Gibson headstocks were never known for their strength, but the slotted headstock EB basses were perhaps some of the most prone to breaking of all Gibson instruments. Firstly necks were typically mahogany - a brittle wood that shatters easily. The necks had been narrowed since the earliest EBs, and the weakspot behind the truss rod cavity was pretty thin anyway. With the new banjo-style tuners, any fall backwards would land with them hitting the ground first, causing considerable force on the weak area where the neck meets the headstock. Slotted headstock EB bass without some form of damage or repair in this area are rare indeed.
