The headless guitar is a thing again. No, they never really went away, but it’s clear they are enjoying a resurgence. And it’s not limited to the progressive metal genre. Why in the world would you want a guitar without a headstock, anyway? And, there’s more to the headless design than unconventional looks. Today’s headless designs blend modern ergonomics with great sound. Here are 5 of the best headless guitars from Ibanez, Cardinal, Strandberg, and Eart.
History of Headless Guitars
Headless guitars have been around since the 1970s when Ned Steinberger designed the first modern headless guitar, the L-2 bass guitar. They were met with skepticism. Then, the L-2 was adopted early by some famous musicians, including Geddy Lee of Rush. The popularity of the L-2 bass guitar led to Steinberger designing the GL-2, the first Steinberger headless electric guitar.
Modern designs have tended to focus on the headless 7 and 8 string guitars, but for this roundup we’re going to focus on 6-string models. While there are headless acoustic guitars, we’re focusing on headless electric guitars.
Headless guitars offer the following benefits:
- Lighter Weight – Headless designs lack a headstock, and body shapes are often downsized. This results in weight savings.
- Balance – A guitar without headstock shifts the center of gravity towards the body side. This creates ergonomic guitars with minimal neck dive.
- Innovative Neck Designs – A headless guitar neck typically shows forward thinking on neck design. The Strandberg EndurNeck is the best known example.
- Easy String Changes – Headless guitar bridges offer more design freedom than traditional designs, so you’ll see innovation in this area.
- Unique Tone – Most headless designs have a “zero fret”, which makes open strings sound more like fretted strings, and the lack of string distance between nut and tuner results in fewer sympathetic overtones.
- Portability – Headless travel guitars are becoming more popular. Compact bodies and tuning stability make headless convenient travel guitars.
5 Great Headless Guitar Options
If you’re looking for a guitar with no head (heh heh), we recommend you check out the following 5 best headless guitars:
1. Ibanez Q54 Quest Series
Part of the Ibanez Q Series, the Q54 is an Ibanez headless guitar offering a forward thinking design that will appeal to many types of guitarists. The Ibanez Q series is an original headless Ibanez guitar design that builds on past headless designs. The Q54 comes in two models, the Q54 Quest, and the Q54M Quest, which adds a veneer maple top.
Ibanez Q54 Quest Key Features
The Q54 has a Q58 bridge humbucker pickup and two Ibanez R1 single coil pickups. We love the simplicity of the 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone setup. The neck on the Q54 is the speedy Ibanez “Wizard C” 3-piece Roasted Maple/Bubinga neck. It measures .82-.86 inches (21-22mm). The neck is substantial enough to be comfortable for those who don’t play super slim necks. The neck is roasted Birdseye Maple that is stained to a rich brown, and outfitted with high quality Jescar EVOGold™ frets. The Q54 is available in both 6 and 7 string versions.
For colors, the Q54 is available Black Flat, Blue Chameleon Metallic Matte, and Sea Foam Green. The Q54M is available in Blue Sphere Burst Flat, with a beautiful maple top that’s nicely offset by the brushed silver hardware and stained maple neck and fretboard. One thing to note is that unlike many headless designs, the Q54 uses a traditional nut instead of a zero fret, and the Mono Tune bridge makes drop tunings a straightforward affair.
2. Ibanez Q52 Quest Standard
Like the Q54, the Ibanez Q52 Quest Standard is another model in the line of Ibanez headless guitars, offering a forward thinking design that will appeal to many types of guitarists. Ibanez represents the Q series as an original headless Ibanez guitar design that builds on, but is not beholden, to past headless designs.
Ibanez Q52 Key Features
The Ibanez Q52 Quest Standard has a Nyatoh wood body. Instead of the Hum-Sing-Sing combination found on the Q54, the Q52 features two Q58 humbuckers. These feature the Dyna-MIX10 switching system for ultimate versatility. The neck on the Q52 is the same Ibanez Wizard C Roasted Maple/Bubinga neck found on the Q54. It measures .82-.86 inches (21-22mm), which is both slim and speedy in a Ibanez type of way. The neck is roasted Birdseye Maple, stained to a rich brown. Frets are made by Jescar.
For colors, the Q52 is available in Ibanez’s Laser Blue Matte, Black Flat, and a beautiful Antique Brown Stained. The Antique Brown top looks like a combination of Birdseye and Burl figure, and is stained a rich brown. It’s a coffee-table vibe that looks amazing with the Q52’s roasted maple neck. The Laser Blue Matte is a vibrant blue color that’s nicely offset by the brushed silver hardware and stained maple neck and fretboard. The Q52 also uses a traditional nut instead of a zero fret, and the Mono-tune bridge makes drop tunings a straightforward affair.
