why 3 piece bodies??

toogoodd · April 2nd, 2008, 02:40 PM

this was probably asked many times but i tried searching here and i didn't find anything. since when did fender start going 3 piece bodies instead of one and two? and what was the point of going three?? i've been seeing A LOT of three piece bodies lately and i must say, some look kind of ugly

compared to one and two piece bodies because it ruins the grain pattern IMO.

Mark Davis · April 2nd, 2008, 02:46 PM

They have always made 3 piece bodies.

50's ones new ones no big deal.

Telemarkman · April 2nd, 2008, 02:49 PM

Fender haven't made one-piece bodies since the 50's, at least not more than a very few, and not for a long time. The only possibillity of getting a one-piece body from Fender these days, is a CS custom order.

CS guitars and some American Vintage examples have a two-piece body, but most Fenders have three- or four-piece bodies. Some may even have 8 - 9 pieces.

62_Inca_Esquire · April 2nd, 2008, 02:51 PM

availability and cost of wood

toogoodd · April 2nd, 2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemarkman

Some may even have 8 - 9 pieces.

Wow! i have yet to see one.. are there any pictures around in this forum?

Telemarkman · April 2nd, 2008, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

Wow! i have yet to see one.. are there any pictures around in this forum?

Probably, but you wouldn't know, because most are covered in paint

...

toogoodd · April 2nd, 2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telemarkman

Probably, but you wouldn't know, because most are covered in paint

...

mmm... makes me a bit uncomfortable with buying solid colored bodies now

Telemarkman · April 2nd, 2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

mmm... makes me a bit uncomfortable with buying solid colored bodies now

Don't worry ..... If you can't see it (and you certainly can't hear it) it really doesn't matter, does it?

62_Inca_Esquire · April 2nd, 2008, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

mmm... makes me a bit uncomfortable with buying solid colored bodies now

why ?

toogoodd · April 2nd, 2008, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62_Inca_Esquire

why ?

i don't know~ i think i have an issue

boris bubbanov · April 2nd, 2008, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

mmm... makes me a bit uncomfortable with buying solid colored bodies now

Play the guitar, don't pay attention to the pieces. If she sounds good, she is good. If she happens to be 2 pieces matched, that's icing on the cake, and it is mainly cosmetic. I've seen some ugly one piece bodies. I just bought a one piece ash body, not my first, but if it doesn't sound any good, it won't matter what it looks like.

toogoodd · April 2nd, 2008, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boris bubbanov

Play the guitar, don't pay attention to the pieces. If she sounds good, she is good. If she happens to be 2 pieces matched, that's icing on the cake, and it is mainly cosmetic. I've seen some ugly one piece bodies. I just bought a one piece ash body, not my first, but if it doesn't sound any good, it won't matter what it looks like.

thanks for your input~
i just recently bought a 52 tele and all my friends (who don't know anything about guitars) say that the blonde with black guard looks freaking ugly compared to my brother's american std 3 tone sunburst. but seriously, the 52 literally kills the std by sound

odiemann · April 2nd, 2008, 03:17 PM

The seam matching can be so good in fact that some people believe they own 1 piece bodies from the CBS era. It really does not matter.

62_Inca_Esquire · April 2nd, 2008, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

i don't know~ i think i have an issue

:)

Really theres no difference tonewise. The multi-piece body tends to be stronger (less prone to warping) ...the only difference is in the look. Most of the time a multi will have a solid color so it wont matter...however, Ive see 2 and 3 piece bodies that were so well matched it was tough to tell it was a multi piece body.

toogoodd · April 2nd, 2008, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62_Inca_Esquire

:)
Ive see 2 and 3 piece bodies that were so well matched it was tough to tell it was a multi piece body.

i agree. my brother's american std tele is either a 2 piece or a one piece. we took it to many shops trying to get an answer but we've ended with mixed answers.

BroadMaster · April 2nd, 2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

this was probably asked many times but i tried searching here and i didn't find anything. since when did fender start going 3 piece bodies instead of one and two? and what was the point of going three?? i've been seeing A LOT of three piece bodies lately and i must say, some look kind of ugly

compared to one and two piece bodies because it ruins the grain pattern IMO.

Wood waste is costly. Most 3 piece bodies have non see- thru colors on them. It really boils down to cost effectiveness on using wood that is in house instead of hauling it off to the dumpster. That's a major reason for higher prices on 1 piece bodies. Wood large enough to build 1 piece is becoming more scarce nowadays (maybe market created) and does demand more money. Fender has done 3 piece since the beginning in certain circumstances( solid Color) I've seen a six piece body, formerly red solid color,, before stripping(albeit MIM, I'm sure it is prevalent in MIA and every other country of MFG.). It also depends on who matched the pieces, too.

Mark Davis · April 2nd, 2008, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

Wow! i have yet to see one.. are there any pictures around in this forum?

Most Ive seen are 9 pieces on an Eric Clapton Strat body.

BroadMaster · April 2nd, 2008, 03:53 PM

www.musikraft.com has some very nice one piece bodies from tonewood of your choice if you feel that strongly about it. You could start rolling your own. Probably get most of your new body investment out of the pulled one on ebay.

Cross Roads · April 2nd, 2008, 04:03 PM

A lot of pieces on this 1993 MIA FAT tele.
Not mine, I saw this on a different forum.

pengipete · April 2nd, 2008, 04:03 PM

A three piece body makes a lot of sense. The neck and bridge are taking the strain of the strings and maintaining sustain while the sides are really only required for comfort, balance and appearance sake. It also means that blemish or gouge on one piece of timber causes very little actual wastage.

robt57 · April 2nd, 2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toogoodd

this was probably asked many times but i tried searching here and i didn't find anything. since when did fender start going 3 piece bodies instead of one and two? and what was the point of going three?? i've been seeing A LOT of three piece bodies lately and i must say, some look kind of ugly

compared to one and two piece bodies because it ruins the grain pattern IMO.

