How Would You Rout This Out?

[bluesman94]

I'm building a guitar similar to an Explorer Pro (however it is a neck thru, with the body wings not glued on yet) and I need some help figuring out how to rout for the wires.

This is a normal explorer. They can just cover up all the routing with the pickguard though:

However on an explorer pro, it is all done through the back.

What's bothering me is that I'm not sure how to connect the control cavity and the pup selector cavity.

I don't think my drill is going to be able to get the correct angle if I just try to go in at an angle.

This is the back of an explorer pro,

link

Please help me figure this out!

One pic per post except in the In progress and finished work section, Links to all others, Just a friendly reminder. MK

Edited August 31, 2008 by MiKro

[heggis]

If the wings aren't glued on yet, you can just route a channel in the blank between the two control cavities (on the side of the blank where you will be gluing it to the central core). Depending on the width of your central core, this channel could also go through the pickup cavities, making wire access very easy.

Heggis

Edited August 31, 2008 by heggis

[Acousticraft]

Ive got a few couple of boys at my high school building Explorers.

I drilled a hole from the front pickup cavity to the selector cavity hole so it only needs a small cavity cover at the back as does the pot cavity. You need a long drill bit and mark out the angle with a pencil line so you can line up the drill bit. A little tricky but not too bad.

[j. pierce]

I've used the "route a channel in the side of the wings/core before gluing the neck through to the wings" method mentioned by Heggis before. Turned out ot be useless, as I used a bit too much glue and the channel filled. If you go that route, be careful with the gluing! It's a good idea though, and works well. Another method I'd seen somewhere on this forum was to then put soda straws in channel before gluing, to prevent glue squeezeout from filling the channels.

[WezV]

the channel in the side of the neck blank is the neatest and safest way i can think to do it. dont make it too shallow, or use too much glue and it will still be there when you route for your pickups

[jaycee]

the channel in the side of the neck blank is the neatest and safest way i can think to do it. dont make it too shallow, or use too much glue and it will still be there when you route for your pickups

Yeah I go with this one as well. Melvyn Hiscock does it to one of the guitars he builds in his book

[bluesman94]

That's perfect! Thanks so much WezV.

I have another question about the "ground-wire from bridge."

I'm going to be installing a floyd. What part of the bridge do I solder the wire to?

[WezV]

the trem claw works well

[bluesman94]

excellent, thanks man

[killemall8]

i want to know,

do people really like the switch in that place in the first place? i hate it there. very inconvenient, and is pretty much impossible to switch in the middle of a riff.

[bluesman94]

i want to know,

do people really like the switch in that place in the first place? i hate it there. very inconvenient, and is pretty much impossible to switch in the middle of a riff.

I tried one out at guitar center, and it didn't give me any problems.

Besides, I'm going to have 3 knobs and 2 mini toggle switches, so I'd rather not crowd everything together in the corner.

(hijacking my own thread)

Does anyone have any experience with these "Original Fender No Load Pots"?

Would they be hard to turn down quickly in the middle of the song if they "click" into 10?

Edited September 1, 2008 by bluesman94

[CrazyManAndy]

You can make them yourself with regular pots. Simply scrape a little off the end of the track inside the pot. There is a tutorial on the main page. And you don't have worry about the "click".

CMA

Edited September 1, 2008 by CrazyManAndy

[cherokee6]

you could also use a flexible shaft on your drill so you can drill the wire holes straight.