The Eagle’24 Type D

Introduction

Video

A new beginning for Headway

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.

The Eagle’24 is a flips a new page and incorporates koa wood throughout

The Eagle’24 is a new page in The Eagle’s history, featuring koa wood throughout its design. The attention to detail in the use of koa wood and the beautiful finish give the Eagle, the king of the sky, an air of elegance.

The design is related to the theme of this year’s exhibition, “Koa Wood”, and one point on the pickguard features a design of Elepaio, a bird native to Hawaii where koa trees grow, perched on a branch of a koa tree. Elepaio has a history of being worshipped in Hawaii as an incarnation of Lea, the goddess of canoe making, and it was considered a good tree when elepaio would come and sing after cutting down a koa tree.

Under the watchful eye of Eagle, the king of the skies, this guitar, which is the incarnation of the goddess, delivers a blissful sound to the player who holds it in his or her hand.

Playability and sound backed by technology

A new bracing for a new beginning

The “Mid Point Shifted X Bracing”, which is based on the normal bracing used by Momose at the time of Headway’s inception and redesigned by custom builders Yasui and Furihata with a modern twist, is used for the first time. The “Shallow Scalloped” design, which is a shallower scalloping than usual, was previously used only on Momose’s CustomShop models, but has now been incorporated into a -The Eagle- model for the first time. The tone of each note has very good articulation, and at the same time, it has a bass resonance and a round sound, all of which are enveloped by overtones.

Use of carefully selected top-quality lumber

The master builder personally and carefully selected the wood for the limited edition of 30 pieces to be produced this time. The woods selected by the master builder are the best in terms of looks and tonal balance.

New neck shape ESV-CUSTOM

The “ESV-Custom” neck shape, which is a reshaping of the “ESV” used on previous models, is adopted for the first time for a more comfortable grip. The thickness at the 12th fret has been redesigned to be 0.5 mm thinner than the “ESV” as it tapers to the high position, making it less difficult to grip even at high frets and enhancing playability. However, based on Headway’s belief that “we want our customers to have a long-lasting neck,” 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.

The Eagle’s iconic design

Crown logo

The brand logo is inspired by the Eagle, the king of the sky, and the “Headway Crown Logo” is fit for a king.

Eagle Inlay

The inlay is a re-building of the “Eagle” that Headway has used as a symbolic motif since the company’s founding. The image of an eagle spreading its wings and soaring through the sky is cut out to symbolize a flight into a new era.

Limited Plate

The Eagle” and the limited edition number of 30 pieces are engraved on a machined brass plate. This is a more satisfying and luxurious design.

Feather Inlay

The fingerboard depicts an eagle feather fluttering in the air. The eagle feather is said to have the role of showing the way forward and making a leap forward into the future.

3-piece back

Yasui says of the three-piece back, “The centerpiece is the essence of the sound”. The sides and back are made of Indian rosewood, and the body back is made of flame koa, a top-quality wood, as the centerpiece. The essence that we wanted to add to the elegant sound of rosewood which has a refined tone to it that resonates with the player’s sensitivity. Master builder Yasui, who was the first to play the guitar after stringing it up, felt a definite response to the sound, and even went over the guitar more than usual to check the sound immediately after completion.

Soundhole cover

The soundhole cover keeps the inside of the body moist and reduces feedback. The design is also exclusive to “The Eagle” models and is worthy of a limited edition model.

Soundhole label

Koa wood is also used for the soundhole label with a sharp Eagle’s eye design. A piece of koa wood with flame grain was selected, and you can feel the soul of the craftsman who pays attention to even the smallest details.

Pickguard

The design of the koa wood is based on the aforementioned “Elepaio”, an incarnation of the Hawaiian goddess Rhea, perched on a koa tree, and is made of wood parts. In addition to the detailed expression of Elepaio, the koa flowers and leaves are also designed and made entirely of wood parts, which makes the design more familiar to the player and enhances the satisfaction of owning the instrument.