Why I Modded My Les Paul Style Guitar

Answering a question and sharing short story about how my LTD EC-1000 ended up having it's body shaped. It's also a short look into my guitar journey, with unpopular opinions and a touch of rant.
The people I want to acknowledge and thank are:
‪@landonbailey‬
‪@PhillipMcKnight‬
‪@andrefludd‬
‪@DrBsGuitars‬
Please follow their channels and learn about guitars.

[@PhillipMcKnight]

Thank you for the shout out. Love the video thank you for posting. I loved your perspective

[@AlwayzTired]

@@PhillipMcKnight you’re the man, the myth, and the legend.

[@mrax101]

Whoa! Guest star! How awesome! Keep up the great work, Mr McKnight! You're one of my favorite KZbinrs,l commenting on ANOTHER one of my favorite KZbinrs!

[@taylolz]

Les Paul type guitars should come with this contour as standard.

[@oldmanshreds]

@@taylolz Agreed. All PRS's too.

[@theuserthatishere]

yeah, that would look so cool

[@JimThompson-i3u]

Looks great. I like the visual contrast of the mod. If it makes it more comfortable to play it's a win.

[@oldmanshreds]

This was the first edition. Agreed with luthier that I play like this for another 100 hours and then feel how I want to proceed. I think I will shape it a bit more so that it follows the curvature of the body.

[@mrax101]

I agree with your philosophy. I mod almost all my guitars. On a few Strats, I completely removed the finish from the back of the guitar, and contoured it so it fits my body better. I also sand down the area near the horns, allowing better upper fret access. I've also contoured many necks to fit me better. This is dangerous, because of the risk of exposing the truss rod if I go too far. Fortunately, that only happened once.

[@oldmanshreds]

Risky thing to do, but when you are confident with the choices then its for the better. Van Halen experimented too. I'm just being critical of actual brands not having this sort of research and development.

[@tim290280]

I hear what you're saying about contouring and ergonomics. I hadn't really given this a lot of thought until recently when I bought a Schecter 7-string. I'd been playing it for a bit, but the longer scale length and wider neck had given me thumb issues. So I pulled out one of my 6-stringers and immediately noticed the lines it was leaving in my forearm and leg. If only there was a way to combine all the features. Worth checking smaller builders who are listening.

[@oldmanshreds]

If only those CNC machines would be slightly adjusted to carve the preferred body :)

[@JD-vj4go]

I did this to my Schecter SLS 7. Doesn't look nice but plays better.

[@oldmanshreds]

I knew I wasn't alone in this endeavor.

[@miguelangelvacaheredia8230]

that cut is brilliant....I would love to have a LP with that.... I have a stratocaster...its the most confortable guitar to play...so ergonomic....

[@arthurpiccio7906]

That arm cutaway actually looks great, in my opinion. I love guitars that show honest wear and have mods that help honest work.

[@oldmanshreds]

Yes. It kinda "makes it yours" even more. If you google Jeff Becks Fender Esquire theres something very charming about it.

[@credibleink]

Great video. I’ve also been on the same journey to find the best guitar for me, but had only limited luck. I’ve reached a healthy compromise which includes buying a ‘Guitar Cushion’ to take some of the weight off and improve playing ergonomics. It’s baffling how many guitar brands don’t bother or care about weight, it seems. No guitar should be over 2kg imo and comfort should be a priority. I’m also astounded that companies don’t offer a contoured heel joint as standard. Glad to hear you’ve found your ideal / best solution! Enjoy.

[@oldmanshreds]

Thank you. We share the similar journey then and have to makedo what comes up. Similar thoughts as well. When a brand releases new stuff, I always check if anything is actually changed or is it just a copy-paste with new color and different pickups. Weight is such a weird thing too. Some brands (and artists) say that "guitar x" must be heavy, for authenticitys sake. Yet I read from news how the brand shop makes a lot of weight reliefed versions for artists, not just aging artists. But production model? No. Keep on playin'

[@27retrodaze]

Yeah i have a permanent indentation on my right forearm from playing my Dean Thoroughbred X (Les Paul)...