3. Strandberg Boden Classic NX 6
When people think headless, a Strandberg guitar jumps to mind. And it makes sense because Strandberg only does headless. Strandberg’s Boden Classic NX 6 is the high end member of this group, and the NX 6 is influenced by a classic design while being thoroughly modern. If you love the idea of a headless Strat, the Boden Classic should be on your list.
Strandberg NX 6 Overview and Key Features
Strandberg makes various models suited towards different musical genres, and the NX 6 is targeted towards more classic tones. While many Strandberg models are made of chambered Basswood, the NX 6’s solid Alder body provides a punchier tone with greater midrange focus, i.e., more of a “classic” sound. The NX 6 comes with Suhr™ Thornbucker Plus humbucker and two V60LP single-coils which are aimed at vintage-voiced sounds. All Strandbergs come with their best known feature, the EndurNeck, which is a patented design that utilizes flat surfaces to maximize ergonomic comfort. The NX 6 features Strandberg’s tremolo bridge for maximum versatility.
NX 6 is the guitar for those who are into the Strandberg thing but still want to keep one foot planted on the vintage side of the fence. You get a headless Stratocaster look, along with space-age materials and a patented neck shape. The price is steep to consider it a Strandberg travel guitar, but there’s no reason you can’t use it for traveling.
4. Latitude Cardinal Headless
The Latitude Cardinal guitar offers a host of traditional features at a great price. In fact, I’m not entirely sure how they do it, but we’re glad they’ve figured out a way to deliver all of it in a very portable package.
Latitude Cardinal Features
The Latitude headless guitar is perfect for those of us who know and trust tradition. The body is made of Ash wood. The natural finish really shows off the wood grain. The neck is—get this—made of 5 pieces of Padauk and Maple. Cardinal describes it as a “C+U” neck profile. The fretboard is genuine Rosewood. Oh, and did we mention that the neck is roasted? Again, I’m not sure how Latitude Guitars packs this feature set into a budget guitar. The bridge is a hardtail, and the nut is made of bone. And if that weren’t enough, the Cardinal also comes with stainless steel frets! It’s clear that Latitude wants the Cardinal to be known as more than a cheap headless guitar.
The Cardinal is equipped with two humbucking pickups. We love the simplicity of the Volume/Tone (Push-Pull)/3-Way Switch. With the Cardinal’s high end features, you’d be wise to consider if for more than just a travel guitar.
5. Eart GW2-Pro Headless Electric Guitar
Eart is a relative newcomer to the guitar scene, and like Harley Benton they have an assortment of models that are based on existing designs. The distinctive looking GW 2 is not one of those, offering a unique body shape and look.
Eart GW-2 Overview and Key Features
The first things you’ll notice about the GW-2 are the unique body design and the burled Poplar veneered top. Burled tops aren’t that common, and done well they really stand out; the blue color looks particularly cool. The GW-2 features a roasted Padauk body, which is an unusual choice considering its modest price. Padauk is known for its Rosewood-like tone and attractive reddish color. The neck on the GW-2 is a five piece construction of Maple and Padauk, and features a proprietary U to C compound neck profile, as well as a 9.5” to 14” compound radius.
The GW-2 has two Korean made Classic 57 Alnico V pickups, and based on the name I think we know the sound they are going for. The bridge on the GW-2 is a licensed fixed design, and makes string changes quick and easy. Changing strings consists of inserting the ball end into the headstock end of the guitar, then threading the other end of the string into a hole in the bridge saddle, which is shaped like a wheel. Eart includes a small tool which is used to crank the saddle wheel to bring the string up to tension.
Though Eart is a relatively unproven guitar company—and perhaps because of it— they are coming on strong with high value with the GW-2. Padouk is considered an exotic wood, and it’s unusual to have this option at this price bracket. For those who prefer a tremolo, the GW-1 is similarly spec’d with a tremolo bridge. This Eart headless guitar could be your low risk introduction to both headless guitars and Eart as a company.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking at a headless travel guitar, or a headless guitar for home use, It’s clear that headless guitars are enjoying renewed popularity. If you are seeking the most ergonomic electric guitar, headless should be your first stop.
The Strandberg Boden NX 6 is at the head of the class, and it’s also the most expensive. We’re particularly impressed that the Latitude Cardinal Headless is able to offer classic, high-end features at such a reasonable price. The Q54 from Ibanez shows real forward thinking, and it’s from a company with a track record of great playing and great value guitars. Happy (headless) Playing!