Headstocks

The headstock, also known as the peghead, is the area of a guitar neck where the instrument's tuning machines are traditionally located.

Epiphone instruments have featured a variety of headstock designs, changing over time and with different models.

## Sloped Dove Wing

When Epiphone production first moved to the Gibson factories in Kalamazoo, Michigan, many instruments were built using necks that had been manufactured in Epiphone's previous factories in New York and Philadelphia. The sloped dove wing headstock, often referred to as the "Kalamazoo" headstock, first appeared in the late 1930s on instruments made in New York. Select modern import models featured the sloped dove wing headstock beginning in the 1990s, before becoming the standard headstock for Epiphone's Gibson-inspired models in 2020.

This headstock has been produced with a brass badge logo, an inlaid logo, and a silkscreen logo. It was retained for most electric bass models after the introduction of the hourglass headstock.

1962 Riviera
## Elongated Dove Wing

A variation of the Sloped Dove Wing was used for most 12-string acoustic and electric guitars produced in Kalamazoo, and retained on modern, imported 12-string models.

1966-1968 Wilshire 12-string
## Hourglass

The hourglass headstock was a new designed created during the Kalamazoo era. Beginning in 1964, most Epiphone archtop electric and flattop acoustic guitars included some variation of the hourglass design. This design was revived for the Japanese reissues of the Casino, Sheraton, and Riviera in the mid 1970s, and has remained in use on many models since that period.

1964 Riviera1964 Sheraton1977 Sheraton prototype
## Open Book

The open book headstock is most common on Gibson-branded guitars, but has been featured on a limited number of Epiphone models since 1958. Early Epiphone Caballero examples feature the open book design, sharing parts with the Gibson LG-0. The headstock was again used for the American Series models in 1982, before becoming standard on the Epiphone Japan models of the late 1990s and Japanese-market Epiphone Elitist series in 2003. There is some variation in shape, reflecting changes to the shape used by Gibson in different eras.

Japanese-market Elitist Country Deluxe
## Clipped Dove Wing

The clipped dove wing headstock was the standard headstock for Epiphone's Gibson-inspired models between 1990 and 2019. It combines the shape of the Gibson open book design with the historic Epiphone "large" clipped dove wing, which had recently been used on the Sheraton II.

## Large Clipped Dove Wing

The large clipped dove wing first appeared in the mid-1930s, featured on the Epiphone Emperor. In the modern import era, it is most common on the Sheraton II and its successor, the Sheraton II PRO, introduced in 1986.

## Batwing

The batwing headstock was a Kalamazoo-era creation, introduced with the redesigned Crestwood Custom and Wilshire models in 1963. Unlike most Gibson and Epiphone headstocks, it features six-in-line tuning machines. The design was revived in the early 1990s for the Epiphone S- and T-series, based on the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster, and modern versions of the Wilshire inspired by the mid-1960s version.

1963-1969 Coronet1964 "Dwight" Coronet1963-1969 Crestwood Deluxe
## Narrow Open Book

Two versions of the narrow open book headstock exist; the first, featured on the Epiphone Spotlight Nouveau series, is narrower, reminiscent of some 1930s Gibson headstocks. The second was included on early Samick-made Epiphone guitars between 1986 and 1990 and the 1991 Montana Series.

1991 Montana Series J-160E
## Offset

The offset headstock has its origins in early 1930s Epiphone instruments, allegedly inspired by Epi Stathopoulos' hairstyle. In the modern era, it was reused for the Epiphone Masterbilt acoustic guitars.

## Elitist

Like other headstocks, the Elitist headstock has its roots in Epiphone history, based on a design first used in the early 1930s. It was used on most Epiphone Elitist electric guitars models intended for sale outside of Japan.

Elitist Chet Atkins Country Deluxe
## Straight

The straight headstock was used on only two Epiphone models: the Olympic and Olympic Special. There are two distinct variants, earlier examples having defined corners (and sharing a shape with the Gibson Melody Maker headstock), while later have rounded peaks.

Mid-1960s rounded version