Nodding head

The condition where a scarf joint at the headstock has begun to open, letting the head tilt forward under string tension.

A scarf joint is a glued diagonal joint that makes the headstock angle without cutting it from a short-grained blank, and it is strong when healthy, but impact or a poor glue line can start it separating. The symptom is a headstock that has visibly tilted, often with finish cracks along the joint, and string tension keeps pulling it apart rather than closing it. Repair means clamping and regluing the joint, and occasionally adding reinforcement.

Example: a guitar that was knocked over on its headstock may play fine but show a slight tilt and a line of cracked finish along the joint.

Nodding head

See also