Cutaway
A scooped section of the body beside the neck that gives the fretting hand access to the upper frets.
Without a cutaway the heel of the body blocks the hand beyond about the twelfth fret, which is why most modern instruments have at least one. A single cutaway is the traditional shape, while a double cutaway frees both sides of the neck and usually improves balance on a strap. The shape is also structural: removing wood there reduces body mass and changes how the instrument resonates, and makers choose the depth of the cut to trade access against tone.
Example: The scooped shoulder beside the neck on a solid-body electric, letting the hand reach the highest frets, is a cutaway.
See also
Related
- PageBody
- PageNeck pocket
- PagePlayability
- PageAction
- PageArchtop
- PageB-Bender
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley