On a headless guitar or bass you’ll see that the strings come to an end at a small headpiece, unlike on a traditional guitar where each string is wrapped around the tuning pegs on the headstock. This may make you wonder if there’s anything special about the strings on a headless instrument that keeps them in place— and the short answer to that is: No.
At least not when it comes to most modern headless guitars and basses made today. Nowadays, you can use your favorite set of strings on your headless instrument, just as you would on a regular instrument. This is because each string is held in place simply by being clamped down by screws on the headpiece.
(Source: Strandberg Guitars)
In the past, however, this was not the case. Some of the first headless guitars and basses, like the Steinberger Spirit guitar and bass models, required special double ball strings. The good news is that there are now string adapters which allow you to put regular strings, if you wanted to get one of these models today.
So now you know that switching over to a headless guitar does not mean any sacrifices in terms of which strings you can use. Not only can you use the same set of strings, but string changes will also be quicker and easier on a headless!
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3 thoughts on “What Type of Strings Can I Use on a Headless Guitar/ Bass?”
When looking for the best acoustic guitar strings, there are a few primary considerations that stand out above the rest. The own playing style, the tone you want to achieve, and ultimately, the age and condition of your instrument are all vital considerations to make before beginning to play.
I have an old Hohner B2V headless bass. I can no longer get good double ball end strings for it. Does a mechanism exist that I might be able to fasten to the top of my neck so that I could use regular bass strings on it?
Please don’t recommend any brands of double ball end strings as I have exhausted myself looking for good ones.
Hi there, you should be able to use an adapter like this one so you can switch to regular strings: https://www.headlessusa.com/string-adaptrrs (But please double check with them to make sure first!). This is a popular solution for Steinberger Spirit basses, which are also designed for double ball strings. Hope this helps!:) – Aleks