ON THE SUBJECT OF HEADLESS GUITARS, there really is no sitting on the fence — you either love ’em or hate ’em. For purists and traditionalists, these are the kind of instruments nightmares are made of, deviating far beyond what’s acceptable in ways that feel unnecessary and, in more extreme circumstances, broken or incomplete. More modern-style players, however, tend to think differently and often welcome innovation at its most radical; there’s a futuristic charm to these daring designs that’s almost indicative of our own evolution as a species.
While the roots of these guitars can be dated as far back as the 18th century, Ned Steinberger is usually credited as the pioneer behind the headless as we know it today. After designing the NS-1 bass alongside Stuart Spector, he launched his own company in 1979, specializing in headless cricket bat-shaped instruments using less common materials like graphite and carbon fiber, with tuning hardware on the tailpiece instead of above the nut like the guitars
