Singlecut vs. Doublecut electrics. Why a single cut?

sunvalleylaw

sunvalleylaw

Yep.
I was looking at someone's reply to a thread at another forum discussing a single cut LP style guitar and I got to thinking; what advantage is there at all in the electric world for a single cut guitar? I cannot think of one.

Using traditional LP's as an example, everyone loves them, but I think the double cut versions are cooler. Similarly, I have a tele I really like, but why should it not have a double cut?

Hmm.
 
Meatier neck joint?
Lazy builder in the 50s? It was 4:30 when he made the first cutaway and the paint shop needed that body NOW!

EG
 
I like the idea of more wood to resonate, myself. I'm also not a fan of the looks of double cut guitars.
 
the double cut electric seems like a pretty radical idea to me given how traditional most guitarists through the ages have been. you have to remember that the electric guitar sprouted from the acoustic guitar ("acoustic" being a retronym). while cutaways appeared as early as the 19th century on acoustic guitars, most guitarists have weird feeling about the cutaway. either they're too manly to need one, the cutaway "takes a way from the tone", or something else equally stupid. so now you apply this thinking to a wholly radical idea like the electric, and it makes total sense that the first solidbodies were all single cutaways. manufacturers were trying to attract traditionalists to their new radical designs. a Telecaster or Les Paul pretty much looks like it's hollow, cutaway counterparts. the Strat, which is the first doublecut most people came across, was that next step because of player involvement in its development.

personally, i don't think it matters either way.
 
Kinda what I was thinking. No real technical reason in most cases. More a preference thing based mostly on aesthetics. I own two doublecuts including my 335 styled Hagstrom and my strat, two "no cut" acoustics, and my single cut tele. Sometimes I wish my main acoustic had a single cut at least, as it would be more versatile. Frankly, it would be more functional if my very traditional dreadnought had at least a single cutaway. I don't notice the single cut on my tele holding me back vs. my double cut strat, and I think a tele would look funny as a double cut. The double cut LPs look cool to me though. I really like the double cut on my Vik. I think I can get up there better on that bigger guitar.
 
there are some double cut telecasters out there. they look kinda like doublecut LPs:


DSC_0260.jpg
 
I believe alot of it is purely aesthetics to have a double cutaway. In our society, we believe that symmetry is absolute. With that said, most double cutaway's are mirror images providing uniform symmetry. The strat was non-symmetrical so it was considered a radical shape for its day that went away from the standard single cutaway.
 
Modern Saint said:
I believe alot of it is purely aesthetics to have a double cutaway. In our society, we believe that symmetry is absolute. With that said, most double cutaway's are mirror images providing uniform symmetry. The strat was non-symmetrical so it was considered a radical shape for its day that went away from the standard single cutaway.
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I'd argue that very, very few double cuts are actually symmetrical. Even the SG, which looks pretty symmetrical at first glance, isn't.
 
Modern Saint said:
I believe alot of it is purely aesthetics to have a double cutaway. .
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I was thinking aboot that too when comparing my strat and tele. I am not sure the extra strat cutaway makes a huge difference in playability. I may have to do pay attention and see what I think. I was thinking the DC on my Vik semi helps on that larger guitar, if only to leave a little room for my wrist and other parts of my hand. Maybe not though. From the aesthetics point of view, I tend to like the asymmetric DCs better in most cases. (like I like strat over SG).
 
I figure the upper bout gives them a place to put the pickup selector switch. :lol:

In reality, the single cut just makes sense, as it gives access to the fretting hand to the upper part of the neck. There isn't much reason to provide access to the bass side of the neck up high, as your fretting hand reaches across the fretboard from the treble side. I'm actually more surprised anyone ever opted to make a double cut.
 
Modern Saint said:
:snorkledick: on measurements. No one is going to get a perfect mirror image of a human created product. :embarrassed:
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it's not about measurements. the overwhelming majority of doublecut guitars are offset in some way. the exceptions being anything based on the LP Junior. that's really the only one. consider that 50% of the electric guitar market is the Stratocaster and clones. all offset doublecuts.
 
I prefer the aesthetics of a single cut LP. I've never had the slightest desire to own a double cut LP. OTOH, I prefer the look of the PRS double cut over their single cut. :shrug: I think they're both just the way they were meant to be (LP-single and PRS-double) and the variations from that look like a poor afterthought. I could be wrong about the history, though.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
the exceptions being anything based on the LP Junior. that's really the only one.
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Even the Jr. isn't perfectly symmetrical. If you draw a straight horizontal line from the tip of the upper horn, you'll see the lower horn is a good bit shorter.

LPSPDCVOTVNH-xlarge.jpg
 
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