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Now… drill away.
Clean the shavings, and insert the keys. Now if any are skewed, you drilled the small holes incorrectly and will have to correct.
Screw in the bushings finger tight. NOTE, on Schaller and Sperzel, the threads are very fine and cut into soft metal, stop at any sigh of resistance. You can cross thread these babies at the drop of a hat, so you want to be certain they are running in correctly. Now tighten with the appropriate socket, 10mm for Schaller, 7/16 for Sperzel… and use a CLEAN socket… the one you used to take the lawn mower apart last weekend is not cool.
We now have a very nice neck. And no, I cannot put the retainer in yet. Next up, the nut.
Now, the nut.
I stock the curved, and re cut it where necessary for a flat nut slot. No rocket science here, just be sure to hold it flat to the work table so the bottom is at 90 degrees.
Here you see before and after.
The raw nut is rarely the correct thickness, so it has to be lapped down to the correct size. I just use a piece of 320 grit on a good flat work surface.
Working it back and forth, making sure to apply even pressure and check often, what you want it a snug fit. Snug meaning you can press it in, and get it back out.
In that last shot, you can see the nut doesn’t fit in all the way, so back to the sand paper…I forgot to photograph it, but I’ll use a dial caliper to check to see that it’s consistent along the length.
It fits… so now lets get it ready for the slots. A raw nut is entirely too high and wide. So I mark it as seen here, I just leave enough so that I can slot it, then finalize the height.
Now back to the disk sander…
I use the stick to press it against the disk, and pressure with my finger to hold it flat.
Now the ends.
I just stay with it until it’s the correct length.
Now I cut the 1st and 6th string slots, allowing for enough relief at the edges… some like ‘em very close to the edges, some like ‘em all bunched up about in one notch. It just depends on what has been requested.
once those are cut, they become a reference for the Stew Mac nut slotting ruler. This is 25 bux well spent if you’re doing several guitars, and I know you will, won’t ya?
Now, using the Stew Mac tool, I mark the location of the remaining notches. One of the features of the Stew Mac Tool besides being over priced, is that is automatically spaces each string so they are visually evenly spaced. If you space them with dividers or any other means of marking at precise intervals, while correctly spaced, the look uneven.
I use an A-Xcto knife, with the tip of the blade broken off, this gives a very fine scratch tool that just fits inside the slots on the Stew Mac tool.
Once it’s marked, I go over it lightly with a pencil to highlight the marks.
Now I use one of the smaller nut files to cut a preliminary slot. I use the smaller file because it’s easier to see down the sides to get the slot cut exactly on the mark.
Now, I follow up with the correct file for the correct slot.
I do not try to cut them to the correct depth now. That happens during final setup. It is after that I finish shaping the nut then polish it.
Now, it’s time to place the string retainer.
I use a high precision tool to simulate the location of the 1st and 2nd strings…it’s called a string. I tape it to the fingerboard, run it down across the 1st string nut slot, around the key, loop it under and around the second key, across the 2nd string slot and tape the end. Phew, I’m tired.
Now take the retainer, place it over the string in the correct location, take an awl and mark the location of the screw. Drill a pilot hole and run it in…
As a tip, I always coat the screws with bee’s wax, an old candle will suffice too. This facilitates running the screw in what can be very hard wood.
This baby’s done.
I’ll now make me a subtle note to remind myself of anything I need to know when I begin final assembly in a few days.
This neck’s Made in the good ‘ol USA.
Final assembly begins in a day or so.
Now, WARNING!! WARNING!! Do not attempt the following, this is a demonstration only, performed by trained professionals, a totally crazy professional too.
In all reality, often the posts can make a procedure look deceptively simple. Don’t try this stuff until you have practiced extensively. There are quite a few snafus that can pop up and turn a perfectly complete body into fire wood.
As I’ve said often, practice makes the difference.
Now that the body is lacquered, wet-sanded, and polished, it’s time to get out one more little tool to finish it off.
Those that have seen my guitars know that I recess the neckplate, and on a Strat, the back tremolo spring cover plate, and on the front the jack plate. The problem, you cannot make a generic template to rout for these components because they always show up made to slightly different measurements.
