Why did pointy headstock guitars fall out of fashion?

[scm]

I have always loved pointy headstock guitars but see few people playing them anymore. I understand how guitar styles changed with grunge back in the day, but even with lots of “legacy acts” (80s bands) still around today, I see few people using them. Most opt for the ubiquitous Les Paul or Strat styles (with rounded headstocks). Even Phil Collen’s signature Jackson has a rounded headstock, though he was using a pointy Jackson at times during some of the Vegas shows in recent years.

Are the pointy guitars more popular in Europe, Japan, etc? Here in the USA they seem to have largely fallen out of fashion and stayed there. (I have known some players personally that even laugh at them.)

But there are always plenty on the wall at GC, so maybe I’m mistaken?

I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts on the matter. And forgive me if this has been discussed before, as I’m new here.

[Razor]

I'm a fan of strat heads and pointy headstocks. Years ago in 2005 at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach I had the pleasure of drinking a beer and talking to Jeff LaBar of Cinderalla after their show. He was very cool, and down to earth. I asked him if he still had his old Kramer guitars, and why didn't he play them live? His answer was simple and to the point. For live tone and sound he said there just wasn't much that would beat a good Les Paul. He said he still played them from time to time, but for live a Les Paul was his go to guitar.

I think Charvel went away from the pointy as Jackson always was and had been the pointy guitar. Sure Charvel used them from time to time, but they used a lot of shapes early in the day with IMHO the strat head being the most distinct. Instead of muddying the waters it's my belief that FMIC has made Jackson the pointy, and Charvel the strat head which is what a lot of us on the forum begged for for a real long time. Me personally, I love them both...

[metalhobo]

If somebody is able to say definitively why a certain thing goes in and out of fashion, that person could be a very rich man. "fashion" and trends are as enigmatic as... an enigma.


that said, you're right if you're only looking at guitardom as a whole. in the '80s it was not out of place for a musicians in a rock, jazz, or even pop groups to sport a pointy headstock shredder. but I would call this an anomaly; the pointy headstock guitars were always designed and marketed to those who wanted extremeness and radicalness; heavy metal dudes, shredders, and the like. and those people to this day still pick pointy headstocks. I mean, the quintessential pointy headstock was designed for randy rhoads. so I think the more interesting question is: why were pointy guitars in fashion in the '80s, rather than why they fell out of fashion afterwards. because to me it's obvious why they wouldn't normally be in fashion: they're too aggressive looking for the mainstream.

so to examine the question about why a pointy guitar would be in fashion in the '80s, I guess you'd have to look at the zeitgeist of the '80s. it was generally a forward-looking time period in the world of guitar-driven music, and people were constantly looking for new ways to stand out both visually and sonically.

maybe another comment: for lots of the "legacy 1980s" players, THEIR guitar heroes probably were from the '70s and before and mostly played fenders and gibsons. so it would make sense that THEY would have deep-seated affinity for those guitars. much the same as if for somebody whose guitar heroes came from the 1980s would have an affinity for pointy jacksons, charvels, bc richs, etc.

[scm]

I'm a fan of strat heads and pointy headstocks. Years ago in 2005 at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach I had the pleasure of drinking a beer and talking to Jeff LaBar of Cinderalla after their show. He was very cool, and down to earth. I asked him if he still had his old Kramer guitars, and why didn't he play them live? His answer was simple and to the point. For live tone and sound he said there just wasn't much that would beat a good Les Paul. He said he still played them from time to time, but for live a Les Paul was his go to guitar.

I think Charvel went away from the pointy as Jackson always was and had been the pointy guitar. Sure Charvel used them from time to time, but they used a lot of shapes early in the day with IMHO the strat head being the most distinct. Instead of muddying the waters it's my belief that FMIC has made Jackson the pointy, and Charvel the strat head which is what a lot of us on the forum begged for for a real long time. Me personally, I love them both...

Wow, what a nice collection!

