This part III.2 of the “How to design your own guitar step by step”, now we will draw a headstock, it’ll be simple, just a 3+3 like from an acoustic guitar.

First we have to draw two circles with the same center, 6mm (tuner axis) and 10mm (hole for the tuner) respectively.  The 6mm hole is very important cause it’ll allow us to correctly align the tuners respect the nut, this way we can also control the lateral angle of the strings once they get through the nut.

Step 1

If  look at this, you’ll notice that the angle vary from string to string, this isn’t bad if we keep this angle at a minimum.

Step 2

Now we need to draw the tuners to get sure they are correctly aligned

Step 3

We want to design a 3+3 symmetric headstock, so we can just repeat the 3 holes from the left side in the right side

Step 4

Now we just have to design the shape!

Step 5

And just like that we have designed our own guitar headstock, it up to you to create an unique and cool headstock! Next time we will be talking about how to place the pickups in your guitar design!

Now we already have our fretboard and guitar scale, if you don’t know what i’m talking about read How to Design Your Guitar Step by Step – part II. Today we will teach you how to design a headstock, if you have a “headstock fetish” like us you’ll really like this post.

The headstock has the function of keep the guitar strings in their position and hold the tension with the tuners… that’s what keep your guitar in tune. There are some simple rules we have to keep in mind while we design our own headstocks:

- Keep the lateral cancellation of the strings at minimum.

- Access to the tuners must be easy.

- The headstock shape must not obstruct the fretboard.

If we follow this simple rules everything else is just about design, there are basically three headstock types:

3+3 Headstock: The headstock use to be very simmetrical, there are 3 left tuners and 3 right tuners. examples of this are Gibson, B.C Rich and Dean Headstocks.

These ones are great examples of the 3+3 type

6+1 Headstock: In this case the tuners are line up in one side, generally this headstocks are asimmetrical. examples of this type are Stratocaster, Jackson and Ibanez headstocks.

6+1 headstock examples

4+2 Headstock: Music Man and Tagima are very famous for this headstock style, this headstock type its not so common in other brands but it looks cool.

4+2 headstock style

Tomorrow i’ll post the part III.2 where we will draw a simple headstock together. So subscribe to receive the updates in your email!