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Thread: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    When I play with online builds at Warmoth, I never choose a Tele body with the arm and belly cuts. I like the regular slab o Tele.

    I'm sure a Tele with the cuts are more comfortable. I like those cuts on Strats, but I can't get into them on a Tele.

    What about you?
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    i'm just fine without either arm or belly cut on a tele. To me it's not really a tele with one.
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  3. #3
    Forum Member Don's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    It doesn't really matter to me. When I ordered a T style body form USACG I ordered it without arm and belly cuts.

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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I don't notice it when I'm standing up, but with the belly cut when I'm sitting or laying in bed I find it more comfortable and it also helps to cut down the weight on a heavy body.

  5. #5
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I had to go check. Three of my four Teles do not. The fourth is in its case in the back and I'm too lazy/tired right now to check.

  6. #6
    Forum Member CoyotesGator's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    Without please.
    What happend?
    Who let the magic smoke out?

  7. #7
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I'm still a without guy. I just love my slab of Tele.

    The belly cut does nothing to make the guitar "less of a Tele." Just my personal preference.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  8. #8
    Forum Member John Sims's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I think a Tele should be without, and have a traditional pressed bridge. It is all part of being a Tele.

  9. #9
    Forum Member dirtdog's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    Another vote without. Any tele I've owned (down to one right now) hasn't had any belly/arm cuts. I can't even imagine what one of those would look like!

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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    + 1 for without the belly cutout .

  11. #11
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I prefer them without. Of course, I also prefer them as Thinlines.

  12. #12
    Forum Member OldStrummer's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    Quote Originally Posted by Anacharsis View Post
    I prefer them without. Of course, I also prefer them as Thinlines.
    Out of curiosity, how does a Thinline differ in sound from the slab? Steve Winwood played one on the Tribute to Ginger Baker video, I believe.

  13. #13
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I'm fine without either!
    - Sean
    .................................................. ......

  14. #14
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    No cuts or contours for me.

    I already got a strat

  15. #15
    Forum Member vinyl's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    The only electric guitar I've played is a tele for a long time.

    A belly cut or arm cut would only confuse me.

    My preference is a slab o tele.

  16. #16
    Forum Member Keefoman1's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    Without. The Telecaster was designed without, so that's the way Fender Telecasters should be. That beeing said, I really don't mind if some prefer the cuts. Especially if it is a T-style from another brand than Fender.

  17. #17
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I mean how could you argue with anyone's choice in the matter. I only like the slab because that's my ideal Tele--my heroes' Teles were / are slab, so that' what I think a Tele should be.

    And yet, if someone gave me one with body cuts, I'd never think about it too much.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  18. #18
    Forum Member Keefoman1's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    Quote Originally Posted by ch willie View Post
    I mean how could you argue with anyone's choice in the matter. I only like the slab because that's my ideal Tele--my heroes' Teles were / are slab, so that' what I think a Tele should be.

    And yet, if someone gave me one with body cuts, I'd never think about it too much.
    But yet, "someone" would remind you it isn't a proper Tele...

  19. #19
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    Quote Originally Posted by Keefoman1 View Post
    But yet, "someone" would remind you it isn't a proper Tele...

    ha ha
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  20. #20
    Forum Member Jkbarnes's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    While I agree that a Tele just doesn’t look like a Tele with arm and belly cuts, I’d get them if it was an option. In my case, comfort trumps tradition. A lack of belly/arm cuts would never keep me from buying a Tele, but if I was having something custom made, I think I’d definitely get the cuts. I’d also go a non-traditional route with the bridge and saddles too, in that case. If the body wasn’t true to vintage, the hardware shouldn’t be too!
    At what point does my 31 year old Strat become “vintage?”

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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    I love my belly cut. I don't think anyone can see it, but even if they could I wouldn't care. If I could do it all over again, I'd go with an arm cut as well. I prefer comfort and I don't think the cuts affect the tone at all, if they do, I choose to believe they improve it. I doubt if I played a belly cut + arm cut tele versus a traditional tele body style in a blindfold test, anybody would be able to hear a difference (assuming all the other parts on the guitars were the same). One thing the no cut players might not be aware of is that when I play a traditional tele body style, I immediately notice the comfort difference. I guess I've been pampered.
    Last edited by Toast; 10-29-2020 at 05:32 PM.

  22. #22
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    You're right, no one knows either way. The cuts wouldn't deter me if I liked a Tele that had them. I grew up seeing Tele slabs, and so that's what I like--it's just a matter of taste.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  23. #23
    Forum Member Karloff's Avatar
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    Re: Belly Cut / Arm Cut--Do You Like Your Teles With or Without?

    without
    "Early morning sunshine tells me all I need to know"

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