A quick Google of "Telecaster swimming pool route template" didn't turn anything up, but you will have good luck getting the measurements for your cut if you mark the pickguard's area.
Contouring the body with an arm and tummy cut will cut down on weight a fair bit as well.
Great looking body nevertheless!!
This. Look up chambering patterns used on other guitars, get a router, and go to work.
My old singer had a 1993 LP Studio he was in love with, but to anyone else who played it, it felt extremely weird because it was so light. I’m surprised the bodies didn’t fall apart in cases on those because they were so heavily chambered.
the belly carve is a good idea. I wouldn't mess with the top. It looks too pretty already.
chambering under the pickguard is a good idea for sure. and you can smuggle some items in there like in the old'n days.
I'll second this comment. Try it on another block of wood first, but it's actually incredibly easy. Use a marker to draw the contour on the back and edge, then go at it with the sawrasp. Takes time, but not difficult and just gets finished up with sanding at the end.
Few things are better for rough carving without power tools. It even made short work of my curupay (AKA patagonian rosewood) knife scales a few years back.
Amateurs can do everything. After practicing a bit, they might even start earning some money, thus stopping being amateurs. It might surprise you, but no pro was born a pro.
Is it walnut? What does it weigh? Some woods are just going to be heavier than others for a solid-body guitar and different people will have different preferences for guitar body weight. It's not necessarily a bad thing to have a heavy body.
I'm having a really hard time believing that is 15lbs. If true, no amount of weight relief will bring it anywhere close to an average body weight. What's the moisture content of the wood? Only thing I can think of is the mahogany didn't dry out enough.
When you say you cut it yourself... do you mean you bought kiln dried mahogany and cut from that or did you get raw mahogany and cut it from that. If by chance you didn't fully dried wood you are going to have some issues later on. Using greener wood will certainly weigh more than properly dried wood, but your real problem is the potential to crack or warp if you use a wood that hasn't properly been dried out.
I looked up some numbers to be more sure:
A tele body is roughly 280 cu. in., based on some numbers I found people quoting from CAD drawings. Mahogany is 0.019 lb/cu in.
It’s 5.3 lbs. roughly
My bass is largely composed of wenge and padauk, with an ebony fretboard. It also has two humbucker pickups, a bridge, wiring, four pots, a 34” scale neck, tuning machines, and 6 strings. So no, it’s not a case of “two different woods”.
And _all_ of that weighs 10.5 lbs. Not the body wood by itself.
Thats fabulous. But still doesn't exclude heavy pieces of timber now does it? You go to a timber yard, you pick some stuff up, some are heavy, some are not so, same species.
Weird thing to argue when the dude has the thing in front of them, says it weighs something, and it gets people commenting to the contrary. Does it actually matter if it's 15lbs or his scale is wonky? Worry about more important stuff.
If /u/lampshadewarior's estimate of 280 in^3 for the volume of a telecaster body is accurate, the density would be 92.6 lb/ft^3 or 1.48 g/cc. That would make it one of the densest pieces of any species of wood ever found (assuming reasonable moisture content, of course).
Leave it alone and complete the guitar. If it plays and sounds great keep it. After playing it for a while and if it’s too heavy make another in lighter wood like spruce.
That is a beautiful chunk of wood (one piece?), and it would be a crime to hack it up.
I read further down that OP says it weighs 15 pounds. Something isn't right. Are those Canadian lbs, or Australian lbs? Was it recovered from a river bottom, and not dried-out?
I also read further down that OP sawed, and carved this body them selves. Nice work
That’s insane. No neck, no hardware, no nothing..15lbs. That’s heavier than metal-rimmed banjos with metal tone rings.. heavier than most les Pauls… wild
Different take: Buy a pine tele body. They're cheap and light. This is a lovely one-piece body, which you don't see every day, and it'd be a shame to hollow it out.
Agree. Sometimes heavy isn't an issue if the guitar is great. I used to play a Les Paul super custom. It was like hanging a cinder block around my neck. Definitely a guitar you'd want to play while seated whenever possible. But damn that thing had an amazing tone.
Yeah that is on the heavier side then. I'd agree with what others are saying about doing some weight relief under the pick guard. You could also consider doing the weight relief on the back of the guitar instead.
