Muddd Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 (edited) Im planing out my next project to build a tele from scratch and i have run into an issue. So after i use my template and route out the place for the pickups and controls how am i supposed to make that tunnel for the wires to run from th eneck pickup to the controls? I am really worried and i hope there is a simple answer to this. Thanks in advance for any help. Edited April 6, 2006 by Muddd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdw3332 Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Get a long drill bit - I think mine is 1/4" and 12" long. They sell them at Home Depot type places. Drill from the neck pocket through the pup routs and then from the bridge pup rout into the control cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Or directly from the neck pocket via the neck pickup rout to the control cavity. The "original" fender way of doing it was a ROUTED chanel (under the pick guard) between the neck and the control cavity, not routed all the way to the other routs, and then everything is connected using short drills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 If you're putting a pickguard on there, go ahead a route a channel from neck pickup diagonally towards the control cavity, and just drill a couple of short connecting holes to the cavities themselves. That's standard construction, AFAIK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 A telecaster without its pickguard is a naked, ugly beast. Think of watching some 60-year-old tourist woman walking around topless on a beach (which is pretty much the only femals going topless over here these days ) Actually, my telecaster (not a Fender body) is drilled through the neck pickup cavity to a short routed section approximately midway to the control cavity. Then a second channel is drilled through that to the control cavity. The bridge pickup cavity is drilled straight through to the control cavity, no routing. But if you have a really long drill bit, you can drill straight through the neck pocket all the way to the bridge pickup cavity. Then there's no need to route at all. That's a good option is you really don't want a pickguard. Here's a photo of the Bocaster (it's a modified telecaster body): One thing to watch out for if you don't have a really long drill bit --make sure you come in at an angle that doesn't let the drill chuck touch the body (I, uh, learned this one from experience ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGGR Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Getting a long drill bit is the way to go. You can drill in from the neck pocket down to the neck pup into the bridge pup cavity. From bridge pup cavity, you can drill into the control cavity. One point of warning though.....these drill bits, drilling them in long ways, tend to wobble and pop up in surprising places. Also it's best to use small sheet of metal or so, under the drill, as turning drill could cause damage to the neck pocket. Just be careful. Check and double check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axe_murderer Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 (edited) you can also use a long thin drillbit on a dremel flexshaft.... the shaft is usually very flexible, and will allow you more angle ... I haven't tried this, just thinking of it as an idea... Edited April 6, 2006 by axe_murderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 I don't think I'd ever trust an 1/8" bit that long. I would certainly never put it in a dremel unless I had one of the footpedals so I could greatly reduce the speed. Dremels typically spin much, much faster than an ordinary hand drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axe_murderer Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 I don't think I'd ever trust an 1/8" bit that long. I would certainly never put it in a dremel unless I had one of the footpedals so I could greatly reduce the speed. Dremels typically spin much, much faster than an ordinary hand drill. yea..sorry should have mentioned that..I just assumed all dremels have speed adjustments.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 That's asside from the point. Using a dremel as a drill, especially in instances where you need a fairly precise, long chanel, just isn't a wise choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axe_murderer Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 That's asside from the point. Using a dremel as a drill, especially in instances where you need a fairly precise, long chanel, just isn't a wise choice. okay agreed.... personally I think he should router a channel, telecasters look odd withought a pickguard...routing would be the best...IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 The channel I'm always confused about running is the ground wire channel from the bridge for tuneomatic-equipped guitars. Anybody got any tips for those? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 The channel I'm always confused about running is the ground wire channel from the bridge for tuneomatic-equipped guitars. Anybody got any tips for those? You drill from the control cavity straight into the hole for the treble side post. You can use an ordinary drill bit for that, depending on how large you make the cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gripper Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 You should be able to drill all of them using a 12" x 1/4" bit by going through the output jack hole. And I am generously overlooking that comment about Teles without pickguards. Neither of mine need one. Naked Teles ROCK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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