Tenri Instruments Kashihara Main Store Store Manager: Atsushi Shiroguchi

Personally, I actually prefer a somewhat thicker neck shape, but this one feels so natural in my hands that I don’t notice any difference in preference at all. Even with chord voicings requiring stretches, I can fret notes effortlessly. It’s comfortable to play for long periods without fatigue, and the playing feel is nothing short of impressive! It responds to picking with a sense of speed, delivering a highly expressive guitar that makes the sound leap out precisely when you want it to, from strong tones to gentle ones. That said, it doesn’t have an overly loud attack sound either; the way the attack seamlessly transitions into rich sustain creates an incredibly satisfying playing experience. Whether soloing or strumming chords, this is a versatile guitar that adapts to any playing style and any performance situation!

Ikebe Music Acoustic Station Ribore Akihabara Haruomi Yasuhiro

Whether using a shakehand grip or classical grip, this neck shape offers effortless playability, making it suitable for players of any style. Designed with both playability and durability in mind, it delivers a sound with solid core resonance, free from any sense of thinness or hollowness. The weight balance feels perfectly natural. Truly a stress-free neck.

Ikebe Music Store Hartmann Guitars Kohei Akita (left) & Taiyo Ishikawa (right)

Ishikawa: The Headway Extra Slim Neck was a detail I’d personally been keeping an eye on! My first impression after playing it was that it felt like a neck that fits comfortably in your hand without any awkwardness—no sense of it being too thin and tiring to play. Then, when I compared it to the previous model… I could really feel the superiority of this neck! ! While the design difference in the low positions is only 1mm, this makes a significant difference in feel when moving up to the higher positions! When playing with a thumb-along-the-back-of-the-neck style, or using stretches that require precise fingering, the previous model felt a bit thicker, demanding more effort for accurate fretting. With this new neck, I could move my fingers effortlessly and stress-free! Tonally, there is absolutely no negative impact from making the neck thinner!! The high-strength neck delivers a solid, rigid feel, and its stable, characteristic Headway resonance is truly compelling within this price range!! Akita: When I first grabbed the 【Extra Slim Neck】, honestly, my initial thought was, “Hmm, doesn’t feel much different from the traditional grip…” But once I actually played it, its playability was immediately obvious (or should I say, immediately playable?!) The key point is that the difference from the conventional neck is just 1mm, it’s not drastically thinner. So at first glance, you might not feel a big difference… but when you actually play it, it’s incredibly easy to play!! I feel even long-time Headway fans will find it comfortable to play without any discomfort!! Having more neck shape options is a huge advantage for players. I hope this will be an opportunity for many more people to experience the appeal of Headway guitars! ! That’s all from Hartmann Guitars’ Extra Slim Twins!!

Music Land KEY Shinsaibashi Store Manager: Tomoya Fujita

The moment you play it, the sound is completely different from previous ATB500 series models. While the 501 model with Advanced Radius Shift Bracing has a robust sound image with a solid punch in the low end, this 531 model featuring the new 34 Bracing offers a softer feel in the mid-low range yet delivers a quick attack. It’s incredibly easy to convey picking nuances, and while I think it’s versatile enough for any genre, I’d personally recommend it more for fingerstyle players. The “Extra Slim Neck,” which I experienced for the first time on this model, is also a huge personal favorite. It feels closer to an electric guitar neck, and the position of your thumb when gripping it is just so comfortable. You’ll likely find it easier to play technical phrases without feeling stressed. Another welcome feature is the low string height adjustment right out of the box. Previously, Headway guitars tended to have slightly higher string heights, which led to many customer inquiries about this aspect. Those holding that impression will be pleasantly surprised when they try this model. This new model truly embodies the Aska Team Build (ATB) concept: preserving traditional craftsmanship and design while incorporating new elements from the user’s perspective. “I really recommend it!!”

Sumiya Goody Main Store Guitar Specialist: Takashi Tsurui

The moment I played it, I thought, “Wow! This is so easy to play!” It felt like my brain commands were transmitted directly to my fingers, making them move on their own! Honestly, I thought it might be thinner, but it’s the ultimate neck—neither too thick nor too thin, just perfect. While individual preferences vary, I believe this neck fully unleashes the player’s potential. What impressed me even more was how effortlessly playable it is at every fret position.

Music Plant Tsukuba Store Store Manager：Ishii Satoshi

I had always believed that the firm, thick neck grip characteristic of the STD and ATB models was one factor contributing to the HEADWAY sound. To be honest, this feature was also something I found difficult to recommend to some customers. In recent years, however, we’ve seen many requests for thinner necks, not just from beginners but also intermediate and advanced players. The growing popularity of playing styles like solo guitar is likely a factor. One advantage of a physical store is that you can actually feel the neck grip and confirm if it suits your playing style. Regarding sound, my biggest personal concern—that the characteristic rich, resonant sound of HEADWAY guitars with plain strings would be lost—was unfounded. My hands-on impression of the HF-501 A and S-ESU/ATB models was that they felt tighter compared to other HF types, with very musical attack when fingerpicking. The increased variety of neck grips allows us to introduce more customers to domestically produced HEADWAY guitars.

Music Miura Representative： Kenichi Miura

I was really looking forward to Headway’s new guitar with the updated neck grip. I was worried it might be an extremely thin-necked guitar, but when I actually held it, it felt perfectly natural! Even so, I noticed the difference immediately! The grip feel of the neck hardly changes even near the joint. Normally, you feel the tension increase as you move up the fretboard, but with this new model, I felt absolutely none of that! Even in the high positions, the tension isn’t tight! And best of all, when you put on a capo, you can play with almost the same tension feel as without a capo! I thought this was amazing. Even with a 3.5 capo, it still sounds powerful! The playability and sound response are absolutely top-notch! We invite you to pick one up and experience this feel for yourself!

Shimamura Store Aeon Mall Hamamatsu City Noda Branch Yuki Shirai

I myself have small hands and have always been uncomfortable with thick necks. The newly introduced Extra Slim Neck is incredibly easy to grip and offers outstanding playability. It’s not just unnecessarily thin; it has just the right thickness and solid rigidity, making it a guitar I feel confident using. Even with a capo attached, it maintains a natural grip without any awkwardness, and it resonates beautifully, allowing for stress-free enjoyment! With both U Neck and V Neck options available, preferences will vary, so I highly recommend trying both to experience the difference for yourself.

Kaishindo Music MPC Instrument Center Takaoka Red Guitars Teppei Kobayashi

The feel of the grip doesn’t feel significantly different from conventional necks, but when you actually play it, it’s surprisingly easy to play, with an exquisitely set thickness. It also boasts high rigidity, delivering Headway’s signature stable resonance and ensuring durability. You can play stress-free in any position, making it a truly enjoyable instrument to play. If you’re struggling with sound or neck thickness, we highly recommend experiencing this firsthand. It’s crafted to be gear that could potentially solve your concerns.