Headway: The Dawn of a New Chapter

Founded in 1977, Headway, which has been in business for over 45 years, has released a “completely new Headway” in 2023 with the intention of moving into a new era. While retaining the style of Headway’s flagship HD-115 model, the specs and design were completely revised, and the craftsmen of the Aska Team Build team collaborated with Yasuo Momose, founder of Headway, to develop this model from scratch. It is called “The Eagle”. The concept of “The Eagle”, which has been a symbol of previous Headway models, was used to brush up the design. Inspired by the eagle, the king of the skies, the Headway logo on the headstock has been redesigned to resemble a crown. Momose himself has special feelings for “The Eagle”, which was reconstructed by his apprentices, whom he has nurtured over the course of his craftsmanship career.

Headway: The Dawn of a New Chapter

-The Eagle’25-
Sakura Guitar 10th anniversary specs

~ The Eagle’25は桜ギター10周年記念仕様 ~

To commemorate the 10th anniversary of Sakura Guitar in 2024, we have selected select Sakura (Japanese cherry) wood from our premium Sakura wood stock. This will be the first time that The Eagle model will be produced using Sakura wood.

Cherry blossoms, the theme of this year’s collection, are subtly sprinkled throughout the model, creating a unique look that combines the heroic appearance of the Eagle, the king of the sky, with the dignified image of cherry blossoms.

New bracing evolving from Headway’s past

Based on the standard bracing that Momose has used since the inception of Headway, custom builders Yasui and Furihata have taken on the challenge of redesigning the Mid Point Shifted X Bracing for The Eagle, incorporating modern adjustments.
The “Shallow Scalloped” specification, in which the bracing support frame wood is shaved shallower than usual, was previously used only on Momose’s CustomShop models, but has now been adopted as a standard specification for The Eagle model.
The tone has a good articulation that allows you to cleanly separate each note and a strong, bassy sound. The well-balanced sound profile that seems to surround all of these notes with overtones maintains the sound quality Headways has always been known for, but also shows new possibilities for the Headway of the future.

Carefully-selected High-quality Wood

Our custom builders carefully selected the wood for the 15 units that were be produced in this limited edition. The custom builders selected flamed Sakura wood that would also have the perfect tonal balance and resonance.
Adirondack spruce, a high-grade wood characterized, is used for the top of the body to achieve a supreme sound-making effect.

Our Latest Neck Grip – ESV-CUSTOM

The “ESV-Custom” neck shape is a reshaped version of the “ESV” used on previous ATB models, designed for a more comfortable grip. The thickness at the 12th fret is 0.5mm thinner than the “ESV” as it tapers to the high position, making it less difficult to grip even at the high frets and thus enhancing playability.
However, based on Headway’s belief that “we want the user who picks up a Headway to love it for a long time”, two carbon support bars have been incorporated into the neck. This maintains the neck’s solidity and also leads to a quick response that transmits vibrations at the moment of playing.

クラウンロゴ

ブランドロゴは空の王者であるEagleから着想を受け、王冠を意味する『Headwayクラウンロゴ』が燦然と輝きます。

ヘッドインレイ

Headwayが創業当初よりシンボルモチーフとして使用してきた「Eagle（ワシ）」のモチーフをブラッシュアップ。羽を大きく広げ大空を羽ばたくワンシーンを切り取り、新時代への飛翔をイメージしています。
本モデルでは、ヘッドトップにもマダガスカルローズウッド材を使用しており、弾き手としてギャラリーの前に出る時も特別感を演出します。

Limitedプレート

真鍮の削り出しプレートに「The Eagle」の文字と、30本限定の通しLimitedナンバーを刻印。手にした際の満足感がより高く、高級感あふれる仕様になりました。

指板インレイ

指板にはEagleの羽根（イーグルフェザー）が桜と共に舞い散る様子を描きました。イーグルフェザーにはこれから進むべき道を示し、未来を飛躍させる役割を持つと言われており、Headwayの、そして本機を手にする皆さんの新しいスタートを願ったデザインとなっています。
桜の花びらには、桜材を使用しシックなまとまりを崩すことなくワンポイントにデザインしています。

3ピースバック

カスタムビルダーの降幡は3ピースバックについてこう語ります「桜材の特徴ともいえる芯のある甘い音色を、硬質な木材で音色を引き締め、新たな個性を持たせたい」。山桜のサイド＆バックに、ボディバックセンターピースには、厳選マダガスカルローズウッドを使用。
マダガスカルローズウッドをセンターピースに使用することで得られるリッチなサウンドは弾き手の感性をより刺激します。