[@oldmanshreds]

Ouch. I hope it doesn't hurt.

[@necroticpoison]

I own a 2018 Pro Series Dinky and it's basically perfect. Was reasonably inexpensive and came with a hardshell. Ergonomic, sounds insanely good, super thin neck but one that's actually comfortable. Got it a few moths before the pandemic, so not only would you not get that quality within that tier, guitars in that tier now cost 25% more. Big brands seem to be going cheaper and cheaper but still labelling the same. Sure guitars these days are great but I imagine the covid flood of guitar sales prompted some unhealthy trends in profiteering. I think the golden thing to do now is what you've done. Get a guitar that is good enough, doesn't need to be 'wood library' or a USA, just good electronics, and most importantly good ergo/feel, and iron out all the things you don't like about it. Want a more natural neck, do it, want a compensated/graph tec nut, go for it, locking tuners the same, hell replace the bridge with one that feels right against your palm. Move the control knobs, sand things down, even like in the video cut an arm curve, and you can also always refine/go further if needed/wanted. Great vid

[@oldmanshreds]

Thank you. That's right, buying the "ok/good" and making it great on your own might be the way to go. Modding sometimes might be two-edged sword where one might end up ruining something. So, it took a lot of uncomfortable playing to be sure of the change I wanted to make. I guess it depends how one sees the own guitar journey. I'm still thriving for the ideal instrument that gives you a sense of flow where you "forget" the instrument and just create music.

[@ragnarokandroll2638]

A guitar is a tool, you and everyone should absolutely mod them until they are adequate to ones taste.

[@SenTientT2]

I’ve done the same on my Tele, much more comfortable

[@sergeyv4908]

next one is belly cut. Really must. Some people says what Satriani Ibanez is very comfortable guitar.

[@ryansens6072]

Strandberg might be a company worth checking out, if you havent already. Their whole aim is to provide the most ergonomic guitars possible. They have an affordable model called the Boden essential, a 6 string hardtail. Its a similar price to the ltd EC guitars I believe

[@notyou6674]

i think if i was rich i would buy the highest end prs and then do a video of myself doing the most horrific mods possible while acting like i didn't know any better. like sawing off the horns or something to "save weight" and then painting the bare wood with a brush and acrylic paint or something.

[@skippityblippity8656]

Dude same honestly Tonewood this Pickup magnet that Thats all bullshit I want to know if the neck is well made because thats the PART that you ACTUALLY TOUCH ALL THE TIME Im so fed up with these low resolution guitar tests Is it a good quality product yes or no This was good to hear that other people think the same

[@EP-dy7rq]

funny, recently I was thinking about doing the same thing in my V

[@1man1guitarletsgo]

It's a good idea, but you could have made a removable arm rest that would have left the guitar intact. So could I, when I took a belt sander to my red Telecaster to make a forearm contour and belly cut, but at least that didn't have binding, and I was able to respray the whole body.

[@oldmanshreds]

Naah, I'm not into separate attachments. Has to be done in the actual thing, to see how it should really be.

[@daved2352]

I have an Ibanez BTB series Bass and when I joined a band playing thrash metal in 2008 i found my pinky finger was going numb when I played it with a pick. Do I took a belt sander to it and carved in a forearm chamfer and it plays like a dream now

[@oldmanshreds]

@@daved2352 Good solution, and then you can concentrate just to the music. Thrash Metal is dear to my heart ❤️

[@vicioannou]

Nice mods 👍 For me, I would bring colour & binding down where carved out to look like done from factory 🏭 But that’s my OCD 😅

[@ShaelynneDFuller]

I'm thinking that if you carve a radius out of that contour so that your arm fits into it, would make it even more comfortable to play.

[@oldmanshreds]

ESP has the signature model 'Crying Star' of Syu from the band Galneryus. If you look at the design, it kinda has that kind of radius. I'd be happy to try one out but ordering from Japan... But yeah, most definitely I'd take that into consideration with possible reshaping a guitar to feel it out. Thanks.

