telecaster - forearm contour

[vtpcnk]

>you think we should have told you that YOU might think the forearm cut on a Tele looks weird

no. if you didn't think so you don't have to say anything.

but if somebody thought like that they could say that is a possible issue to consider.

a forum like this exists primarily as a knowledge base - to discuss and share information. a useful tool for those who build guitars using warmoth products.

for me if i had an inkling of this issue i would have definitely paused to consider it and that might have helped me get something to my satisfaction.

 

[tfarny]

Dude, why are you blaming the forum for you ordering something that you don't like? That makes ZERO sense. Did you ask people, or put up a poll, where people might learn that you wanted to know about this? Or were we supposed to read your mind? For the record, I think Jaguars, explorers, and firebirds are ugly, standard thin is too thin, 1 5/8 nut is too skinny, and I think bengal burst and similar bursts are usually overkill, too much bling. Quilted mapleand spalt has its place but it's not my thing in general. Now am I blame-free, if you decide to go ahead and order these things in the future?  :icon_jokercolor: :icon_jokercolor:

Bummer that you're not happy with your guitar. My guess is that after a few weeks of playing it, you'll pick up a regular tele and it'll feel uncomfortable. But don't blame lurkers on an internet forum for pete's sake.  arty07: arty07:

 

[Lucky #7]

I've got a tele with a forearm cut.  I don't think it looks weird, but then there isn't much purist friendly about mine.  It's not done but it has the forearm and tummy cuts, three HBs, and a CBS headstock.

 

[tfarny]

My first warmoth. The neck wasn't the right one for me, but I really regret selling that body.

 

[vtpcnk]

>Dude, why are you blaming the forum for you ordering something that you don't like?

wherever did i blame anybody?

i just made a suggestion that it would be helpful for prospective builders if they have a set of compiled possible dos and donts. that is all.

 

[Soylent]

I'm on it.

Do - proper research before you buy anything over $12 USD.

Don't - Spend over $13 USD on something you might not like. Go to "somewhere" and check it out before you spend your hard earned duckets.

Thanks,
Luke  :icon_thumright:

 

[m4rk0]

Aren't you the guy who posted 'what is sanding'?
Since you weren't too shy to bombard the forum with finishing questions, you could have asked for tele forearm example pics..

BTW, Tfarny,
I love that contour on that tele!!

 

[vtpcnk]

some pics of the tele.

 

[vtpcnk]

side contours.

 

[tfarny]

Looks great! Nice work. I bet it's really comfortable, too.  :icon_biggrin:

 

[buckallred]

1) that tele is beautiful . . . REALLY nice. nicer than any Fender (except maybe a custom shop one).

2) the forearm countour is a great feature, I love it, and is a steal for only $15. I think it is a huge improvement and looks cool.

 

[Mor Paul]

Hey, man, I think the forearm contour works there. It can work on natural ones, or ones with binding, but not on full-vintage ones for me.

 

[nathan a]

Personally I think what looks 'off' about it is thinking about the forearm contour while staring at the grain on the contour. The grain falls away and accentuates the curving / weird slanty look.

 

[vtpcnk]

>Personally I think what looks 'off' about it is thinking about the forearm contour while staring at the grain on the contour. The grain falls away >and accentuates the curving / weird slanty look.

yea that's true.

but i compared it with the jazzmaster. while the jazzmasters body length is like 20 plus inches the tele is only 15 plus inches.

so there is not enough room for the contour to gradually taper off in the tele when compared to the jazzmaster.

also the forearm contour on the tele is much deeper and so the body thickness on the contoured portion is thinner on the tele.

these factors contribute to a slightly unbalanced look.

maybe warmoth can analyze it and see if they can lessen the depth of the contour a bit for a better balanced look.

and guys appreciate the positive comments on the looks - eases the sting in my mind.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Personally I think what looks 'off' about it is thinking about the forearm contour while staring at the grain on the contour. The grain falls away and accentuates the curving / weird slanty look.

Not true with a lam top.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

The reason (to me) the forearm contour looks "off" on a Tele is that it is a "blocky" guitar when compared to another Fender.  It was a rough draft, cheap 1st offering intended to be a cheap manufacture.  It's 1940s technology built by relatively unskilled labor.  When you see the forearm contour, your eyes are immediately drawn to the lower horn and it's lack of rounding of an edge radius.  This is why it looks weird on a Tele but not a Strat, Jaguar, Jazzmaster, Mustang, you name it.  It's like putting a spoiler or ground effects on a schoolbus.  Now comfort....that's a different story altogether.

IMHO, that's why it looks funny and why the OP should have done a little research.

 

[vtpcnk]

contour profiles of tele, jazzmaster and strat - for comparison.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Don't just look at the contours of those guitars, but the bodies as a whole.  It looks weird on Tele.

 

[vtpcnk]

of the three the jazzmaster contours are the sexiest. they are subtler and just beautifully blend in with the body.

the tele's contours on the other hand are deeper and does not seem proportionate to the body size.

are the tele's contours based on the strat? how would a tele look with jazzmaster's subtler contours?

 

[buckallred]

No offense, but this is a bit weird. It's hyper-critical.  the forearm is what it is, and it's cool in its own way. Teles with forwarm contours are cool. Teles WITHOUT forearm contours are also cool. The following teles are ALL cool: SxS, HxH, HxS, sunburst, clear, no burst, no color, unnatural, natural, ash, alder, rosewood, koa (FTW!), pickguard, no pickguard.

The defining thing that makes each tele cool is its uniqueness in sound and appearance. . . even though there are tens of thousands of them around the world, virtually unchanged since 1949. They are all individual, all unique, and all awesome! So enjoy your beautiful, world-class and 100% unique Warmoth tele, forearm contour and al!