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Has anyone successfully converted a standard Strat/Tele bolt-on neck, or one of the neck-thru necks, to a headless neck? I would want to use the Steinberger type of hardware at the end of the neck. I've seen a lot of interesting takes on headless guitars but I would like to stick to the Klein ergonomic type of hardware.

I searched this forum but haven't found anything specific to my question.

Thank you,

Ed

I think you would need a to make new neck for that. The way strat necks thin out at the head stock wouldn't leave enough wood up there if you just cut the head off. Never really tried though so who knows

Thanks. I didn't think it was possible, but worth asking here.

Ed

i'd be much more worried about the body, and the complicated task of accommodating tuners on that end. terminating strings at the nut of a chopped neck should be no problem...
but: why?

I was thinking about building a Klein ergonomic guitar from plans. At this time that project is stalled. It would cost a lot less If I would just have one made for me.

Thanks,

Ed

The best way forward would be to get a neck from Moses Graphite or find a maple neck, rosewood fingerboard made for headless instruments. That part is on hold until I actually make or have the body made.

Ed

Ya, sure is possible, just get me a new hacking saw blade, some bondo and, a spray bomb and me show you how
its gone.

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A quick update on the choice of headless hardware. I found the Hipshot headless guitar hardware and it looks to be much more user friendly. First off, the bridge is a surface mount, so no routing that double depth bridge route for Steinberger and JCustom bridges. Second, the Hipshot string head piece for the end of neck is only a 1/2" deep and might even fit on a Strat neck. I got an unfinished Strat neck on EBay for cheap so a prototype is in the near future. Check out the PDF files attached.

http://store.hipshotproducts.com/cart.p ... _list&c=53

Ed

Wow Ed! those suckers are expensive!
Pretty cool stuff. I look forward to seeing what you do.
Dan

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For what it's worth, I have seen hardware kits on eBay to convert a trad guitar over to headless. No idea on the costs, or quality.

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They are expensive but the string head piece allows the use of almost any neck. And the bridge doesn't require any routing like those needed for Steinberger bridges. I won't start this until June. I have to do a lot of studying for unrelated certification the next 6 months, so my time is allocated without wiggle room. I want to see if one of the available neck-thru necks will allow me to use the Hipshot head piece, and I need to see if I can find another set of plans with more data.

Here are videos of a headless guitar made by Hufschmidt using the Hipshot headless system. The body is not an ergonomic body.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG1mZP5b-C4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtKJc9zq-GQ