Collings headstock question

[Lkristians]

I've noticed that Collings has a variety of headstock designs. Taylor/Gibson/Martin are pretty consistent with their uniform shapes. Does the Collings model determine which headstock it uses?

[dnf777]

I have spoken with some folks at Collings about just that, as well as the fretboard inlay they refer to as "MOM". (my CJss has it)

There seems to be no solid reasoning behind many of their designs or options...the MOM inlay was so named because apparently Bill's Mom saw it on a drawing board and gushed over how pretty it was. Hence, the "MOM" designation.

They did say that while some models have specific headstock designs, they all could vary at the whim of Bill on any given day. (I've heard that to be the case from other sources as well!). Apparently, the off-set hair-part design came about after an "oops moment", if you can imagine. I have no way to verify that rumor though!

[Lkristians]

Originally Posted by dnf777

I have spoken with some folks at Collings about just that, as well as the fretboard inlay they refer to as "MOM". (my CJss has it)

There seems to be no solid reasoning behind many of their designs or options...the MOM inlay was so named because apparently Bill's Mom saw it on a drawing board and gushed over how pretty it was. Hence, the "MOM" designation.

They did say that while some models have specific headstock designs, they all could vary at the whim of Bill on any given day. (I've heard that to be the case from other sources as well!). Apparently, the off-set hair-part design came about after an "oops moment", if you can imagine. I have no way to verify that rumor though!

Hey, Dave, thanks! Great intel. My next question would have been "what do they call that squiggle on the top", but you answered that as well. Many thanks!
PS: They all look great, imo.

[Allen Shadd]

Originally Posted by Lkristians

Hey, Dave, thanks! Great intel. My next question would have been "what do they call that squiggle on the top", but you answered that as well. Many thanks!
PS: They all look great, imo.

Most of us just call that the haircut headstock.

[Lkristians]

Good to know, Allen. Thanks!

[generalliamsayn]

Originally Posted by Lkristians

Does the Collings model determine which headstock it uses?

All the D's, OM and 0-series get a square-cut...

CJ's and SJ's get the wavy haircut...

[devellis]

Not sure if this holds up across the board, but I think the headstock shapes echo the style of classic guitat that a Collings model was inspired by. So, the square headstocks are on Martin-inspired models, the haircut on Gibson-inspired models, etc. Of cours the Collings version is never an exact copy of the classic original headstock ("haircut" shifted from central part to side part, for example) but the inspiration seems apparent. This may all be more in my imagination than in reality but that's my take without having dug into the matter too deeply.

[J Patrick]

Originally Posted by devellis

Not sure if this holds up across the board, but I think the headstock shapes echo the style of classic guitat that a Collings model was inspired by. So, the square headstocks are on Martin-inspired models, the haircut on Gibson-inspired models, etc. Of cours the Collings version is never an exact copy of the classic original headstock ("haircut" shifted from central part to side part, for example) but the inspiration seems apparent. This may all be more in my imagination than in reality but that's my take without having dug into the matter too deeply.

Fwiw Santa Cruz does the same thing….square headstocks on Martin inspired guitars and haircut headstocks on Gibson inspired instruments…..

[soups]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

Fwiw Santa Cruz does the same thing….square headstocks on Martin inspired guitars and haircut headstocks on Gibson inspired instruments…..

Collings does their haircut part on the left. SC does theirs on the right