[@totallyunmemorable]

I'm having the same issue with my Teles. That sharp edge makes it harder to play. I would have no issue at all with adding a Strat-like arm-cut, except that it would booger up the finish. I've been meaning to get around to seeing if I could find a guitar re-finisher who could match new finish to the old, and have it look like it came that way from the factory.

[@oldmanshreds]

That's the feature I've heard from many tele players. "It's uncomfortable from here but you still gotta have one!" :) A good luthier can do the finish, like my local one. Schecter PT Special is a tele with the arm contour. For possible idea, google Fender Jeff Beck Esquire.

[@totallyunmemorable]

@@oldmanshreds Yeah, I'm familiar. I can do the woodworking myself, I've done that kind of stuff for decades. But I hate any sort of finish work. Never comes out right for me.

[@GUITAR_NUT]

Check out warmoth, i believe they offer strat style comfort contours for tele bodies. Could be worth a look

[@Zombie_13x33]

im turning 40 this month. ive always had issues with my hands but it never really interfered with my guitar playing until recently and ive been really focusing on my picking hand and how hard i grip it cus thats my issue i think. my fret hand gets the normal finger tip pressure pain once and a while. more when i play with really thick stings for low tunings. luckily i enjoy E standard the most lol. great video man. i like the mod too. if it ever really bothered you, you could just stain the exposed wood in your prefered color and make it more of a feature. but it kinda already looks like that in the natural look. reminds me of how we used to finish the edges of kitchen counters with a 45 degree router bit to expose the wood under framica. i think all guitars should have that arm cut. i dont know why they dont. my jackson dinky carve top doesnt have it but it would be nice if it did. my soloist has it tho but its a flat top body. thats kinda the way they all do it.

[@oldmanshreds]

Thank you for the comment. Brands really love their original designs, and deviate from those only half-way.

[@FilinMXr]

I'm just in the beginning of my guitar journey but I quickly realized that egronomics are arguably the most important thing about the guitar. And if the popular body shapes are uncomfortable to you, things start to get tricky. At this point ordering a custom body and a neck is probably the best option, but you need to know exactly what you want to not waste money on a guitar with zero resale value. And that knowledge only comes with experience and trial and error.

[@oldmanshreds]

That's the eternal dilemma. And everyone has their own journey to do. Play the hell out of the guitar you have and make notes what you like and dislike about it. It'll save money in the long run.

[@diarrhea6344]

I got a guitar yesterday and I am just learning it. The design and shape are amazing and it fits me perfectly. It was actually very cheap because of a sale so I really hit the jackpot on it.

[@oldmanshreds]

@@diarrhea6344 What did you get?

[@breakfastbuddy5]

just use a grinder and make your own contours ,

[@oldmanshreds]

I did

[@BushidoPhoto]

Have you tried playing a Fender Jazzmaster? I have a lot of expensive big brand guitars and my Jazzmaster is the most comfortable for me of all of them.

[@oldmanshreds]

Thank you for commenting. I have but it's not only about the shape of the body. Scale lenght, bolt-on, radius etc come into consideration and Jazzmaster does not cut it for me. Fender would have the power to divide their lineup to completely embrace the historical models and start a full on modern lineup, and do models with set-through, set-neck, variable scale lenghts and bridges, even headless. The Squier parallel universe models take things the half-way.

[@Cashrock]

It's your guitar so do whatever, but what I don't get is why not buy a guitar that already has a comfort cut, it seems a bit of a shame to do that to a guitar and should you ever want to resell it the value will have plummeted. Not to mention it looks kinda bad. But hey, you do you, have a good one.

[@oldmanshreds]

@@Cashrock I did explain in the video why it came to this 😏 Yes I do as I want, no desire to resell. Besides, second hand market is so full of stuff that resell values have completely plummeted. But thats a talk for another time.

