Tele contours - torn on what to do

[jackson929]

Torn on the contours.  Part of me wants to leave original shape and part wants to do them all.  Perhaps "heel contour" as a compromise?

What is the consensus? 

 

[Cactus Jack]

I have several Tele's and after playing contoured bodies I will never go back. They make the guitar soooo comfortable. Now when I pick up my standard Tele its immediately obvious how uncomfortable the edges are.

For what it's worth I really do not like Warmoth's heal contour. You need different size screws, the screws don't sit flush on the neck plate. To me, the geometry is just off, and I don't find it adds material value. I really wish they would redesign the entire thing.

 

[rgand]

I get wouldn't get a Tele without the forearm and belly contours. I have one without them. It needs a slight bit of work. The tone is fantastic. The edges gouge my forearm and side. It will probably never get done or even come out of its case again other than to admire the beautiful finish.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

I'll be the contrary one: I like my Tele's with square edges. Probably just because I've been playing Tele's with square edges since I picked up the instrument. Don't get me wrong, I like the contours on Strats and Jazzmasters, I just personally find them out-of-place and off-putting on a Tele. Like 6-saddle bridges  :icon_tongue:  Just for context, I also like manual transmissions, transfer cases and hubs, and I think pre-shelled pistachios are from the devil's own hand!

 

[stratamania]

A belly contour is also available on some Fender Teles. Just a belly contour may be a reasonable compromise. But really you have no one to please but yourself.

 

[zebra]

If it were me, I'd take comfort over traditionalist aesthetics any day.
Having said that, I have two Teles with no contours (neither built to my spec by Warmoth).

Some folks have said that perching the forearm on the contour is part of their playing style, but I don' have anything to say about that, because it's not part of my thing.

I will second Cactus Jack's thoughts on the contoured heel.  I find I don't like the sound on the upper frets (too shrill and plinky) so I don't play up there anyway. 

 

[DaveT]

If you find the standard Tele shape uncomfortable then go for the contours.
I do not bend to the machine, the machine bends to me.
That means if parts of a manufactured product irritate me I make changes.
I do it to motorcycles and cars and guitars and basses etc.

I did start modifying the heel on my cheap Tele copy I use as a test-bed.
It worked, but like many others I rarely go that far up the neck, and if I do it is mainly with a bottleneck.

One of the Davies brothers in The Kinks put his Tele on a wood-sanding belt in the 1960s to create a forearm relief.

 

[Axkoa]

I was a bit unsure what I'd feel like with my new Warmoth because it doesn't have a contoured heel (my other 2 electrics both have them), but I barely notice it. Though I'm not very good at solo-ing. I haven't really tried Telecaster's much before but I haven't really felt much discomfort with them so honestly just go with what prefer. Though I'm a pretty skinny guy so the belly cut doesn't affect me too much.

 

[mayfly]

To me, the lack of contours is what makes the tele a tele.  I find that playing a strat is really weird feeling and I can't warm up to it.  Besides - if you put a belly cut on the thing you'll never be able to install a bender!  :headbang:

 

[Rick]

Depends on what you like and your wallet.  For me I like a forearm contour and tummy carve.  Find the heel carve useless.  That said, one of my telebody's was so cheap with a beautiful finish with only a tummy cut.  It's not killing me.

 

[Axkoa]

To me, the lack of contours is what makes the tele a tele.  I find that playing a strat is really weird feeling and I can't warm up to it.  Besides - if you put a belly cut on the thing you'll never be able to install a bender!  :headbang:

One of my dream builds is a super light piece of roasted swamp ash, finished in a few light coats of oil, with a b-bender. Some vintage-style Tele pickups and a one piece roasted maple neck hmmm

 

[Chad11491]

all the contours is where it's at, lol.

I was never a tele person, but did a chambered mahogany tele with blueburst FM top, roasted maple/ebony neck and duncan quarterpounders with hipshot hardware. It flat out sounds amazing, like an SG had a baby with a tele lol. It's super comfortable and feels amazing standing or sitting. No digging in your ribs here.

