Neck angle on Carve Top Tele... please no

[TheDrizzle]

I'm in the last stages of planning a Carved top Tele build.  During a 'research trip' to the local Guitar Center with a friend of mine (who will be my luthier), I mentioned how much I liked playing the regular Tele's vs. my Epiphone LP, that it was just easier to play the high frets for some reason.

He showed me that the Epi LPs with the carved tops have a pretty significant neck angle, which the flat top Tele didn't, and that was the reason I was finding it so much easier to play on the flat-topped Tele in the shop.

So my question to all of you is - is the angle of the neck due to it being on a carved top body, and if so, should I expect the same angle to be present on the carved top Tele that I'm planning to build through Warmoth?  If so I'll be crushed - I've spent over a month putting together specs for this build, and I'll have to go back to the drawing board if the neck angle will be there.

Hoping you all can give it to me straight.  I can take it.  I may not like it... but I can take it.

To add info - the Epi LP with the angled neck is a stop tail.  The carve top Tele I'm building will have a Wilkenson Trem.  Don't know if that will make a difference.

Thanks

 

[elgravos]

It all depends on the type of bridge you want to use.  If you want to put on a regular TOM then the neck pocket will need to be angled to accommodate.  I believe the same would apply to a non-recessed floyd.

My carved top tele has a recessed TOM and therefore no extra neck angle. 

I was looking on the neck builder the other day though and didn't see the recessed TOM as an option on the carved top (I wasn't looking very hard though - best thing is to call).  In any event, neck angle is determined on the basis of the bridge you use.  If you check the bridge page on the official site, there should be sufficient info to figure out what will work and what will not.  Again, call in your order to be on the safe side.  If I recall, the design of the carved top tele is a little quirky so it may not be able to accommodate all the bridge options that are available for a flat top (though I could be wrong).

Good luck.

 

[TheDrizzle]

Thanks man.  I'm planning on conferencing in my luthier with the sales guy when I place the order - hoping the three of us can figure out a solution that gets me where I want to go.

 

[thearmofbarlow]

The answer you seek is in Warmoth's options page for the carved top Tele. The Gotoh 510, Schaller 456, and ToM/STP combo all need an angled pocket. The rest of the options do not. It states they use a standard body blank, which would indicate that the thickest point of the guitar is still the same thickness as a standard Tele body, meaning that the center section is the same.

LP's have a MUCH more pronounced curvature and while it IS possible to build one without an angled neck, it is part of the LP feel. I've played knockoffs that don't have any neck angle and it just feels weird.

BTW, the idea that it's the neck angle causing your discomfort on the high frets is BS. LP bodies are thicker overall, with thicker necks, and a completely different neck to body joint. I'm sure the neck angle contributes to the overall but trust me, you wouldn't notice the added one degree angle on a Tele just like you wouldn't notice a one degree reduction on a LP. The other factors contribute far more.

 

[AutoBat]

It states they use a standard body blank, which would indicate that the thickest point of the guitar is still the same thickness as a standard Tele body, meaning that the center section is the same.ck angle contributes to the overall but trust me, you wouldn't notice the added one degree angle on a Tele just like you wouldn't notice a one degree reduction on a LP. The other factors contribute far more.

Except the carved top cap that's put on to the body black, adding thickness, especially in the middle.

 

[bagman67]

They glue the maple cap to a board that's thinner than the standard blank by the same thickness of the cap - so it's still the same thickness.  Quty Pie is the same thickness at her fattest point as Bête Noire.  No neck angle on Quty Pie.

 

[thearmofbarlow]

Except the carved top cap that's put on to the body black, adding thickness, especially in the middle.

"Most carved top bodies require a laminate top but as with the Alder body above, we can use a standard sized body blank to carve the body from."

Unless you want a laminate top, it's a standard Tele body blank. Even with a laminate they start with a thinner blank as Bagman mentioned and arrive at a 1-3/4" thickness in the center.

 

[Johnny]

He showed me that the Epi LPs with the carved tops have a pretty significant neck angle, which the flat top Tele didn't, and that was the reason I was finding it so much easier to play on the flat-topped Tele in the shop.

Any time I render an opinion, it's usually wrong - so don't take my word for anything....but....

I don't think neck angle would make a very significant difference.  On the other hand, the whole neck joint and body size of an LP does pose a problem.  I just bought my first LP and it is considerably harder to get to the 22nd fret on it then on any of my other guitars.  Personally, I'd get a contoured heel and the neck angle would not be a consideration as far as upper fret access.

 

[TheDrizzle]

The sales guy was very helpful.  As mentioned, the angle is to accommodate certain bridges.  With the wilkenson, no need for the angled pocket.

As or the difference in playing, it may not be a huge factor and could be he other stuff suggested, but I'm just happy the neck angle won be there, even if the perceived benefit is only in my head.  I'm not a great player so I can use all the help I can get.  :icon_tongue:

 

[swarfrat]

The neck angle is a huge part of the LP feel, and one of the things I despise the most about it. Only exceeded by the location of the strap button, or more importantly, the effect of the location of the strap button on where the guitar hangs.

The strat button location not only effects being prone to neck dive, but how far left or right the guitar naturally hangs. On a strat, if I relax my hands, close my eyes, and pick my left hand strraight up, it will be at the 12th fret. On a Les Paul, I do this, i think I end up around the 15th fret or so.

My first decent guitar was a LP, and I played it for a couple years until i figured out how much I hated it. Long live the upper horn!!!