Gibson certified vintage - I was right all along!!

WezV

I've been saying on forums for the last 20 years that I believed the corvus/futura shape was supposed to be a headless guitar. 

They have just put the futura prototype up for sale, and it's headless!

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/page/GCVP0013-1981-Futura-Prototype

rhinofeet

That looks more like half a head than headless. The design does make more sense than the final version though 

andrewaward

Sold 

WezV

rhinofeet said:

That looks more like half a head than headless. The design does make more sense than the final version though 

Yeah, I guess they hadn't got as far as rethinking. truss rod access

WezV

andrewaward said:

Sold 

They only posted it on Instagram 2 hours ago

andrewaward

Can you remember how much it was?

WezV

A production futura (corvus has a bolt on neck and no contours)



Vs the prototype




I know people hate the flying can opener, but it's clear from this prototype they were well ahead of their time in terms of ergonomic guitar design. 

WezV

andrewaward said:

Can you remember how much it was?

No, I missed that bit

rlw

Not only is it headless, its also fucking horrible.

WezV

rlw said:

Not only is it headless, its also fucking horrible.

It is, and the production version is even worse because it makes no sense.  



But even so, I did make this template a few weeks ago

WezV

Also, I find it interesting from a Gibson History point of view.

Steinberger started in 1979.  Gibson purchased them in 1987.  Clearly they were paying attention to Ned from the start.

Bennyboy-UK

They did the machine heads and body cut out like on a BC Rich Bich 10 string!

WezV

Bennyboy-UK said:

They did the machine heads and body cut out like on a BC Rich Bich 10 string!

Yeah, with just 4 tuners on the body.  Released in 1979

Kittyfrisk

WezV said:

rlw said:

Not only is it headless, its also fucking horrible.

It is, and the production version is even worse because it makes no sense.  



But even so, I did make this template a few weeks ago

You are clearly a Witch. Or possibly a Warlock... Either way, Burn Him!!!

mooncat

WezV said:

Bennyboy-UK said:

They did the machine heads and body cut out like on a BC Rich Bich 10 string!

Yeah, with just 4 tuners on the body.  Released in 1979

Rodger Giffin made a similar headless guitar with the machine heads on the body in 1976.

It can be seen on his website in the vintage gallery section

Philly_Q

Trogly's spoken about this in a few videos, that the "can opener" bit was originally intended as the home for the tuners.  I don't know why they abandoned the idea - cost probably, but maybe assumptions about the conservatism of their customers.

I've never seen the prototype before, though.  That little vestigial headstock looks revolting.

ICBM

I think it, and particularly the headstock, looks fantastic - from the back. It really does look like a bird in flight - I always thought that was where the ‘Corvus’ name came from - but actually more like a black swan than a crow, with the long thin neck. The head shape is perfect in that context.

The effect is somewhat ruined from the front by the pickguard though, and especially the clumsy way it goes under the top strings, as well as being far too large for just two knobs.

WezV

Honestly, I thought it was an internet myth I had a hand in starting over on the project forum guitar years ago.  

I've never seen another source that Gibson actually did it which didn't link back to that.   

The forum did a corvus build off in 2009, and a few headless versions were made.   The challenge was to take the worst Gibson design and make something good with it. I didn't actually build one... but i designed an updated guitar and bass version.

WezV

ICBM said:

I think it, and particularly the headstock, looks fantastic - from the back. It really does look like a bird in flight - I always thought that was where the ‘Corvus’ name came from - but actually more like a black swan than a crow, with the long thin neck. The head shape is perfect in that context.

The bird in flight is with its beak pointing down forming the treble side horn, ,more like a hawk than a crow.

ICBM

WezV said:

The bird in flight is with its beak pointing down forming the treble side horn, ,more like a hawk than a crow.

Interesting how we see it differently, but both like birds... I get something like this:



In that context the mini-head shape is perfect. The production version headstock is much more crow-like.

p90fool

rhinofeet said:

That looks more like half a head than headless. 

True, but due to customer demand they had to leave a bit you could snap off.