Contoured Heel

[Plunk]

This thread is about making contoured heels of a different type to that currently offered by Warmoth. Though I find, the Warmoth contoured heel option works well, that said comfort is subjective at the end of the day.

Thanks, Stratamania.

I'm not a builder. I have a tech I've been working with for a decade who sets up/customizes my gear and he'll be putting the guitar together. I'm out of my league with some of this lingo but trying to learn.

 

[Strat Avenger]

I was about to make a new post but it seems there's already a recent discussion on the "contoured heel", so I'll pose my question here.

I'm planning a Carved Top Velocity build, Warmoth neck, modern tiltback, standard thin, 22 frets with the contoured heel. Does this make high fret access comfortable? I'm used to my PRS' (CE24 and SE22) and EBMM (Silhouette Special 2001), I play a lot of Petrucci stuff and if high fret access is a pain, I'm going to be incredibly disappointed at the finish line.

Thank you!

It's not the greatest, but it's okay for 22 frets. I don't know about today's PRS guitars, but in the past they've had a terrible heel joint. Ed Roman referred to it as "the heel from hell". I didn't agree with all his opinions, but that one made sense.

 

[Plunk]

It's not the greatest, but it's okay for 22 frets. I don't know about today's PRS guitars, but in the past they've had a terrible heel joint. Ed Roman referred to it as "the heel from hell". I didn't agree with all his opinions, but that one made sense.

Haha I've been playing that PRS CE24 since 2001 (received used, believe it's a mid 90s guitar), maybe it's terrible and I've just gotten used to it!

 

[Spud]

I am a bit of a heel, but I am not very contoured.

 

[JohnL2112]

It's not the greatest, but it's okay for 22 frets. I don't know about today's PRS guitars, but in the past they've had a terrible heel joint. Ed Roman referred to it as "the heel from hell". I didn't agree with all his opinions, but that one made sense.

I was considering a PRS 24, and found them to be subtly infuriating. The heel joint itself is fine but the lower horn scoop thing doesn’t actually provide better access - when you slam your hand down there you want your pinky on the 24th fret, and it lands on the 23rd.

 

[JohnL2112]

I was about to make a new post but it seems there's already a recent discussion on the "contoured heel", so I'll pose my question here.

I'm planning a Carved Top Velocity build, Warmoth neck, modern tiltback, standard thin, 22 frets with the contoured heel. Does this make high fret access comfortable? I'm used to my PRS' (CE24 and SE22) and EBMM (Silhouette Special 2001), I play a lot of Petrucci stuff and if high fret access is a pain, I'm going to be incredibly disappointed at the finish line.

Thank you!

The Warmoth/suhr standard, 22 fret strat square contour neck is “fine” in terms of it not giving you a bruised up palm. I still find it “not ideal” but I wouldn’t turn down either as a gift. I dunno if I’d like one with 24 frets.

These options are all a billion times better than a Les Paul

 

[Plunk]

I was considering a PRS 24, and found them to be subtly infuriating. The heel joint itself is fine but the lower horn scoop thing doesn’t actually provide better access - when you slam your hand down there you want your pinky on the 24th fret, and it lands on the 23rd.

I guess I received one at the right time, I was still young. I love PRS up and down the board at this point. Now I'm wondering what a guitar built for speed and ease at the upper frets actually feels like.

 

[stratamania]

Now I'm wondering what a guitar built for speed and ease at the upper frets actually feels like.

Try something like an Ibanez RG...

 

[NovasScootYa]

Just for clarity, what you are referring to as "Pro Construction" are actually "Modern Construction".

The Modern label is the new name for the Pro Construction side adjust. Don't know what is modern about a double expanding rod when Rickenbacker has used the design for years.

 

[Strat Avenger]

The Modern label is the new name for the Pro Construction side adjust. Don't know what is modern about a double expanding rod when Rickenbacker has used the design for years.

Isn't that the same thing as Fender's "Bi-Flex" truss rod that my 1990 Strat has?
EDIT: 'Just did some reading and discovered that it's not the same, as the "Bi-Flex" is actually a 2-way adjustment (both directions).

 

[stratamania]

The Modern label is the new name for the Pro Construction side adjust. Don't know what is modern about a double expanding rod when Rickenbacker has used the design for years.

Still those necks are called by Warmoth and the majority of people the Modern construction and has been for years. It is the overall construction method of the neck that gives the terminology. A modern construction tilt back does not have a side adjust, but is still called modern construction.

Neck Constructions

Default Description

warmoth.com

 

[Hanover Fiste]

This is how I did it for my upcoming 3rd build.