headstock

A headstock is the upper end of a stringed instrument's neck from which the strings are wound and tuned. It is a characteristic feature of instruments such as guitars, basses, mandolins, banjos, and many others.

On most modern instruments the headstock carries the tuning machines (pegs or machine heads) and the nut. The strings run from the tuning posts, over the nut, and along the fretboard toward the neck. The headstock's angle and profile can affect string tension and neck stress.

Designs vary by instrument and manufacturer. Electric guitars often feature an angled back headstock with sealed locking tuners; many acoustics use a straight or gently curved profile; classical guitars use side-mounted friction pegs rather than sealed tuners. Materials are typically wood, with common species including maple, mahogany, and rosewood; some heads include veneers, reinforcing blocks, or locking nuts to improve tuning stability.

Engineering considerations include headstock strength, tuner alignment, string alignment, and the break angle over the nut, all of which influence tuning stability and sustain. The headstock is a common site of structural damage in accidents, such as neck fractures when a guitar is dropped or struck.