And the old growth trees are gone. The diameter of the harvested trees are getting smaller and smaller and the net results are more narrow width boards.

Narrow boards=cheaper too. Sound like something you have heard before about Leo's mission statement?

Mark Davis · April 2nd, 2008, 04:25 PM

Just use good common sense.

When was the last time you heard a song and said oh thats a Tele with a 2 piece body or 3 piece or 5 piece???

You can tell by listening.

All you can tell by listening is if it sounds good or bad to you.

You cant hear nitro or poly cant hear how many pieces of wood are in the body cant tell the species of wood the guitar is made from cant tell if the fretboard is maple or rosewood cant tell if its a 3 saddle or 6 saddle bridge just from listening.

Del Pickup · April 2nd, 2008, 06:06 PM

Probably the most important benefit of 3/4/5 piece bodies is resistance to warping. Even the most seasoned timber over 6in wide is more prone to warping than timber of lesser width. So, apart from aesthetics it's probably a long term plus point to have a multi-piece body.

robt57 · April 2nd, 2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Del Pickup

Probably the most important benefit of 3/4/5 piece bodies is resistance to warping. Even the most seasoned timber over 6in wide is more prone to warping than timber of lesser width. So, apart from aesthetics it's probably a long term plus point to have a multi-piece body.

And the glues today are much, much better than yester-year too.

boris bubbanov · April 2nd, 2008, 06:26 PM

The glues are much better, but some of these paint removers are really powerful and will eat up the glue. So one advantage of a one piece body, especially one with little or no filler, is you can strip it and the body will be intact so you can refinish it as you see fit.

Take all the finish off of a Squier 51 and there may not be anything left you'd want to finish. The outer shell is the exoskeleton, you gonna need that.

April 2nd, 2008, 02:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
toogoodd TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: korea Posts: 68	why 3 piece bodies?? this was probably asked many times but i tried searching here and i didn't find anything. since when did fender start going 3 piece bodies instead of one and two? and what was the point of going three?? i've been seeing A LOT of three piece bodies lately and i must say, some look kind of ugly compared to one and two piece bodies because it ruins the grain pattern IMO.

April 2nd, 2008, 02:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,856	They have always made 3 piece bodies. 50's ones new ones no big deal. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

April 2nd, 2008, 03:17 PM	#13 (permalink)
odiemann Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Denver Age: 41 Posts: 1,406	The seam matching can be so good in fact that some people believe they own 1 piece bodies from the CBS era. It really does not matter. __________________ It just got better, I think

April 2nd, 2008, 03:53 PM	#18 (permalink)
BroadMaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: PARIS. REPUBLIC of TEXAS Age: 55 Posts: 1,521 4 Photos	www.musikraft.com has some very nice one piece bodies from tonewood of your choice if you feel that strongly about it. You could start rolling your own. Probably get most of your new body investment out of the pulled one on ebay. __________________ {disclaimer} It's like EVERYTHING* else on this entire forum, it boils down to what *YOU* choose, to suit you. If the human mind was a simple thing to understand, we would be too simple to understand it. Last edited by BroadMaster; April 2nd, 2008 at 03:55 PM. Reason: url inclusion

April 2nd, 2008, 04:25 PM	#22 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,856	Just use good common sense. When was the last time you heard a song and said oh thats a Tele with a 2 piece body or 3 piece or 5 piece??? You can tell by listening. All you can tell by listening is if it sounds good or bad to you. You cant hear nitro or poly cant hear how many pieces of wood are in the body cant tell the species of wood the guitar is made from cant tell if the fretboard is maple or rosewood cant tell if its a 3 saddle or 6 saddle bridge just from listening. __________________ I'm so blind my seeing eye dog needs glasses.

April 2nd, 2008, 02:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 4,719	Fender haven't made one-piece bodies since the 50's, at least not more than a very few, and not for a long time. The only possibillity of getting a one-piece body from Fender these days, is a CS custom order. CS guitars and some American Vintage examples have a two-piece body, but most Fenders have three- or four-piece bodies. Some may even have 8 - 9 pieces.

April 2nd, 2008, 02:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
62_Inca_Esquire Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 872	availability and cost of wood

April 2nd, 2008, 04:03 PM	#19 (permalink)
Cross Roads Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Idaho Age: 47 Posts: 238	A lot of pieces on this 1993 MIA FAT tele. Not mine, I saw this on a different forum.

April 2nd, 2008, 04:03 PM	#20 (permalink)
pengipete Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gloucester U.K. Age: 47 Posts: 1,572	A three piece body makes a lot of sense. The neck and bridge are taking the strain of the strings and maintaining sustain while the sides are really only required for comfort, balance and appearance sake. It also means that blemish or gouge on one piece of timber causes very little actual wastage.

April 2nd, 2008, 06:06 PM	#23 (permalink)
Del Pickup Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 621 5 Photos	Probably the most important benefit of 3/4/5 piece bodies is resistance to warping. Even the most seasoned timber over 6in wide is more prone to warping than timber of lesser width. So, apart from aesthetics it's probably a long term plus point to have a multi-piece body.

April 2nd, 2008, 06:26 PM	#25 (permalink)
boris bubbanov Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Orleans, LA + in the past Posts: 8,538	The glues are much better, but some of these paint removers are really powerful and will eat up the glue. So one advantage of a one piece body, especially one with little or no filler, is you can strip it and the body will be intact so you can refinish it as you see fit. Take all the finish off of a Squier 51 and there may not be anything left you'd want to finish. The outer shell is the exoskeleton, you gonna need that. __________________ Bubban0v