Telecaster discomfort quick fix?

[whiskey02]

Just play it and you'll get used to it. Archtops and flattops don't have relief and people play them all day and night same with Teles. Try changing the angle you hold the guitar a litle or raise the strap a touch all change angle arm crosses the guitar body.

Not really a fair or accurate comparison I feel. The larger and deeper bodies of hollow guitars means the "touching points" are in very different places, your forearm hugs the body at a much different angle. And let's not forget the concentrated extra weight of that smaller body hitting ribs. Just because something uncomfortable was tolerated in decades long gone does not mean that there is any benefit to subjecting yourself to pain from a crude design. Things generally get better/more comfortable.

[radiofm74]

Back to the OP question: I guess that the discussion so far tells you that your “quick fix”, is installing an armrest or playing your tele until you don’t feel it’s uncomfortable anymore (that seems to happen to all tele-players eventually).

More involved fixes are: taking a a belt sander to your new tele, buying a new contoured body (if you really love the electronics and neck of your current one that you want to transplant them) OR try to sell it/trade it for a model with arm contour (Fender or other… I stand corrected about the 2012-2016 American Standard).

[DRS]

you get used to it

[citizenk74]

Per Roy Buchanan I wear my Telecaster high, "like a bib." He did it in imitation of Les Paul. My Tele is positioned so that the neck pup is over the lowest point of the sternum and the lower part of the body of the guitar rests on the lower part of the rib cage. This allows my right forearm to come across the top at a shallow angle. My right hand can address the strings anywhere from the bridge to wherever the sweet spot is for harmonics or tone (I mostly fingerpick these days) with a minimum of pressure on the muscles and tendons of the arm. The left hand is free to do its thing. The only movement of the guitar is some rotation using the neck pup as a center point, to facilitate left-hand fingerings. A wide strap aids comfort and stability.

[Cunamara]

I found my Tele much more comfortable on a strap by moving the button top bass-side screw of the neck plate. It's more comfortable against my body and the edge doesn't dig into my arm as much. I did this with my Strat too.

[rio]

I asked the same question a while back. I only mention it because after a few months I barely noticed it and it feels fine now. One thing that helped in the transition period was an armband but I’m glad that I didn’t do anything to the guitar since it looks best as-is and it wouldn’t have mattered now.


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