[@Lordofmrak]

Just buy Yamaha Revstar and problem solved... Same price for Standard model, even a little bit cheaper, no problem with the shape.

[@oldmanshreds]

Those were very hard to get once I learned about the model. It came to point where I wait for 4 months to try one or pay 899 for it, or solve current issue right there and then with couple bucks and sanding. I hear it's a good model and hope to try it out one day. Also this again proves my fatigue of yet again, buying and selling another guitar. Hope you understand.

[@fs7572]

That´s the reason why I don't play Teles and LPs. Uncomfortable instruments for me. I did the same cut on a Musician Luke and a Strandberg. They have a shape, but it was still not OK for my arm ;-)

[@oldmanshreds]

Have a picture of the Luke?

[@fs7572]

@@oldmanshreds kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5C5ipiOeLpgrqssi=0rCpIUvSMM9oDnnV

[@fs7572]

@@oldmanshreds to cover it up, i painted a kind of black burst. works fine :-)

[@oldmanshreds]

@@fs7572 That looked very nice

[@-whiskey-4134]

I know how you feel about stretches with small hands. My suggestion is to pick up a cheap bass. I started on guitar for stringed instruments, and moved to bass later when I realized that’s what I really wanted to play. Eventually worked my way up to a 6 string bass with jumbo frets. Now a 4-5 fret stretch on bass is equivalent to 6-7 frets on my extended range jumbo fret guitars, and about 8 frets on a standard guitar. I’m actually selling my guitars because I barely touch em anymore. Despite having small hands, guitars are just too small and cramped for me now and too uncomfortable to play lol but yeah, get s cheap sub $100 Glarry bass or something like that, play it a bit, and see how much of a stretch you can develop. The 2 basses I play most are Ibanez extended range ones. One being a GSR206 (entry level 6 string) and an RG605E (5 string just below their premium basses, but with the same on board electronics). But even just a standard 4 string would get the job done. I could even suggest a a cheap second hand Ibanez GSRM200 Mikro bass, which is a short scale bass with the same scale length as most guitars. Had one of those as a travel bass for a while because it was nice and small compared to my other basses. Just learn some simple songs like Tool’s Forty-Six & Two, The Pot, Schism. I’m only 5’6” at and my hands are small and I thought I’d never be able to play extended range basses. I stuck with it and my stretches naturally just got bigger and bigger and I didn’t realize it until I actually picked up a guitar again after a while. It can really help. As for the weight issue, look for “zero gravity” straps. They help distribute the weight really well and make them feel much lighter. My heaviest bass is 18lbs and zero gravity straps make it feel so much lighter and have helped reduce a lot of shoulder and back pain. Makes it much easier to play standing up.

[@oldmanshreds]

@@-whiskey-4134 Thanks! Actually got Yamaha budget bass recently, to track basslines for my songs.

[@adamelliott9581]

Nice

[@VgnGuerrilla]

I really appreciate your insight. I experience many of the same things. And in the end ill probably ending up cutting out the angle for an armrest. You made q lot of good points. Thanks!

[@oldmanshreds]

Thank you for commenting. I could have gone on and on about each and every model I've tried but just ranting gets me nowhere. Still, there much to talk and think about these issues. Even the physiotherapist I've met, had lots to say about what musical instruments are good or bad for human physiology.

[@rustyshackleford9557]

When I was a kid, you couldn't give a Fender Mustang away. I had one and a nice Kramer case that was about an inch too short and a chainsaw, 😢.....

[@iursnitram]

Your Quest had clearly a misaligned neck. Also that version with the angled frets has a thinner neck.

[@oldmanshreds]

I think so too, but now I have trust issues with that Ibanez shop 😬

[@vicioannou]

What your thoughts on the high action on LP’s? I’m a Telecaster player bcs of low action 😃 I’d like to know if anyone has been able to get similar action to Fender’s?

[@oldmanshreds]

I've managed to have low action on all guitars. I don't have them super low since I want to avoid unnecessary fret buzz that may occur. On my LTD the action is "semi-low". Have not measured it.

