Reverse neck on a strat?

che_guitarra

che_guitarra

New member
The neck on my #1 is just about toast after the last fret job. I'm going to replace it for a Warmoth aftermarket part, and I think reverse necks look pretty cool.

Intuition tells me this orientation might look cool, but it's probably going to be a pain to keep in tune.

Does anybody have any experience with reverse necks on Fender type guitars?
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

yeah and they stay in tune as well as any other neck. i have a strat and esquire with reverse headstocks and they have no issues
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

Reverse headstock, with the thicker strings on the longest runs behind the nut,
Don't need string trees

Is this not correct?

If I were ordering one from scratch
I would get a tilt back
But that's just me
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

i have sperzel tuners on mine so the posts have graduated heights but i do not use a string tree
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

I have a sample size of two. At first I thought it was cool but if I remember remember one needs left hand tuners. My first one was a standard Strat neck and I thought staggered tuners would work. In practice I needed a string tree on the lower two strings. I also used right hand tuners but had to turn them backwards to make them work. Maybe I did something wrong (it was 30 yrs ago) but I didn’t like it. Put the staggered right hand tuners on a right hand neck and I did not need string trees on a standard Fender style neck

Second experiment I used lefty tuners but I made an error in my neck calcs and forgot to account for thickness of fingerboard. High strings were stiff feeling because of the extreme angle at the nut, and shorter strings behind the nut.

I watched a YouTube video from SuGar a Brit luthier, where she ranted on and on about how stupid it was. (I can’t find the video right now). So then I had to push back and think more about the design.

I was under the initial impression that longer strings were more stiff, because I thought the locking Floyd Rose System was more compliant. It turns out I had it backwards. A longer string is more compliant not less tension more compliant than a shorter string. In a way it’s like raising the tailpiece on a LP. The strings feel more slinky, at the cost of losing definition.

What I’m trying to say is that “it’s more than looks” and one needs to work through the design issues, and determine if it provides the outcome you are looking for.

Or at least that was my experience with reverse Head stocks and standard 10-46 gauge strings.

Good Luck




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Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

I used to use a lefty neck, now I have a RH reverse on my strat. I've always used a string tree and lefty tuners.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

You need a string tree. I like mine, but restringing always make me think.... haha
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

che_guitarra said:
The neck on my #1 is just about toast after the last fret job. I'm going to replace it for a Warmoth aftermarket part, and I think reverse necks look pretty cool.

Intuition tells me this orientation might look cool, but it's probably going to be a pain to keep in tune.
Click to expand...
How on earth does intuition lead to you conclude that the side of the headstock that the tuners are mounted to leads inescapably to bad tuning???
Given that over 95% of tuning issues are the nut anyhow, intuition should be telling you that the tuner orientation is unlikely to be an issue.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

I prefer a reverse telecaster headstock on my strats. I also prefer reverse telecaster headstocks on my teles.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

Some people really like the ergonomics of a reverse headstock. I don't see why it would or wouldn't keep in tune as well providing the nut is functioning. Personally, I find reaching underneath to tune all 6 strings is sort of a pain, but hey, I really don't like headstocks at all.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

AlexR said:
How on earth does intuition lead to you conclude that the side of the headstock that the tuners are mounted to leads inescapably to bad tuning???
Given that over 95% of tuning issues are the nut anyhow, intuition should be telling you that the tuner orientation is unlikely to be an issue.
Click to expand...

Intuition:

I'm a heavy (but tasteful) trem user. Add to that non-ideal break angles, changed string tensions, different harmonic and resonant frequency structure from behind the nut, shifting roundwound strings to the side that will see most string movement over the nut, more bass bloom to notes due to lengthening of the heaviest gauge strings, possible intonation issues, nut wear issues, tuning pegs in a more knock-prone position. Then there's the players that play/ed with a reverse string orientation: Hendrix, Dick Dale - both renown for being constantly out of tune live.

/Intuition.



That said, I still think they look cool!
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

This stays in tune as good as all my other Strats. (I think 7 total with non-locking trems)

3uQuDWB_d.jpg


I’m a huge fan of the two post trem with stamped saddles. (Post 2008 American trem?) With a well cut and lubed nut it does great.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

I have a left-handed Strat that I strung up right-handed and I haven't had issues. I don't have a whammy bar for it yet so I don't know if issues will develop using the bar.

CAM00500_zpsewasaxj7.jpg




;>)/
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

PFDarkside said:
You need a string tree. I like mine, but restringing always make me think.... haha
Click to expand...

I don't use string trees. Just well graphite lubed nut and good setup. No tuning issues and I think high strings sound better without them. More meaty and better sustain.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

che_guitarra said:
I'm a heavy (but tasteful) trem user. Add to that non-ideal break angles, changed string tensions, different harmonic and resonant frequency structure from behind the nut, shifting roundwound strings to the side that will see most string movement over the nut, more bass bloom to notes due to lengthening of the heaviest gauge strings, possible intonation issues, nut wear issues, tuning pegs in a more knock-prone position. Then there's the players that play/ed with a reverse string orientation: Hendrix, Dick Dale - both renown for being constantly out of tune live.
Click to expand...

None of that stuff poses any serious issue and quite a good bit of it doesn't actually happen to any measurable degree.
 
Reverse neck on a strat?

ehdwuld said:
Reverse headstock, with the thicker strings on the longest runs behind the nut,
Don't need string trees

Is this not correct?

If I were ordering one from scratch
I would get a tilt back
But that's just me
Click to expand...

The reason for string trees on a reverse headstock is to stop sympathetic vibrations in the lower strings. Can also be accomplished with those rubber insert pick holders, which is what I use, because they are temporary.

The other reason is the low E can come out of the nut if you throw the vibrato far enough or fast enough. That has happened to me on numerous occasions.
 
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Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

Chistopher said:
None of that stuff poses any serious issue and quite a good bit of it doesn't actually happen to any measurable degree.
Click to expand...

Agreed.......and a lot of it is padding too. Things that the length of string behind the nut or suchforth never has anything to do with in the first place - even with the typical strat trem.
 
Re: Reverse neck on a strat?

AlexR said:
Agreed.......and a lot of it is padding too. Things that the length of string behind the nut or suchforth never has anything to do with in the first place - even with the typical strat trem.
Click to expand...

Ughh, what?
 
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