Adding forearm contour to tele

C

Chistopher

malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Has anyone done something of this nature to a Tele before? I'm debating taking my tele body, rounding the edges to 1/8" (traditional tele edges) except a Strat style 1/2" roundover for the forearm. Does this type of thing have a name?

Images would help if you have any.
 
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ive never put a forearm carve on a finished guitar, only in the build process but it wouldnt be much different other than the need to put some kind of finish on it
 
This isn't a finished guitar, just a Tele body that hasn't been rounded out yet. The picture is just my bass that put the idea in my head.
 
Since it's a process that cannot be reversed, wouldn't it be safer to order the body you want from Warmoth and sell the one you have?
Or an unfinished tele body from Solo guitar where you can carve a forearm contour yourself? If you're going wrong you can at least revert back to your existing body.
 
I have removed the picture because it is just causing confusion.

I have an unfinished tele body. I am going to add the traditional 1/8" roundover to the edges. On top of that I am going to add a 1/2" roundover to the forearm area. This is not a common guitar mod, warmoth does not do it. This bass is the closest thing I have seen to someone doing what I am refering to.

Does anyone have advice to help me do it cleanly?
 
Okay. I assume you are planning on using a router and bit to do the rounding over? If you have 2 different sized bits you can blend the 2 together with a bit of sandpaper or a file. I add belly carves and forearm carves using a 4-in-hand file - first the rasp end (to rough), then the file end (to smooth). Finally, 220 sandpaper with the grain (it at all possible) to blend it all together. Doesn't take much time, and it looks nice when completed.

Of course, the Ibanez bass in the link is not rounded over in the forearm area - it's actually a cove or bevel - but I see your point.
 
Putting a full forearm relief in a Tele is a very simple procedure if you have some basic rasps or files. So simple that I wouldn't even consider doing just a 1/2" roundover. It should only take a half hour to do...including sanding.
 
GuitarDoc said:
Putting a full forearm relief in a Tele is a very simple procedure if you have some basic rasps or files. So simple that I wouldn't even consider doing just a 1/2" roundover. It should only take a half hour to do...including sanding.
Click to expand...

It's really more for trying to improve my skillset than anything. I'm trying to become more experimental with my woodworking, but I'm going to start with smaller steps
 
My pine body tele is still awaiting the forearm and tummy cut

Take a pencil
Make some marks about how far down the side
or how deep the cut will be

How far into the center of the body will it go

Get a good image of what you plan on

Try to stay inside your lines


I got sanding discs for a side grinder
My plan is to just buff off the parts i dont want

Like the others said
It will take longer to secure it to the table before working on it.

Be careful,
Always secure it so it doesnt move while you have sharp implements on it
 
Doing the roundover on the forearm by hand (sandpaper and or file) will be easier and saver than with an actual router bit.
The finer (file/sandpaper) you start, the saver the process is. But it will also take more time of course...
 
by hand? no thank you lol. power tools are your friend, but you need to be careful and go slow as to not mess it up. a good round over by hand would take forever
 
by hand? no thank you lol. power tools are your friend, but you need to be careful and go slow as to not mess it up. a good round over by hand would take forever
Click to expand...

Let's not go that far, shall we? I love power tools - it's why I have so many (and want more of them), but I love hand tools, too - and I use them when I can. I've done forearm roundovers and belly cuts on guitars with hand tools in less than an hour that looked great, plus I got paid for them. They have their place guys, and in the end - as long as the job gets done and done well, it doesn't matter.

Like I told one of my bosses years ago when I worked in the tool & die shop at Beechcraft - "You guys don't care whether we write a program and run these tools on CNC, or make them with a goddamn file and sandpaper as long as they are done on time, and inspection buys them off - right?" "Yes". "Fine, then get out of my face and let me get to work!".
 
ICTGoober said:
Let's not go that far, shall we? I love power tools - it's why I have so many (and want more of them), but I love hand tools, too - and I use them when I can. I've done forearm roundovers and belly cuts on guitars with hand tools in less than an hour that looked great, plus I got paid for them. They have their place guys, and in the end - as long as the job gets done and done well, it doesn't matter.

Like I told one of my bosses years ago when I worked in the tool & die shop at Beechcraft - "You guys don't care whether we write a program and run these tools on CNC, or make them with a goddamn file and sandpaper as long as they are done on time, and inspection buys them off - right?" "Yes". "Fine, then get out of my face and let me get to work!".
Click to expand...

Well said.
 
Even with power tools, you still have to finish it by hand. Even with a belt sander it will take almost as much time as a rasp, I would venture to say, just as much time if not more. The only quick way is with a shaper; and a very few hobbyists own one.
 
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of course you need to finish it by hand.

and i do get your point goober, but again, im not going to do that by hand. not that you couldnt, but itll take a hell of a lot longer for your average person
 
Your average person isn't proficient with power tools. Just using power tools doesn't always make the job quicker, especially if the person is not experienced.
I could do it with a belt sander or grinder, but it wouldnt be much faster than if I used a rasp.
 
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