Making a generic template would result in a margin so large and sloppy on most parts, that is would actually look worse than just smackin’ em on top like you know who. So first I take a template I have made that is a few thousandths too small for most neck plates.
Rout a little to check depth. I want the neck plate to be a few thousandths above the surrounding lacquer.
I now make the first pass with the router then using a high grade retainer attached to the neck plate try the fit. Oh, the reason the neck plates are different sizes is, the edges are ground prior to chrome plating, then polished. The difference can be as much as 1/32 of an inch which may not seem like much, but sitting in a recess, the error sticks out like Bebe Netanyahu at a Hamas “Covered dish” get-together.
The same is true of the back trem cover and the Jack plate.
I now check the fit. I do not want to have to press it in. It should drop freely but with no more than the thickness of a piece of paper around it. Why? Because the wood will shrink and swell, the lacquer gets brittle over time. Shrinking wood + brittle lacquer + non yielding steel plates = cracks.
Now, if it fits… some times it does… cool go with it, but if not we have to make the recess, ummmmm, test recess here, a crack larger. Here’s how to do it. Notice in the router photo above, you will see the brass template guide. You MUST use that method because despite all the advertising about your router, the template guide and router bit will NOT be exactly concentric with each other, one side will be a wee bit closer. We use this inaccuracy to out advantage. Remember what your Father taught ya about taking advantage of an opportunity.
Note the position of the router during your first pass. Place the router back in the template, turn it on… or turn it on, and place it in the template, carefully move it to one corner, and rotate the router 1/8 turn… and make another pass around the perifperhy of the template. Remove the router and recheck with the neck plate.
Oh yeah, I’ll keep a handful of neck plates because since they’re different sized I may luck out and find one that fits perfectly, but if not…. Rout…
Rotate.
Check again. If is still doesn’t fit. Repeat the above. Here’s to consider. Say the router is 1/64th off center relative to the template guide. After rotating the router, in 8 different steps around the template, it will have enlarged the recess by 1/32 inch both length wise and width… that’s a lot, and actually you do not want a margin that large. If this doesn’t work, (it will) you’re skrued. Throw it in the fire.
Stay with it until you have this result.
You now know about what to expect as you have a go at the body. Ready?
White knuckle time.
Take the plate and locate it over the screw holes. Note, when you tighten the screws the countersunk design will force the neckplate in the direction as indicated by the relationship of the screw hole to the hole in the plate. They rarely are perfect. So you want the plate to get forced AWAY from the thin edges of the body.
The template is specifically designed with a hi-tec material so as to NOT scratch the already finished body. This is the “Bounty” brand. I use a light mist of 3M – 77 spray adhesive to hold it.
And another thing… double stick tape?? Maybe, maybe not. The solvents that keep the tape’s stickum sticky can eat into the lacquer, which also reminds me. As we move ahead, whenever you place tape of any kind on a lacquer surface, ASSUME it’s going to eat into it, so do whatever needs to be done, and get it off. NOW!!
Now carefully place the template over the neck plate without bumping it like I do 9 out of 10 times.
Gently clamp it in position.
Another “feel” thing. If you clamp too hard, the lacquer cracks, too little and the template moves, converting your body into fire wood.
I give it a little tug to be certain it’s not going to move with the light pressure of the router against the template. When you’re confident, go get those antique rosary beads your great grand Mother gave you when you were 3, fall to your knees, use ‘em, then rout a small section in the center to check depth. It’ll be OK unless you have moved the bit. You didn’t I trust, because if you did, the relationship of the bit to the template guide changed, changing how many 1/8 turns you will need to get the recess the correct size, so you have go all the way back to the beginning. But if not, rout the Mutha.
Now you repeat what you did with the test, you will have something like this, I hope. But not as much as you hope.
now take a dry paper towel and lightly burnish the lacquer “fuzz” off the edge…
Now, it’s DOUBLE whammy white knuckle time.
OH the templates. I made them by hand with files, sanding drums and whatever I could find. Don’t ask. If you cannot make your own templates using the part as a start point you have no business even trying this. Lots of guys get ticked thinking that I’m being condescending with that statement, I’m not. It’s just the simple truth. You have to have some level of skill, and I do mean skill, to do this kind of detail work. And you have to be aware of many little things that can cause ruin… like a dull bit that will cause the lacquer, poly or whatever you have it finished with to chip and flake all around the edge of whatever you’re routing. Stuff like that just comes from getting your feet wet. And going to confession the next day.
