Lighter tele?

IanW-uk · July 28th, 2003, 06:56 PM

Anyone know how routing out areas of a tele body would likely affect the tone/sustain? I'm thinking of doing this as I have a trapped nerve in my neck which is badly affected when playing with a strap. If it's gonna make my US 62 Ri sound bad then I wont do it.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

Cheers,

Ian.........

Brad · July 28th, 2003, 07:14 PM

I have a semi-hollow ( no-f hole ) mahogany tele body that is very toneful. As a matter of fact, it's one of the best sounding tele's I've heard. It is also very light. The whole guitar weighs in at a shade over 5lbs. It is not neck heavy and balances very well. You might want to consider getting a semi-hollow or chambered body and leave yours as is. If you like the tone of your guitar now, you might not like the way it sounds after taking wood out. It's pretty much a crap shoot. Another thought would be to waer your strap on the other shoulder ala Albert Collins. Good luck with your injury. I do know how painful that is.

Mark Davis · July 28th, 2003, 07:59 PM

If you route out a solid body Tele the most weight relief your gonna gain is just a couple ounces.

Your better off buying a whole new body thats alot lighter.

0le FUZZY · July 28th, 2003, 08:31 PM

I haff tried a bunch of wayz but as already stated it don't make much nevermind.

The most difference waz on this first one and less on the second.

Plugged in tone is not a factor at least not that I kin tell.

I haff several hollered out Teles and kant tell much difference in lectrified tone.

I'm workin on one that Brian poe sent that weighs in at 7 pounds without routing but it's a full 1 3/4" thick and no routes yet. I'm still thinkin bout how zack-tick-lee tew aproach this rascal.

This may hep a liddo:

The infamous TDPDTTC:

Here issa fiddy tew reissue:

How I made it look:

Rob DiStefano · July 28th, 2003, 08:33 PM

You can, as I have, do a full under-the-pickguard rout on a Tele and shed 3 to 6 ounces, maybe even a tad more. Losing unwanted/unneeded weight is an advantage and the resulting large "chamber" can easily add some resonance that's easy to hear unplugged. YMMV.

IanW-uk · July 29th, 2003, 04:31 PM

thanks guys, much appreciated.......

Rob DiStefano · July 29th, 2003, 05:08 PM

IMO, light g'tars are usually the better g'tars, tonewise. Light *hollowed out* g'tar bodies are better yet, IMO. A 3# Tele body will still pull down a weighty fatback neck with SG tuners.

I'm also believing that full hollowed out wood Tele bodies (ala Reverend or Dano) will deliver good tone, be easy to fabricate and pleasing to look at.

I've been hankering to build at least a few of these one day - start with a 1-1/4" thick body core (ash, alder, mahogany, etc), rout the outline, chamber both "wings" to within 5/8" or so of the outer rim, glue on a 1/4" solid wood back and out it to shape, 1/8" solid wood (purty wood'll do!) top and rout the outline, rout the neck pocket and pups and control hole ("f" hole rout is optional and automatically makes it a Thinline!).

All the above could also be done in a pieced out wood manner, too.

Mmmm, I like all dat a bunch. YMMV.

spyder · July 29th, 2003, 05:23 PM

Ho....hook yourself a *waist strap*....don't know where to get 'em or anything....infact, I've only seen one all my years of music involvement....Don Rich used one at one time...simply straps around the waist and on to the axe....if memory serves me correctly it was wider in the middle than a normal shoulder strap....should take the weight of the guitar off the shoulders....and save cuttin' on a otherwise good guitar...plus it looks cool....'course Rich was pretty cool anyway ....the man made the strap, not the other way around....later, spyder

July 28th, 2003, 06:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
IanW-uk NEW MEMBER! Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2	Lighter tele? Anyone know how routing out areas of a tele body would likely affect the tone/sustain? I'm thinking of doing this as I have a trapped nerve in my neck which is badly affected when playing with a strap. If it's gonna make my US 62 Ri sound bad then I wont do it. Anyone got any thoughts on this? Cheers, Ian.........

July 28th, 2003, 07:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Brad Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 1,294	Lighter Tele I have a semi-hollow ( no-f hole ) mahogany tele body that is very toneful. As a matter of fact, it's one of the best sounding tele's I've heard. It is also very light. The whole guitar weighs in at a shade over 5lbs. It is not neck heavy and balances very well. You might want to consider getting a semi-hollow or chambered body and leave yours as is. If you like the tone of your guitar now, you might not like the way it sounds after taking wood out. It's pretty much a crap shoot. Another thought would be to waer your strap on the other shoulder ala Albert Collins. Good luck with your injury. I do know how painful that is. __________________ We don't stop playing because we get old, we get old becasue we stop playing.

July 28th, 2003, 08:31 PM	#4 (permalink)
0le FUZZY Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kolly-forn-knee-ya Posts: 10,001 6 Photos	Several wayz I haff tried a bunch of wayz but as already stated it don't make much nevermind. The most difference waz on this first one and less on the second. Plugged in tone is not a factor at least not that I kin tell. I haff several hollered out Teles and kant tell much difference in lectrified tone. I'm workin on one that Brian poe sent that weighs in at 7 pounds without routing but it's a full 1 3/4" thick and no routes yet. I'm still thinkin bout how zack-tick-lee tew aproach this rascal. This may hep a liddo: The infamous TDPDTTC: Here issa fiddy tew reissue: How I made it look:

July 29th, 2003, 05:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
spyder Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: chillicothe, ohio Posts: 530	Ho....hook yourself a waist strap....don't know where to get 'em or anything....infact, I've only seen one all my years of music involvement....Don Rich used one at one time...simply straps around the waist and on to the axe....if memory serves me correctly it was wider in the middle than a normal shoulder strap....should take the weight of the guitar off the shoulders....and save cuttin' on a otherwise good guitar...plus it looks cool....'course Rich was pretty cool anyway ....the man made the strap, not the other way around....later, spyder __________________ I'm not a luthier, but I used to play trombone with my jr. high band

July 28th, 2003, 07:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,741	If you route out a solid body Tele the most weight relief your gonna gain is just a couple ounces. Your better off buying a whole new body thats alot lighter.

July 28th, 2003, 08:33 PM	#5 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,755	You can, as I have, do a full under-the-pickguard rout on a Tele and shed 3 to 6 ounces, maybe even a tad more. Losing unwanted/unneeded weight is an advantage and the resulting large "chamber" can easily add some resonance that's easy to hear unplugged. YMMV.

July 29th, 2003, 04:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
IanW-uk NEW MEMBER! Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2	thanks guys, much appreciated.......

July 29th, 2003, 05:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
Rob DiStefano Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Park Ridge, NJ Age: 62 Posts: 4,755	IMO, light g'tars are usually the better g'tars, tonewise. Light hollowed out g'tar bodies are better yet, IMO. A 3# Tele body will still pull down a weighty fatback neck with SG tuners. I'm also believing that full hollowed out wood Tele bodies (ala Reverend or Dano) will deliver good tone, be easy to fabricate and pleasing to look at. I've been hankering to build at least a few of these one day - start with a 1-1/4" thick body core (ash, alder, mahogany, etc), rout the outline, chamber both "wings" to within 5/8" or so of the outer rim, glue on a 1/4" solid wood back and out it to shape, 1/8" solid wood (purty wood'll do!) top and rout the outline, rout the neck pocket and pups and control hole ("f" hole rout is optional and automatically makes it a Thinline!). All the above could also be done in a pieced out wood manner, too. Mmmm, I like all dat a bunch. YMMV.