Members expat701 Posted January 25, 2010 Members Share Posted January 25, 2010 I live in Australia. I'm going to have a local luthier build me a custom Tele. First thing first... I am going to be "influenced" by an Anderson Cobra. It will be flame maple over a warm wood like mahogony (or local equivalent)... I will probably go mable neck with ebony or rosewood fingerboard. I want 'buckers (splitable) in there. I'm still deciding on scale length... I play a strat and a standard Tele but the idea of introducing more warmth via 24.75" scale is appealing... I'm still deciding whether to go flat top, carved top or thin line (hollow). One thing I want is comfort contours. I've some questions:- 1) Anderson's Cobra is a "drop top" rather than a carved top. It's got a rib contour and a forearm contour... however Anderson doesn't use a pickguard. I can't understand how you can play a lovely flame maple flat top guitar without a pickguard AND not scratch up the finish over time. I can understand this doesn't happen with a carved top but not a flat top. If I go flat top I guess I will use a transparent pickguard to save the finish but still allow the flame maple to show through... What are your thoughts on this? 2) If I were to go carved top I can get away without a pickguard but can I will have a forearm contour? I know I can have a rib contour but I can't remember seeing a forearm contour on a carved top guitar. 3) If I go thin line (hollow) can I have a rib and forearm contour? I've never seen a thin line with contours... do they exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Saturn Posted January 25, 2010 Members Share Posted January 25, 2010 I have never seen contours on a thinline. I'm sure you figure out a way to do them but just doesn't seem right. Same thing on a carved top. I don't think the contour would look quite right. I have seen clear pick guards though to let the finish show through. IMO go with the clear pick guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members expat701 Posted January 25, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 25, 2010 With a carved top, I guess you don't need a forearm contour... the shape of the top cradles your arm. I wonder whether the edge of the guitar on a carved top is thicker than the edge of a flat top guitar that has been forearm contoured??? Overall, I've always wondered why Tom Anderson went with a drop top design for the Cobra rather than a carved top??? The flame mable/carved top combination seems to be the most common out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members expat701 Posted January 25, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 25, 2010 Not getting many responses. Think i'll post this on the Tele site... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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