[scm]

If somebody is able to say definitively why a certain thing goes in and out of fashion, that person could be a very rich man. "fashion" and trends are as enigmatic as... an enigma.


that said, you're right if you're only looking at guitardom as a whole. in the '80s it was not out of place for a musicians in a rock, jazz, or even pop groups to sport a pointy headstock shredder. but I would call this an anomaly; the pointy headstock guitars were always designed and marketed to those who wanted extremeness and radicalness; heavy metal dudes, shredders, and the like. and those people to this day still pick pointy headstocks. I mean, the quintessential pointy headstock was designed for randy rhoads. so I think the more interesting question is: why were pointy guitars in fashion in the '80s, rather than why they fell out of fashion afterwards. because to me it's obvious why they wouldn't normally be in fashion: they're too aggressive looking for the mainstream.

so to examine the question about why a pointy guitar would be in fashion in the '80s, I guess you'd have to look at the zeitgeist of the '80s. it was generally a forward-looking time period in the world of guitar-driven music, and people were constantly looking for new ways to stand out both visually and sonically.

maybe another comment: for lots of the "legacy 1980s" players, THEIR guitar heroes probably were from the '70s and before and mostly played fenders and gibsons. so it would make sense that THEY would have deep-seated affinity for those guitars. much the same as if for somebody whose guitar heroes came from the 1980s would have an affinity for pointy jacksons, charvels, bc richs, etc.

This is an excellent post with much food for thought. It made me remember seeing pretty much every kind of musician in the 80s playing pointy guitars, and often times in bright colors. And you are absolutely correct: a better question would be: Why did they ever become popular? It was all part of the overall aesthetic excess of the 80s (which, it being my growing up years, I loved).

You’re also correct about the players then wanting to play what their own heroes played. A favorite player of mine is Erik Turner of Warrant. He played the pointy guitars back in the day, but I believe he also collects 70s Les Pauls — which makes sense, him being a 70s kid raised on Led Zep et al.

It still makes me wonder why many of the 80s players who are still around today don’t play their Kramers, Jacksons, et al. It makes me wonder if they ever really liked their 80s instruments, or did they mainly play them because it was the fashion of the day?

I only have one electric guitar and it’s a pointy one (Jackson). I ended up gravitating toward it no doubt because of my youth. But I have to admit, if it wasn’t the most comfortable electric guitar I’ve ever owned, I’d not keep it. I can only play something I enjoy playing.

[Razor]

This is an excellent post with much food for thought. It made me remember seeing pretty much every kind of musician in the 80s playing pointy guitars, and often times in bright colors. And you are absolutely correct: a better question would be: Why did they ever become popular? It was all part of the overall aesthetic excess of the 80s (which, it being my growing up years, I loved).

You’re also correct about the players then wanting to play what their own heroes played. A favorite player of mine is Erik Turner of Warrant. He played the pointy guitars back in the day, but I believe he also collects 70s Les Pauls — which makes sense, him being a 70s kid raised on Led Zep et al.

It still makes me wonder why many of the 80s players who are still around today don’t play their Kramers, Jacksons, et al. It makes me wonder if they ever really liked their 80s instruments, or did they mainly play them because it was the fashion of the day?

I only have one electric guitar and it’s a pointy one (Jackson). I ended up gravitating toward it no doubt because of my youth. But I have to admit, if it wasn’t the most comfortable electric guitar I’ve ever owned, I’d not keep it. I can only play something I enjoy playing.

Thanks! 80's players definitely inspired my musical tastes, and guitar selection. I'm a huge Warren DeMartini, Randy Rhoads, and George Lynch fan. Add to that Savatage playing reverse pointy guitars, and you can see where my inspiration came from. I've been through quite a few guitars over the years, and even sold down the herd to two guitars up until a couple of years ago when I got back into playing. I kept the Jolly Roger, and the blue Model 2. One pointy and one strat head. Once I got back into playing and collecting I focused on the ones I really wanted to add. Luckily they all play and feel great and have been keepers. The black Predator, and the black 275 Deluxe do tend to get the majority of the playing time especially here lately. They both just sound great, and are just damn good players. That Predator has an old Dimarizio Super Distortion in it, and the 275 is stock.

[catzodellamarina]

My first guitar heroes in the 70's were Page and Frampton. You would think I would be a LP guy. Nope. My first guitar I owned was an inexpensive Squier. So I got comfortable with holding a Strat style body. Later, I discovered I liked the performance of locking trems and humbuckers. It just so happens that those features were found on a Strat body guitars with pointy or hockey stick headstocks. So that is how I became a pointy guy.