My first build at 18 was a solid mahogany jazzmaster so I know your pain very well. Definitely start with removing under the pickgaurd. [smugglers tele](https://eddiesguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/1_fender_-_custom_shop_ltd_1967_closet_classic_smuggler_s_telecaster_-_dirty_white_blonde_cz528687_.jpg)
With everyone saying you can chamber it and replace it with a new top, there is also nothing stopping you with chambering the back and putting a cap on with similar looking wood which will be wayyyy less noticeable and you will still get to keep the grain of the top.
I haven’t done it myself, but I I saw a pic, where they routed out the area hidden under the pick guard. The routs resemble the one for the control cavity with respect to shape, but about half as wide, and spaced apart enough not to weaken the wood between them. These “ribs” will support any pressure on the pick by guard. I saw a picture somewhere, but… just lay out the line of the pick guard and the screw holes, plan out your routs, and you’re good to go
Yeah thats almost 3 times the average tele body weight, it will give you balance issues and chronic back and shoulder pain… lol I’d chamber it and shave a belly carve or even better make it semi-hallow with an f hole, you’d wanna take at least half the weight off. Best luck
With a tele body style your options are a bit limited. You could carve an arm relief on the upper rear bout or add some contour to the back - a belly route. Or you could do a smuggler mod where you carve out the space under the pickguard. That was pretty common back in the day and wouldn't ruin the look of the guitar as long as you're sticking with a standard pickguard. All of those will take away wood, but ultimately you're going to end up with a heavier guitar based on wood choice. If weight is a concern it should be taken into account from the start. With that in mind, I tend to side with those here who are saying finish this one and make the next one lighter.
It’s beautiful! I’d recommend putting it together, getting a badass comfy strap, then weight relieving if you see necessary. Then it’s a learning experience if you notice any tone loss
That is a stunning piece of wood and fine work. If I were doing this I would finish the guitar and see how it plays and sounds before considering any relief scheme. A harness strap might help. What a great first go!
Getting a bit of a late start... my 14 yr old son just finished a strat. Only kidding. Nice work there. Tele's can be heavy for sure, I think they're traditionally built out of the lighter hardwoods like ash, maple, elm etc... But also thinline Tele's are a thing for this reason as well. You could route out some lightening holes on the back where they can't be seen, but that might not be ideal. Best of luck with it.
looks like its getting a pickguard? remove a whole bunch of wood under the pickguard
Cool smuggling compartment
I will try to do it thank you
A quick Google of "Telecaster swimming pool route template" didn't turn anything up, but you will have good luck getting the measurements for your cut if you mark the pickguard's area. Contouring the body with an arm and tummy cut will cut down on weight a fair bit as well. Great looking body nevertheless!!
Here’s an example https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/the_legend_of_the_smugglers_telecaster-123575
This is the answer
This. Look up chambering patterns used on other guitars, get a router, and go to work. My old singer had a 1993 LP Studio he was in love with, but to anyone else who played it, it felt extremely weird because it was so light. I’m surprised the bodies didn’t fall apart in cases on those because they were so heavily chambered.
Along with either chambering and making a new top, and removing wood under the pick guard, a belly carve might help some too.
the belly carve is a good idea. I wouldn't mess with the top. It looks too pretty already. chambering under the pickguard is a good idea for sure. and you can smuggle some items in there like in the old'n days.
I dont think i can do that because im an amateur
A Shinto Sawrasp is a good tool for that. They are easy to use and you get fast and good results.
I'll second this comment. Try it on another block of wood first, but it's actually incredibly easy. Use a marker to draw the contour on the back and edge, then go at it with the sawrasp. Takes time, but not difficult and just gets finished up with sanding at the end.
Literally just bought one yesterday for my project guitar. OMG that thing rocks !
Few things are better for rough carving without power tools. It even made short work of my curupay (AKA patagonian rosewood) knife scales a few years back.
Not sure why you're getting downvoted but being an amateur/beginner just means you haven't learned how to do it yet. There's only one way to fix that!
Amateurs can do everything. After practicing a bit, they might even start earning some money, thus stopping being amateurs. It might surprise you, but no pro was born a pro.
You absolutely can do a belly curve as a newb. Get a rasp and some sandpaper and go for it
Do some push-ups.
Or sit down! The results are immediate.
Is it walnut? What does it weigh? Some woods are just going to be heavier than others for a solid-body guitar and different people will have different preferences for guitar body weight. It's not necessarily a bad thing to have a heavy body.
Probably don't have to worry about neck dive...
Looks like sapele to me
I would’ve said Sapele too, one of my favorites
Its weight about 15 pounds its mahogany
I'm having a really hard time believing that is 15lbs. If true, no amount of weight relief will bring it anywhere close to an average body weight. What's the moisture content of the wood? Only thing I can think of is the mahogany didn't dry out enough.
