Electric Guitar Body Shapes: The Complete Guide
Electric Guitar Body Shapes: The Complete Guide
From the plain slab of the first TL-style to the sharp points of an 80s metal guitar, electric guitar body shapes tell you a lot about how a guitar sounds, feels and balances. This guide walks through the main shapes by family, explains what changes from one to the other, and links each one to the kit you can make it from.
What a body shape changes
- Comfort: contours (a bevel for the arm, a belly cut at the back) make a body sit closer to you.
- Access to the high frets: one cutaway, two, or a deep scoop decides how easily you reach the top of the neck.
- Balance: a short upper horn or a heavy headstock makes a guitar neck-heavy on a strap.
- Weight and sound: solid, chambered or semi-hollow bodies change weight, sustain and how much the guitar feeds back. The wood matters too: see our guitar body wood guide.
The classic shapes
TL-style: the original single cutaway
A flat slab with one cutaway and no contours. Simple, bright and twangy, with a bolt-on neck. It is still one of the easiest shapes to finish at home. Make one with the TL Classic DIY Kit – Ash, Chrome, from $220.
ST-style: the contoured double cutaway
Two offset horns, an arm bevel and a belly cut. The most comfortable classic shape and the base of countless variations. Make one with the ST Classic Kit – Ash, Chrome, from $220.
Single cut with a carved top
A thick, heavy body with one cutaway and an arched maple top over mahogany. Warm, thick tone and long sustain, with a set or bolt-on neck. See the Single Cut Kit Spalted Maple Black, or the flat-top Single Cut Junior P90 Kit.
Double cut with pointed horns
Thin, light and symmetrical, with two sharp horns and full access to the top frets. A rock classic. See the Solid-G Kit Flame Maple Ebony and the Double Cut Kit Ash Burl.
PR-style
A double cut halfway between the ST and the single cut: carved top, slim horns, comfortable and versatile. See the PR DIY Kit – Spalted Maple, Gold.
Semi-hollow and thinline shapes
Semi-hollow (335-style)
A large, thin, double cut body with hollow wings and a solid centre block. Warm and airy, with less feedback than a full hollow body. See the ES335 Kit Bigsby (Mahogany).
Thinline
A solid shape with one hollow chamber and an f-hole. Lighter, with a more open sound. See the TL Thin Semi-Hollow Kit (Ash).
RK-style
A semi-hollow with a sweeping upper horn and a slash sound hole, famous for its jangle. See the RK Semi Hollow Kit (Mahogany).
Offset shapes
Offset (Jazzmaster-style and Jaguar-style)
The waist is shifted, so the body sits comfortably when you play seated. Long and elegant (Jazzmaster-style) or compact with a shorter scale (Jaguar-style). See the Jazzmaster DIY Kit - Ash, Gold and the Jaguar DIY Kit (Ash, Chrome).
Angular and pointy shapes
Explorer-style
Big, angular and striking, with a long lower point. Heavy mahogany and a lot of presence. See the Explorer Kit Mahogany - EXP Chrome.
V-style
Two wings and nothing between them. Great access to the frets, awkward to play seated, unbeatable on stage. See the Flying V Kit Mahogany, Gold.
Firebird-style
A long, stepped body where the treble side is longer than the bass side, with a neck-through feel. Read the Firebird story and see the FB DIY Kit – Mahogany, Gold.
Pointy shapes: Mockingbird, Razorback, Warlock-style
The 80s and 90s metal family: sharp horns, cut-outs and spikes. See the Mockingbird Kit Floyd Rose, Black, the Razorback Kit (Mahogany, Black) and the SOB Kit Mahogany – DIY.
Iceman-style
An asymmetric shape with a hooked lower horn, a 70s classic. See the Iceman Kit Ash - DIY Guitar.
Modern shapes
Superstrat
An ST-style body with deeper cutaways, a slimmer neck joint, hot pickups and often a locking tremolo: built for speed. See the Jackson Dinky Kit Quilted Maple and the MJ Kit Ash Chrome (Black).
Headless
A tiny body with the tuners at the bridge and no headstock. Light, perfectly balanced and ideal for travel. See the Headless DIY Kit - Steinberger.
All the body shapes at a glance
| Shape | Type | Typical sound | Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| TL-style | Single cut, flat | Bright, twangy | TL Classic DIY Kit – Ash, Chrome |
| ST-style | Double cut, contoured | Clear, versatile | ST Classic Kit – Ash, Chrome |
| Single cut, carved top | Single cut, thick | Warm, long sustain | Single Cut Kit Spalted Maple Black |
| Double cut, pointed horns | Double cut, thin | Mid-heavy rock | Solid-G Kit Flame Maple Ebony |
| PR-style | Double cut, carved | Balanced, versatile | PR DIY Kit – Spalted Maple, Gold |
| Semi-hollow | Double cut, hollow wings | Warm, airy | ES335 Kit Bigsby (Mahogany) |
| Thinline | Single cut, one chamber | Open, light | TL Thin Semi-Hollow Kit (Ash) |
| Offset | Shifted waist | Rich, surf, indie | Jazzmaster DIY Kit - Ash, Gold |
| Explorer-style | Angular | Thick, powerful | Explorer Kit Mahogany - EXP Chrome |
| V-style | Two wings | Punchy, rock | Flying V Kit Mahogany, Gold |
| Firebird-style | Long, stepped | Bright, cutting | FB DIY Kit – Mahogany, Gold |
| Superstrat | Deep double cut | High gain, fast | Jackson Dinky Kit Quilted Maple |
| Headless | Minimal | Tight, modern | Headless DIY Kit - Steinberger |
How to choose a body shape
- You play seated a lot: ST-style, offsets, single cut. Avoid the V.
- You want the lightest guitar: headless, thinline, or a double cut with pointed horns.
- You play high on the neck: double cuts, superstrats, V-style.
- It is your first build: a bolt-on TL-style or ST-style is the easiest to finish and set up.
- You want to make it all yourself: start from our unfinished guitar bodies or a blank, and pick a headstock to match (see our guide to headstock shapes).
FAQ
What are the main electric guitar shapes?
TL-style, ST-style, single cut, double cut, semi-hollow, offset, Explorer-style, V-style, Firebird-style, superstrat and headless are the main families.
Which body shape is most comfortable?
Contoured shapes: the ST-style with its arm bevel and belly cut, and the offsets, which sit well when you play seated.
Does body shape affect tone?
A little, through the size, weight and construction (solid, chambered or semi-hollow). Pickups and wood matter more than the outline.
What is a superstrat?
An ST-style body made for speed: deeper cutaways, a slim neck joint, hot pickups and often a locking tremolo.
Which shape is best for a first build?
A bolt-on TL-style or ST-style: flat or simple contours, easy to finish and to set up.
