Contoured heel

[TBurst Std]

As the W is on lockdown, I cannot ask them.
Anyone know if they can takes a showcase Strat body with a normal heel and alter it to a contoured heel?

 

[Ace Flibble]

I've asked before and was told nope. Granted, that was a couple of years ago, but :dontknow:

 

[stratamania]

I would doubt it as it would mean putting it back through the CNC.

 

[jay4321]

It was 4 or 5 years ago, but I did just that. I think they upcharged something like $65 but I can’t remember for sure. It was a nicely grained ash body I still have, despite trying to move it recently. Decided to hang on to it with the swamp ash issue going on and give it another shot, as soon as I figure out what to put in it this time around.

Anyway I asked nicely and it was probably not during a busier time. 

 

[jay4321]

I found the old email from 2014. It was a bit of a chat that involved a lot of back and forth leading the foreman giving an okay, one of those kindly favors I wouldn’t push for more than once a decade and only because I’ve been a customer a long while. I would fully expect that it’s not a PITA that they’d consider again and certainly not anytime soon.

Out of curiosity what kind of Strat body are you looking at? I have several Warmoth Strat bodies in various conditions with contoured heels.

 

[bagman67]

Anyway I asked nicely and it was probably not during a busier time.

That suggests to me that no matter how nicely you ask, what with spinning up the factory after the pandemic shutdown, it won't matter how nicely you ask, off-menu requests will be politely refused for the foreseeable future.

 

[WindsurfMaui]

Maybe someone who has one will give you the specs and you can find a local person who can cut and sand down the heel before you finish it. It doesn't look that complicated a modification. Just remember to get the shorter screws from Warmoth.

 

[PhilHill]

It just involves taking the front of the heel down a quarter of an inch from normal at an angle. I just did it to the tele body I'm doing with a Shinto rasp. I believe Hendrix used an angle grinder to do one of his. Then you smooth it into the body angling outward on each side.

 

[rgand]

I did mine using a peanut (angle) grinder with a sanding pad then smoothed it up with a palm sander. The same tools I use to cut a contour or forearm contour.