Abstract: A large-scale printhead is made up of rows of styli patterned onto thin glass substrates sandwiched together between rugged support substrates, in which a series of thin glass substrate sections are internally butted one to the other. Fabrication of multiple rows of elements is accomplished by stacking the delicate styli-bearing substrates on an associated rugged substrate. In a preferred embodiment, all glass substrates are utilized, with the transparency of the glass permitting accurate alignment of the styli or nibs. The use of glass substrates also increases the wear resistance of the completed printhead. A specialized bus matrix permits reduction in the width of the substrates carrying the styli, with the bus structure being formed on a single side of the substrate carrying the styli, such that thru-holes need not be provided through the thin substrates.