Tele Body Modification.

corybrenn

Newbie
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3
Ive been looking into getting a tele / building one for quite some time now. The thing is im really only into them for the look. I play metal so Id be tossing in emgs. Something like the Jim Root sig, just a nicer body. Is it possible to thin out the body by shaving off half and inch or more to make it thinner. Kinda like an ibanez but tele style? Has any one tried this ?
 
You could certainly do it, you'd need some serious woodworking tools and skills, the willingness to screw up a couple before getting it right, and make sure you get shorter neck screws for sure. Not a good idea for a first project, probably.
Seems like you'd be much better off just getting a hollow telecaster body with all of the 'contours'. That would be comfortable and lightweight.
Like this (or maybe no f-hole), and have the routes re-done for big, black, sterile, toneless EMGs:
http://www.warmoth.com/showcase/sc_guitar_bodies.cfm?type=guitar&start=1&itemNumber=T1261&menuItem=2&subMenuItem=0&subMenuItem2=0&contour_filter=6&hollow_filter=2
 
Why? mainly because Im very picky. I know I want metal tone. I know I want a tele look.  I would most likely get someone to build it for me, mod an existing guitar. Structurally would making the body thinner be a bad thing? I actually found a hollow tele with emgs, but it lacked the crispness of a solid body. Im not really looking for light weight, just thinner. Just though Id see if anyone has tried somthing like that.
 
I'm pretty sure none of us have but I don't see why you couldn't.  If you have access to a planer it should be easy.  :dontknow:

Make sure you don't go through into your pickup routes, and that you get short neck screws.

I assume we're talking about a hardtail bridge here, otherwise you wouldn't be able to shave much off.
 
a body thickness of around 1-1/2" (38mm) borders on about as thin as you can take a body and still have enough heel thickness to structurally hold the neck solid. you might get down to 1-3/8", but that heel is really starting to get thin, thin, thin IMO

since a standard Tele body is 1-3/4" thick, you'd only be able to safely shave off around 1/4" in thickness.

all the best,

R
 
This might be frowned upon [a referral to a competitor], but I believe Callahan makes thinner Tele bodies, which is how the originals were.  There are also era specific by making them out of pine.  Routing for humbuckers and a different bridge might be difficult from them.

Like stated above.  Why.  There has to be a reason they still don't do this, or make them out of pine anymore.
 
Because pine is shitty wood.  It doesn't sound good (name one musical instrument that's frequently made of pine), it's ugly, it's soft, it's all spongy with sap.  It's like all-natural foam rubber.  :(  Pine is dirt cheap and grows everywhere, but nobody uses it because it blows.  One guy makes guitars out of it, I forget his name... of course it's the best thing ever in his opinion.

:doh:
 
What does pine have to do with a thin tele? That's pretty random.
OP, notice that Warmoth does make 1.5" bodies, both the SG and the Mustang bodies are available as 1.5". If you really want this, I would also just call them up and ask them how much of an upcharge to make you a thin tele. They may just be able to do it for the right price.
 
corybrenn said:
Im not really looking for light weight, just thinner.

order the forearm contour cut - http://www.warmoth.com/guitar/bodies/contours.cfm
 
or just buy a newer Indonesian or Chinise squier.. I bought one from a pawn store a while ago for about 20$, and they are a lot thinner than the regular strats (I am guessing the same goes for Teles)
the necks are crap, so you still need to buy a proper one from warmoth.
 
dbw said:
Because pine is shitety wood.  It doesn't sound good (name one musical instrument that's frequently made of pine), it's ugly, it's soft, it's all spongy with sap.  It's like all-natural foam rubber.  :(  Pine is dirt cheap and grows everywhere, but nobody uses it because it blows.  One guy makes guitars out of it, I forget his name... of course it's the best thing ever in his opinion.

:doh:

http://pinecaster.com/
The "other guys" (musikraft) also have pine as a wood option
 
Sounds like he wants an Ibanez in a tele shape.  I have a friend that just got an S body.  It is not totally thinner, just shaved around the edges of the whole thing on both sides.  A crap load of work in my opinion.  All of it has to be done by hand to get it to look right.  Getting the input jack to work would be a bear on a shaved body.  My advice is I would look at the tele body with the comfort contours.  Also read up around here on what the others say about tone and woods and such.  Finally, the pick up boards have a bunch of pick ups other than EMGs that might be better for your purpose.  It will probably work out that the proper pickups will get you to the sound you are going for more than anything else.  While you say you are picky, your replies indicate you have already made up your mind.  A contoured tele with some Bare Knuckles, Bill Lawrence, or Rio Grandes would probably pull off the metal sound better than the shaved body and the EMG's, but that is just an opinion.
Patrick

 
Marko said:
dbw said:
Because pine is shiteety wood.  It doesn't sound good (name one musical instrument that's frequently made of pine), it's ugly, it's soft, it's all spongy with sap.  It's like all-natural foam rubber.  :(  Pine is dirt cheap and grows everywhere, but nobody uses it because it blows.  One guy makes guitars out of it, I forget his name... of course it's the best thing ever in his opinion.

:doh:

http://pinecaster.com/
The "other guys" (musikraft) also have pine as a wood option
Pretty cool pine-o-casters marko, I especially like the Walnut/bocote one with of all things a FLOYD.....hell ya....
WF%20thumb.jpg


This ones cool too, "ol Piney"..... :guitarplayer2:
OP%20thumb.jpg

 
Check it out Arlo's wearing a Charlie's guitar shop shirt.....From right here in Big "D"... :icon_thumright:
[youtube=425,350]tfsa5VxJp58[/youtube]
 
I think this project sounds fun.  I can make you one (unfinished...ya' know...glossy etc.) to your exact specs for probably $500 + wood cost.  We can go pick out the wood, make some sketches, and I'll turn you out a fine specimen.

There are some limitations to how thin a body can/should go...but we can make up for some of that with some wicked contouring, to make it very 'metal'.

My estimate is for making the body only.

email: stockwellguitars@aol.com

Mark

p.s. I could also just modify an existing tele body for less $$.  Again...finishing work is extra.
 
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