 

[molul]

As someone who doesn't worship traditional design standards (lately I'm building a guitar with Jazzmaster body, no rhythm circuit, strat pickups and one of them is a Sustainiac drive), and does worship comfort, I'd say "go for all three contours".

I ordered a strat body from Warmoth 6 years ago and I was doubtful about the contoured heel. I finally decided to give it a try but when I emailed Warmoth, the body was finished and I'd have to pay 25% restock fee and wait for the body to be made again, so I went on with the order. I regret a lot about that XD

My new Jazzmaster body has the contoured heel and, while I haven't played with it yet, I can already see how much comfortable it will be compared to my current strat.

To me, shape is one thing (anyone has their own preferences), but the contours can be applied to any guitar and to me they improve an instrument that you'll probably use a lot. I mean, to me, contours aren't necessarily an inseparable part of a guitar design.

Also, I suggest getting a chambered body. I love how light my Warmoth bodies are

 

[rookosu]

Got all 3 on mine and I love it.  Although mine is non traditional to begin with, because I wanted the thinline PG on a solid body.  And it's dual buckers.

So.....it's just kind of....sorta... a tele. 

 

[PhilHill]

Do what's good for you. When he designed the Strat, the first thing that Leo Fender added due to musicians suggesting it was the contours. I due have a hard time figuring out though, folks who I've heard complain about the Tele's shape over the years never seem to have a problem with spending hours with their arm wrapped around an acoustic. :dontknow:

 

[Cactus Jack]

Do what's good for you. When he designed the Strat, the first thing that Leo Fender added due to musicians suggesting it was the contours. I due have a hard time figuring out though, folks who I've heard complain about the Tele's shape over the years never seem to have a problem with spending hours with their arm wrapped around an acoustic. :dontknow:

Excellent point about acoustics. While I love the tone of a nice acoustic, I've personally moved away from Dreadnaughts. I now have Parlor sized acoustics which are so much more comfortable and enjoyable for me to play. I would love to see Warmoth bring back their line of acoustic electrics. I saw one on Reverb a few months back and kick myself for not snagging it up.

 

[molul]

Do what's good for you. When he designed the Strat, the first thing that Leo Fender added due to musicians suggesting it was the contours. I due have a hard time figuring out though, folks who I've heard complain about the Tele's shape over the years never seem to have a problem with spending hours with their arm wrapped around an acoustic. :dontknow:

Lol, so true what say about acoustic guitars XD

I mean, of course the classic Tele body won't hurt you, but it can easily get more comfortable. To me it's a no-brainer, and not that expensive.

 

[Kostas]

Torn on the contours.  Part of me wants to leave original shape and part wants to do them all.  Perhaps "heel contour" as a compromise?

What is the consensus?

My ideal Telecaster has one contour, on the heel. All bolt-on neck guitars in our time should have a heel contour, IMO. If you put the strat contours it will feel similar to the strat, it's a personal preference. I prefer singlecut guitars with thick bodies.

Unfortunately in the showcase you'll find either all or none contours in Telecasters, if you want a mix you have to custom order.

 

[jackson929]

Unfortunately in the showcase you'll find either all or none contours in Telecasters, if you want a mix you have to custom order.

Yeah, and I don't want to wait. Got a custom V on order now but want something to work on in between.

Thanks for all the help. I am going to reread everything.  Play my strat and tele back and forth and decide.  I learn towards no contours just because but would likely take the heel because I get some but the shape stays mainly the same.  But that is not available in showcase., so as you said... All or none.

 

[bagman67]

If you haven't already made up your mind, I'd suggest considering the carve-top Tele, which is extremely comfortable to play.  Add the neck joint contour and it's really nice.  If you're not hung up on a traditional treatment, it's a worthwhile layout to check out.