Breaking the Mold: A Guide to Headless Guitars

Hello! I’m Kaoru, a composer.

Today, I’d like to talk about “headless guitars.”
As the name suggests, a headless guitar is one without the “head.” In the world of string instruments, it’s usually taken for granted that there’s a head—whether it’s a mandolin, ukulele, or violin, they all have heads, right? The head plays a crucial role in tuning the instrument, after all!

However, headless guitars have recently been drawing attention as various manufacturers have started releasing new models.

So, I’d like to walk you through the history, advantages, and disadvantages of headless guitars. Hopefully, this can help you when choosing your next guitar!

■ The History of Headless Guitars

The first company to break convention by manufacturing a headless guitar was Steinberger. (And no, it’s not related to Steinberg, the company known for DTM software!)

Developed and released in 1980, this revolutionary design made waves in the music scene.

Although its popularity started to decline around 1990, it continued to maintain a loyal fan base.

Recently, headless guitars have been gaining renewed attention, especially with Ibanez offering affordable models.

■ Advantages of Headless Guitars

○ Compact Design

Despite having a standard scale length that feels familiar to play, the absence of a head makes the guitar more compact. This also reduces the instrument’s weight, making it very portable and easier on the body during performances!

○ Unique Headless Feel

In headless guitars, the strings are anchored at the end where the head would typically be. With all the string angles aligned near the nut, the string tension feels uniform across the guitar, creating a distinct feel unique to headless models.

○ Unique Acoustic Properties

Without the head’s resonance, headless guitars produce a cleaner, more focused sound. This clarity is a unique characteristic that only headless guitars can provide!

■ Disadvantages of Headless Guitars

○ Different Feel for Certain Techniques

Without the weight of a head, certain techniques like bending and vibrato can feel different. While this adjustment may initially stand out, most players find they get used to it over time, so it’s usually not a major issue.

○ Incompatible with Clip-On Tuners

Clip-on tuners are typically designed to attach to the guitar’s head, so they can’t be used with a headless guitar. Although some models may allow for alternative placements, it’s generally better to plan on using a pedal or card-style tuner.

Now, let’s take a look at some recommended headless guitars available at Sound!

Ibanez / Q52-LBM

The Ibanez Q Series Headless Guitar is a model born from studying various playing styles and meticulously refining every detail, from individual components to body design, to achieve a high level of originality and uniqueness. This series is crafted for guitarists across diverse genres.

The neck features roasted birdseye maple for the fretboard, a heat-treated version of birdseye maple. The heat treatment removes excess moisture and oils from the wood, enhancing its durability and stability.

For frets, the Q Series uses Jescar EVO Gold frets, an alloy made of copper, tin, iron, and titanium. This material not only provides a bright tonal quality but also offers excellent durability, ensuring the frets can withstand extensive play.

The body of the Ibanez Q Series Headless Guitar is designed with smooth contours that fit comfortably against the body, ensuring both comfort and aesthetics. For the wood, Ibanez has chosen nyatoh, known for its rich mid and low frequencies, providing a warm tonal foundation.

The Custom String Lock—newly developed by Ibanez—secures the strings with high durability and makes string changes easy. Additionally, it works with standard strings from various brands, so no special strings are required.

The bridge, which also handles tuning, allows for quick adjustments, including down-tuning options like a full step down or more. String height adjustment is also simplified, enabling players to customize their setup with ease.

The control panel on the Ibanez Q Series Headless Guitar features tone and volume knobs, an alter switch, and a pickup selector. One of the standout features is the 5-way pickup selector, which allows players to switch between a wide range of sound profiles instantly, right from their fingertips.

Additionally, a mini-switch enables seamless toggling between humbucker and single-coil sounds, providing up to 10 sound variations in total. This versatility makes the Q Series perfect for players who want a range of tones with minimal gear.

The Q Series is also available in black:

Ibanez / QX52-BKF

Both models feature a simple, streamlined design that makes them accessible and appealing for players of all ages and skill levels!

RITTER / RGS7-HE MGB

Since headless guitars are so compact, storing them in a regular guitar case can allow them to move around, which reduces protection against impact. That’s why we recommend using a gig bag specifically designed for headless guitars!

These bags come with 20mm high-density padding and an additional 5mm layer of soft foam padding, totaling 28mm for excellent shock absorption. Made from water-repellent polyester, they also protect your guitar in unexpected rain.

Besides the main compartment, the gig bag includes extra pockets for storing small accessories!

And that wraps up our overview of headless guitars! They’re truly packed with appealing features. With more affordable models available now than ever before, I’m even considering getting one myself. Be sure to check them out!

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