A couple years ago, I bought a brand new PRS Tremonti from GC. My plan was to retire my Charvels from live use and the PRS would be my 50-year old guy hard rock guitar. The Tremonti LP style body and bridge location just felt uncomfortable. I returned it for full refund. It was so nice, I wish I could have loved it, but it was not to be.

[Dak]

Nirvana and Grunge. I remember th'90s everybody was playing Strats and Les Pauls except those metal bands that survived the purge of sorts (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, etc.) still played pointy guitars. Also Jags and Jazzmasters gained some popularity as well.

It may not be completely related but even during the pointy guitar era when a band had two guitarist many times the rhythm guy played a Les Paul. Def Leppard and L.A Guns come to mind. Though it seems Tracii Guns started transitioning away from pointy guitars in the later videos of the Cocked and Loaded album which came out in '89. Seems he cut his hair and started using a Fender Strat( though live it looks like it had a floyd and a locknut ala the Malaria video). Maybe he was ahead of the curve.

[pianoguyy]

First of all, I don't accept the premise of the question.
Pointies are still very much in use today. They may even still be the dominant rock headstock.... assuming you consider the Ibanez pointy. I consider it pointy. Just not as angled as Jackson.
Ibanez and Esp. They are using pointy headstocks.
But they are using more of the 'Fender method', where there is a straight string pull from nut to tuning post.

[ed]

if jackson didnt own the rights to the jackson headstock shape everyone would be using it IMO.

[Dak]

if jackson didnt own the rights to the jackson headstock shape everyone would be using it IMO.

Didn't ESP originally use it but Jackson filed a lawsuit and they had to stop. I read something like that but never heard the full story. Anyway there are some ESP's from the '80s with Jackson shaped headstocks. The guitar Izzy is playing in the Sweet Child 'O Mine video is an example. I didn't realize it was an ESP for years until I paused it on Youtube and caught ESP on the headstock.

[scm]

Great responses. I thought it was a valid question because of the ubiquitous nature of Strats and LPs, but I am in the US and there are probably a lot more pointy guitars being played abroad than I realize.

I saw John Mayor using some type of pointy guitar in one of his YouTube lessons. He seemed to like that style of guitar a lot but never uses them on stage.

I also didn’t realize that Jackson had some kind of patent on the headstock shape, but that makes sense.

[pianoguyy]

I saw John Mayor using some type of pointy guitar in one of his YouTube lessons. He seemed to like that style of guitar a lot but never uses them on stage.

Yeah, he has a pink Jackson Soloist. (30th Anniversary Shannon ??)
But, you know, it would be odd if someone had their own signature model but then played something different. Not to mention a contract violation.

I also didn’t realize that Jackson had some kind of patent on the headstock shape, but that makes sense.

American law is very odd (Congress is bought and paid for by businesses). Apple sued Samsung because... rectangle. And then sued again because the corners were rounded.
But it isn't just Jackson. Fender. Gibson. Ibanez. They all own their designs.

And the reason I specify "American Law" is because...
As example, Gibson sued Esp over their Eclipse, being too close the Les Paul.
So, in America, Esp sells a different Eclipse than they sell in Japan.
They are allowed to sell it in Japan, but not the US.

[scm]

Yeah, he has a pink Jackson Soloist. (30th Anniversary Shannon ??)
But, you know, it would be odd if someone had their own signature model but then played something different. Not to mention a contract violation.

Yes, that's the one I saw him playing. It seemed like he spent some time talking about how he likes those kinds of guitars, but I didn't spend much time on the video.

[pianoguyy]

Didn't ESP originally use it but Jackson filed a lawsuit and they had to stop. I read something like that but never heard the full story. Anyway there are some ESP's from the '80s with Jackson shaped headstocks. The guitar Izzy is playing in the Sweet Child 'O Mine video is an example. I didn't realize it was an ESP for years until I paused it on Youtube and caught ESP on the headstock.

For some reason I thought he had a Charvel, but you can clearly see the logo thanks to 2022 HD pause and zoom technology that we didn't have back then.


Funny thing, I almost traded for one of these ESP Tele shapes until I realized it was a re-issue by LTD. I was very disappointed.