Changing The Headstock

[prauny]

Hello all,

This here is my first post.

I have this squier tele neck that i want to use on a body i've built. But the tele headstock does'nt really go with the design. Is it possible to cut the tele headstock off above the truss rod hole and glue a replacement headstock on?

[Ben]

I'd try to buy a new neck on ebay or something and save the tele neck for another project.

[al heeley]

I'd be worried about the joint holding, theres a lot of tension on a headstock. Someone once quoted around 140 lbs of pull? Follow Ben's advice.

[prauny]

Yeah, i'll probably do that mate. Just curious to see if its been done before.

[ibanez_crazy]

Yes it can be done. I had a gibson les paul that the headstock was demolished beyond repair. The local repair guy had a gibson neck that the lower half was split lenghtwise, but the headstock was ok. The fretboard was removed from both necks, and cut below the 2nd fret. The good headstock ended up on my guitar, but its not like it was hidden. I recently found out that the better way to do it was to scarf cut them for a stronger joint, but it held up OK, and is still ok. Not a job for a newbie, and not just for cosmetics.

[MP63]

Yes.

I did it to a Sigma guitar that had the headstock broken off.

It was a friend's guitar and he didn't really care for it, so that took a lot of the pressure off.

It came out wonderful.

It always seems to be when you've got to have it perfcet you mess it up a bit, but when you really don't care, it comes out perfect.

Weird.

I cut the neck (and headstock) off to about the third or fourth fret.

I left the neck "splice" at about a 45 degree cut, and still kept the fingerboard on.

That was my reference point.

I made a new neck and headstock (just about 6" of neck) and spliced it to the fingerboard and splice angle.

I then detailed the headstock once it was on.

The splice was reinforced by two ebony biscuits for reinforcement.

I wish I had pictures as it is still working today, after more than 20 years.

It was great practice.

I say try it and if it fails, buy one.

Mike

[prauny]

Thanks for the advice there guys. I may try it, but im lazy, so i may not.

But thanks anyway

[GUITARmole]

If you're going to keep the 6 inline tuner configuration it would be easiest to cut the rounded part of the headstock (under the logo) straight and laminate a piece of maple to the existing headstoock...then cut a new shape. Since you're retaining most of the original headstock it'll be structurally sound and you can even keep the existing tuner holes.

[crafty]

Most of you guys are making this waaay too complicated...

Fill the tuner holes, square off the headstock, add ears to the headstock, cut out new profile. It won't have an angle on the headstock, but it'll probably give you the look you want, especially if you veneer it when you're done.

Other than that, it's not worth the effort to hack up a Squier neck for a scarf joint when you can just order a new paddle headstock neck from a plethora of manufacturers.