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Question about routing pickup cavities and electro


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Well I am continuing to work on my first guitar. I have just glued the KOA top to the body. What an experience to date. The rough cutting of the top and body with a bandsaw is very easy. (By the way I used the shop at WOODCRAFT in Springfield, VA-great people and very helpful.) The routing of both pieces went okay, I snagged a bit on the horn of the body, but with a little sanding things seemed to take shape (a learning lesson). Prior to gluing, I thought that this was going to be simple. however, what a mess, glue was everywhere. Onceagain a lesson learned- I must have used too much. However, I did my best to clean it up while it was wet and sanded the rest.

Tele project

I have two questions:

1. What is the best method for gluing a top to the body. I believe mine turned out okay, but it was a mess-I have nothing to compare it to.

2. Is it possible to drill the cavities for the electronics without routing from the top? In other words, I would like to keep the top clean without a pickguard. I am wondering if it is possible to drill the channels for the wires after routing the pickup cavities. I am hoping to drill from within the pickup cavity.

Thanks,

Bill

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Yes, you can route the cavity for the control from the back and then link them to the p'up cavities by drilling. In Hiscock's book, he makes a Tele with a pair of humbuckers, rear routed, no pickguard.

So, you cut both the top and back to their Tele profile and then glued them together? It's more common to glue the board together unshaped. If one part is shaped, it can be the template for routing out the other part. Glue is going to get squeezed out, whatever you do. If you want to keep things lined up while you're gluing, you can drill alignment holes, in both parts, and use pins to keep things from shifting.

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Yes, I did cut the body and top prior to gluing. I thought that is the advice several people on this forum gave me from a previous post, but I miught have miss understood their responses. The gluing running out was expected, but lining up my center lines for top and body was a bit more difficult than I thought. Next time I will cut only one before gluing. It looks like there is a pretty tight fit all the way around. I did do a little sanding today where the top overhung the body ever so slightly.

Now I must order a set of pickups. Anyone ever use the Harmonic design Super 90? What are your thoughts?

BIll

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