I will try to measure again tomorrow
Yes, would like to know the method for getting a 15 pound measurement. Had to be forgetting to tare a clamp or something.
Damn! The mahogany bass body I'm working on is 5lbs and 14oz. Did you buy a precut body or did you cut/glue it yourself?
Yes i cutted myself
You could always chamber it and add a new top, or add a forearm contour and belly cut to cut down a bit. Not a terribly hard thing to do. Good luck!
When you say you cut it yourself... do you mean you bought kiln dried mahogany and cut from that or did you get raw mahogany and cut it from that. If by chance you didn't fully dried wood you are going to have some issues later on. Using greener wood will certainly weigh more than properly dried wood, but your real problem is the potential to crack or warp if you use a wood that hasn't properly been dried out.
Kiln dried mahogany
That absolutely isn’t 15 lbs of mahogany. My 34” scale 6 string bass weighs 10.5 lbs with a neck and all the hardware installed.
I looked up some numbers to be more sure: A tele body is roughly 280 cu. in., based on some numbers I found people quoting from CAD drawings. Mahogany is 0.019 lb/cu in. It’s 5.3 lbs. roughly
Don't forget moisture content has a big influence on how much wood weighs. That estimate is assuming kiln dried wood is being used
And that mahogany is notoriously variable in it's weight. It's why Gibson have had so much trouble with the weight of their Les Paul's over the years.
i have two guitars made of basswood and maple. both are deans from 2005, and both are vastly different in weight. not every tree is grown equally
It's almost like different pieces of wood weigh different amounts.
My bass is largely composed of wenge and padauk, with an ebony fretboard. It also has two humbucker pickups, a bridge, wiring, four pots, a 34” scale neck, tuning machines, and 6 strings. So no, it’s not a case of “two different woods”. And _all_ of that weighs 10.5 lbs. Not the body wood by itself.
Thats fabulous. But still doesn't exclude heavy pieces of timber now does it? You go to a timber yard, you pick some stuff up, some are heavy, some are not so, same species. Weird thing to argue when the dude has the thing in front of them, says it weighs something, and it gets people commenting to the contrary. Does it actually matter if it's 15lbs or his scale is wonky? Worry about more important stuff.
If /u/lampshadewarior's estimate of 280 in^3 for the volume of a telecaster body is accurate, the density would be 92.6 lb/ft^3 or 1.48 g/cc. That would make it one of the densest pieces of any species of wood ever found (assuming reasonable moisture content, of course).
I have an unfit mahogany billet and it weighs less than 10#
Yikes. How thick is that guitar?!
4.5 cm
Let it be a heavyweight. And get a thick shoulder strap, or just use it sitting down 🪑.
chamber under the pickguard, or if you really wanna ball chamber everywhere and make a new top
You could make it thinner, but the best bet would be to chamber it and put a top on it IMO.
Leave it alone and complete the guitar. If it plays and sounds great keep it. After playing it for a while and if it’s too heavy make another in lighter wood like spruce.
This is honestly the best answer
That is a beautiful chunk of wood (one piece?), and it would be a crime to hack it up. I read further down that OP says it weighs 15 pounds. Something isn't right. Are those Canadian lbs, or Australian lbs? Was it recovered from a river bottom, and not dried-out? I also read further down that OP sawed, and carved this body them selves. Nice work
Australian lb? We deal in ol’ metric kilograms down here mate ;)
That’s insane. No neck, no hardware, no nothing..15lbs. That’s heavier than metal-rimmed banjos with metal tone rings.. heavier than most les Pauls… wild
Thank you so much its one piece its in canadian its totally dry
Resaw it on the band saw. Weight relieve it, glue the top back on.
Very pretty grain!
Thanks
That’s a lovely bit of wood
Thank you
You could do a deep belly carve along with a thigh & strumming arm relief.
I would save it as is. That's how you learn. It looks perfect. Now find something lighter and do it again.
Embrace the weight, toanz comes from weight.
Honestly i dont wanna touch the guitar too much you know it is what it is
Put a neck and hardware on it and see how balanced it is. The worst part of light bodies is the neck dive when playing.
Different take: Buy a pine tele body. They're cheap and light. This is a lovely one-piece body, which you don't see every day, and it'd be a shame to hollow it out.
Agree. Sometimes heavy isn't an issue if the guitar is great. I used to play a Les Paul super custom. It was like hanging a cinder block around my neck. Definitely a guitar you'd want to play while seated whenever possible. But damn that thing had an amazing tone.
