The headless guitar is an age-old idea that played an essential role in the music industry. These guitars gained popularity in the twentieth century. Similar idea is the headless bass. It came into use in the late eighties. All the features played a considerable role in creating a significant impact on music. No one knew that headless guitars would gain popularity in this day and age. However, now they have come back to the music industry, and with better innovations. Kiesel, Strandberg, and Ibanez pioneered the futuristic model with various advanced features. They are from America, Sweden, and Japan.
Headless Guitar – What is it?
The significant variation between headless guitars and standard acoustic ones is the absence of the head-stock. You may ask, ‘How does the tuning take place if there is no head-stock, to begin with?’. One can tune it with the hardware present at the very end of the bridge, where the strings are attached. The absence of a head-stock facilitates equal weight distribution. This causes the player to feel a sense of lightness while using the instrument. The usage is relatively simple. Hence, it can be used by beginners who are just starting to play the guitar.
They are present in many of the rock and metal bands. The instrumentalists, such as bass guitarists, lead guitarists, acoustic guitarists, and rhythm guitarists, typically use this type of guitar. This notion is to ease comfort as well as facilitate mobility while engaging the audience. Using this guitar will assist a wide range of tones as well.
Previously, there weren’t as many designs and models to match different tastes. But as they are newly launched in the twentieth century, there is a wide range of styles to accommodate.
It is essential to know the advantages. It tells us how they differ from a regular acoustic guitar and eighties’ headless guitar models.
They are as follows:
Light in weight
One benefit that is most likely to be experienced by the instrumentalist is ease and comfort. It is so because of the manufacturing materials and body design. The balance facilitates greater mobility. It decreases your back pressure to a great extent. Hence, one can play the instrument, both sitting and walking. This fact can keep your audience more engaging as well.
Sound improvement
The absence of the guitar nut is the reason behind this change in quality. You will be experiencing a greater depth in the notes that you play from a headless guitar. You will notice that there is a significant improvement in the intonation when you play open chords. The sound is also very consistent and clear to the listener. The tuning process is easier and faster. One can also add new strings and replace them with great ease and flexibility.
Environment friendly
Having a tinier body also means that less wood-consumption in the process. This way, you can save the environment by opting for a headless guitar instead. It won’t be a burden when you are travelling as well.
Conclusion
Headless guitars have been introduced in the eighties. However, they gained popularity in the twentieth century, that is, three decades later. Headless guitars and basses became popular in the music industry for their high-quality sound. They also have better intonation, note-consistency, and are easy to use. They also come in different styles and design models. These cater to the need of almost every theme. Hence, the popularity is advancing.