[@vicioannou]

@@oldmanshreds do you think your LTD is lower action than Gibson LP? I sold my LP bcs the high action!!

[@SteveHubbardGuitar]

Did you a consider a Suhr Modern?

[@oldmanshreds]

Nope. They are out of my price range and for some reason, they don't disclose the scale length. I wonder why.

[@SteveHubbardGuitar]

@@oldmanshreds All Suhrs (except for their limited 'Aura' are 25.5". If you can find one to try I still recommend it, as there are plenty of used Moderns floating around. IMO it's better to spend more on one guitar which you're completely satisfied with, than jumping from guitar to guitar and accepting 'issues'. This has been my experience with gear.

[@lulapt2030]

Just buy a strat bro

[@oldmanshreds]

NO

[@lulapt2030]

@@oldmanshreds 🤣

[@EricClapton1945]

Very gay

[@oldmanshreds]

Oh hi Eric

[@TheShrededward]

I gave you five minutes, and you didn't even get to the answer. Sorry dude, but my time is valuable.

[@oldmanshreds]

Thank you for commenting. The answer was there in the last couple minutes.

[@LuckyHunter-er2mb]

you should just watch shorts, or speed up the video to 150%

[@meistariaron1854]

@@oldmanshreds so you made a 2 min video and thought to add 6 min of you ranting first ?

[@oldmanshreds]

@@meistariaron1854 Yes. Maybe. I guess? 🤷

[@mikeybeazley3]

Lmao, it’s an 8 minute video… if you didn’t want to/have time to watch the whole thing, don’t click on it.

[@leehenderson8132]

NOPE.NOT NEVER.WRONG STYLE INSTRUMENT. CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT?

[@oldmanshreds]

See what?

[@infinidominion]

"not never" kinda means always 😂

[@scozz6139]

Would you like some cheese with your whine?

[@oldmanshreds]

Certainly.

[@kennethmurphy7150]

Lose 20 kilos and your problems will disappear.

[@oldmanshreds]

Ok, will do that.

[@chippsterstephens6800]

Bull, I am old, my lp, my teles , all have zero Strat contours. Nor my classicals or acoustics. I have gotten to be a better guitar player with age. You are making excuses for not practicing. And that that! Sorry the truth is what it is.

[@oldmanshreds]

You've not only missed the whole point, if you even watched the video, but also confused practicality and practising. It's a bizarre backwards thinking that one having nerve pain, should just do more of what causes the pain. That is not a problem-solving, that is gatekeeping.

[@fender42421]

long video didnt watch but let me guess... comfort?? lol get over it and be a real guitarist lol

[@oldmanshreds]

@@fender42421 Thank you for your wise and insightful comment. The Real Guitarists United Association would like to thank you and offer the original Jeff Beck Fender Esquire. I'm sure you know that iconic model.

[@fender42421]

@@oldmanshreds wow never made a youtube video before and not like what you see in the comments lol... was i right though? you did it for comfort? dont have to get so butthurt at honest opinions.... gues the "real guitarist " thing got to you... i can play al sorts of guitasrs.... would love to see with an ovation, "it keeps sliding off my lap i need to add a right angle...lol they make all kinds of guitars and shapes to suit your needs... dont need an esp ltd cheapo to do this lol. cheers and hope this helps you in your quest for guitar prowess!

[@oldmanshreds]

@@fender42421 Thank you, that was very helpful.

[@thomassommeryns4987]

@@oldmanshreds Don't listen to that prat :)

[@fender42421]

@@thomassommeryns4987 best part about online is he doesnt have to listen to any of us prats... lol create content and dont read the comments and youll be fine lol

[@troybenfield5309]

Raise your music up, or your neck will have problems😢

[@oldmanshreds]

Raise my what up?

[@troybenfield5309]

@@oldmanshreds your sheet music. Put it on a stand to not look down. Or your fingering diagrams. Avoid cervical flexion. Ask Tim pierce who's hands went numb.😟