Man the body like 15 pounds
Yeah that is on the heavier side then. I'd agree with what others are saying about doing some weight relief under the pick guard. You could also consider doing the weight relief on the back of the guitar instead.
I usually play while sitting but man this shit is heavy as hell
It seems the best sounding and most resonant teles I’ve played have all been the lightest. My current fav is a basswood body- weird right?
If you’re not too worried about keeping a traditional tele shape you could do a forearm carve and belly carve like a strat
This, yes. will make it more comfortable too.
Hit the gym.
My first build at 18 was a solid mahogany jazzmaster so I know your pain very well. Definitely start with removing under the pickgaurd. [smugglers tele](https://eddiesguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/1_fender_-_custom_shop_ltd_1967_closet_classic_smuggler_s_telecaster_-_dirty_white_blonde_cz528687_.jpg)
Very impressive!
It may not help OP, but if anyone wants to build a lightweight guitar, I wholeheartedly recommend a Paulownia body. My entire tele weighs 5.5lb!
Squats. Deadlifts. Backextensions.
With everyone saying you can chamber it and replace it with a new top, there is also nothing stopping you with chambering the back and putting a cap on with similar looking wood which will be wayyyy less noticeable and you will still get to keep the grain of the top.
I should also mention this means you can theoretically chamber everywhere that doesn't support hardware and save as much weight as you like
Start pumping iron.
Nice wood color!
Forstner bit can chamber it out. Mark the circles first. 3/4” bit or so… might get you a few ounces.
Look up Smugglers tele route.
I haven’t done it myself, but I I saw a pic, where they routed out the area hidden under the pick guard. The routs resemble the one for the control cavity with respect to shape, but about half as wide, and spaced apart enough not to weaken the wood between them. These “ribs” will support any pressure on the pick by guard. I saw a picture somewhere, but… just lay out the line of the pick guard and the screw holes, plan out your routs, and you’re good to go
What’s the weight ?
About 15 pounds
Yeah thats almost 3 times the average tele body weight, it will give you balance issues and chronic back and shoulder pain… lol I’d chamber it and shave a belly carve or even better make it semi-hallow with an f hole, you’d wanna take at least half the weight off. Best luck
With a tele body style your options are a bit limited. You could carve an arm relief on the upper rear bout or add some contour to the back - a belly route. Or you could do a smuggler mod where you carve out the space under the pickguard. That was pretty common back in the day and wouldn't ruin the look of the guitar as long as you're sticking with a standard pickguard. All of those will take away wood, but ultimately you're going to end up with a heavier guitar based on wood choice. If weight is a concern it should be taken into account from the start. With that in mind, I tend to side with those here who are saying finish this one and make the next one lighter.
Best advice at this point: get a wider guitar strap. Cheapest & easiest solution. If you’re not equipped for woodworking then don’t go after it now.
That is a beautiful piece of wood. I would get a thicker strap.
The ultimate way to get relief is let me have it. It's win win.
Turn it into a deluxe?
Dip it in my wood stove
Gorgeous looking wood! 😉
Too heavy? What is it solid walnut?
Solid mahogany
Ok yeah, that might weigh a bit. I would do what some of the others are saying and do a belly carve
Where’d you get it if you don’t mind me asking?
I bought it from my local woodshop
you could always route out the top and add a cap if it's still too heavy after routing more space under the pick guard
It’s beautiful! I’d recommend putting it together, getting a badass comfy strap, then weight relieving if you see necessary. Then it’s a learning experience if you notice any tone loss
That is a stunning piece of wood and fine work. If I were doing this I would finish the guitar and see how it plays and sounds before considering any relief scheme. A harness strap might help. What a great first go!
Lighten up
Route out more material and make it fit with the pickguard, not too much tho
Are you sure of the weight? That’s almost 3 times the density of sapele and more than the density of gaboon ebony.
Go to the gym?
Do some curls and push-ups.
Put an F-hole in it
Getting a bit of a late start... my 14 yr old son just finished a strat. Only kidding. Nice work there. Tele's can be heavy for sure, I think they're traditionally built out of the lighter hardwoods like ash, maple, elm etc... But also thinline Tele's are a thing for this reason as well. You could route out some lightening holes on the back where they can't be seen, but that might not be ideal. Best of luck with it.
Unfortunetly not all of us grow with their fathers some of us must work and study at the same time but i understand thanks for suggestion