cutaway on tele - how much weight savings?

[tedm]

I'm thinking of carving up my heavy MIM tele like Mike Bloomfields. How much weight savings can I expect? What kind of tools do I need for this?

 

[stevieboy]

Whoever carved up Bloomfield's was enough of a tool.


I think probably a saw would work.

 

[Tim Plains]

I'm guessing 0.3 lbs.

 

[tiktok]

I'm thinking of carving up my heavy MIM tele like Mike Bloomfields. How much weight savings can I expect? What kind of tools do I need for this?

I'd consider hollowing out everything under the pick guard first.

 

[nl128]

I don't think much.

Those smuggler teles fender made in the late 60s only saved around 10% of the body's weight

 

[Nebakanezer]

I'd consider hollowing out everything under the pick guard first.

And a belly and forearm carve out too!!

 

[sshan25]

...not enough to make it worth being called out by every guitar lover on earth.

 

[Boris Bubbanov]

Do a search for "Terry Downs". Mr. Downs did a highly documented relief job on a Telecaster about 10 years ago and nobody that saw the results doubted they were correct and also everyone was disappointed by how little mass could be eliminated this way. Not worth it.

 

[Help!I'maRock!]

1.21 gigawatts

 

[jerrycampbell]

I think double-cut Teles can look cool, but it's not going to make a heavy guitar much lighter.

 

[C-4]

Once it's done, you absolutely ruin any chance to resell it. That alone should be enough of a deterrant against cutting it up.

 

[T Dizz]

I'm thinking of carving up my heavy MIM tele like Mike Bloomfields. How much weight savings can I expect? What kind of tools do I need for this?

you'll need a jig saw and a router. and you'll need to make a template.

 

[snakestretcher]

...and you better have excellent refinishing skills. Personally I'd leave well alone but it's your guitar.

 

[DustyRhodesJr]

Here is what you do

 

[27sauce]

you'll need a jig saw and a router. and you'll need to make a template.

And bath salts? Or is that optional?

 

[Fatherflot]

I say double down, brother. . .

 

[snakestretcher]

I say double down, brother. . .

There are no words...

 

[T Dizz]

I actually made a double cut.

 

[AdmiralB]

If you're thinking of this only to reduce weight, I would ask "why?". And suggest that regardless of the answer, it's probably not the best idea.

If it is because you want or need a lighter guitar for a physical reason (neck/shoulder problems), then I would propose that 1) you won't remove much weight this way, especially as offset against the amount of work involved, and 2) you'd be miles ahead just getting a different instrument.

If, OTOH, it's because you feel that lighter guitars sound better/different, I would suggest that you've misidentified the reason. It's the properties of the less-dense wood that's responsible...not the relative amount of it. I remember a while back people on the TDP were all about removing the neck pickup on Teles...not because of magnetic fields, but because it reduced the weight. I was thinking they should just insert tubes of helium instead.

 

[s2y]

I can't see the weight savings being meaningful. Fender's double cut Tele leaves a LOT to be desired visually and ergonomically.

Something like this seems a heck of a lot more useful.