & R&B, older country, surf (I use my LP goldtop, and it beats the Fenders and Mosrites hands down), first-wave British Invasion, jazz (with a set of flatwound 12's), as well as blues/blues-rock - and it'd probably make one heluva slide guitar...

[Rudy4]

I played custom Teles for several years and finally decided to gift them to others since I hadn't played an electric gig in quite a while. A short while after they were both gone a friend handed me a Seymour Duncan lil' 59 humbucker and asked me if I had any use for it. Coincidentally I had recently ran across The B&G Cedars Of Lebanon model (on Youtube), so I did a slot head single bucker based on that. I think it's a very nice option, and there's nothing wrong with using a slot head design on an electric guitar. It's not an accepted normal for electric, so most players wouldn't consider it.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by TiffanyGuitar

The B&G shown above looks nice, but I bet that might not be an "all around" electric. Something more for a specific style or purpose.

The B&H is a total all around guitar. I know more than a few people that own multi variations of those (P90, humbucker, cutaway, non-cutaway) and they all love them. They are extreme high quality, although they are quite expensive. They are not designed for a specific style.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

I played custom Teles for several years and finally decided to gift them to others since I hadn't played an electric gig in quite a while. A short while after they were both gone a friend handed me a Seymour Duncan lil' 59 humbucker and asked me if I had any use for it. Coincidentally I had recently ran across The B&G Cedars Of Lebanon model (on Youtube), so I did a slot head single bucker based on that. I think it's a very nice option, and there's nothing wrong with using a slot head design on an electric guitar. It's not an accepted normal for electric, so most players wouldn't consider it.

That's a great looking guitar, Rudy! Well done!

- Glenn

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

The B&H is a total all around guitar. I know more than a few people that own multi variations of those (P90, humbucker, cutaway, non-cutaway) and they all love them. They are extreme high quality, although they are quite expensive. They are not designed for a specific style.

B&G, being aware that the price point was barring some from trying their particular lineage of guitars, developed the B&G Crossroads series, which are made offshore and sell for something like half the price of their custom shop offerings.

B&G Crossroads Series Guitars

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

That's a great looking guitar, Rudy! Well done!

- Glenn

Thanks much, Glenn. I appreciate the nice comment!

It's a lot different than my Teles were, but it's fun to grab and play occasionally.