After YOU have made your template, you gotta test it, so cut one in scrap whatever, about .030 +- (depends on your part) deep, check with the jack plate upside down.
Dammm. First time. But if your template creates a recess too small, cut out the test piece so you can fit the piece in right side up. You cannot depend on the fit upside down, these things are never symmetrical. never. So one side may be correct and the other may be off a crack. If so, file, sand or scare a few thousandths off the inside edge corresponding to where the recess rout needs to be enlarged. If too large, add a layer or two of tape to reduce the size of the template.
Complicated. Yep, and this is necessary on every single jack plate you do. The way they are stamped creates slightly different sizes, and on the better pieces, the edges are ground before plating, so until they create a CNC machine that can stand there all day hand grinding parts, they’re going to be different sizes.
Stay with it until the jack plate fits the recess. Oh on all these operations, note the position of the router, always hold it in the same position as you did for the test cut. We are making hand cuts to a few thousandths inch accuracy, move something wrong, and it’s back to confession.
Now… place the jack plate on the body.
Ok, so the plate is just sitting there….. take your template and place it over the work area.
Now, without moving the template, remove the jack plate, it should be relatively symmetrical appearing. If so, clamp it down. Again the guitar’s surface is protected by a plush paper towel, and don’t crack the lacquer.
Now use what ever template guide and bit. Oh, for the jack plate the bit needs to be no larger than 3/16th diameter to cut the radius for the sharp round point, 1/2 inch everyone has isn’t gonna cut it, no pun intended. And make your cut. I nip the top of the body cavity to check depth.
If good, do it, but move slow. Lacquer can be a bit trying.
Well what do ya think, did I do it? Or are we back to raw lumber?
Tadaaaaaa… boy, you'd think I knew what I was doin’ heheh dun fooled muhsef…
Because the underside is rounded due to the stamping process, you must relieve the hard edge. I use a Dremel.
And this is what you wind up with.
But we aren’t done yet. Now it’s on to the Mega Double whammy, upchuck, wherez the Dramamine, sweat bead time.
But first, I have to mount the tremolo.
I put a little tape, to be removed quickly, on the surface so I can draw pretty pictures.
I then place the tremolo in position.
Position the tremolo so the first string bridge is about 12 ¾ from the 12th fret. And mark the position. That’s what all the lines are above. I mark max forward, max back and full right and left, then position the tremolo in the middle of the marks. This gives clearance all around for full tremolo action.
Now just take a drill but of the same diameter as the screw holes and give a light twist. This will mark the location for the screw holes..
Drill your pilot holes and mount the tremolo.
I tighten the mounting screws until there is about 1/8th clearance across the back and it is level relative to the surface of the guitar.
At this point, we are ready to attack the Spring cover recess.
I forgot. . . again… before I mount the tremolo with the permanent screws. I temporarily mount it with a few small screws to lock its location so I can place the tremolo spring cover plate in the correct location.
I now place the tremolo over the tremolo unit aligning the string holes in the block with the access holes in the plate.
Then I outline it with tape.
Oh but first, back to the testing. Chromed tremolo spring cover plates are not uniform in dimension either. So you have to be accurate.
Take the template and cut a test in scrap whatever.
Using the same methodology as with the neck plate, rotate the router to get a perfect fit.
Check carefully. This is big… where little mistakes jump out and grab ya.
Once there, align the padded (again) template with the tape outline and note extreme precision in placement is not necessary, there’s plenty of wiggle room, you want it square relative to the body.
Mount the template and clamp. Don’t crack the lacquer, and check to be certain it isn’t going to move.
Then try a couple of test cuts to verify depth. Again I want the cover to stand proud of the surrounding surface just a few thousandths, that way, nothing snags on the lacquer’s edge.
Then follow the same procedure that gave you the perfect results during the test cut.
The results.
Not too shabby.
Please note! I completely neglected to mention: On the recesses, carefully coat the bare wood with lacquer, wax, shellac, or any film to seal it. Ya don't want some redneck's Budweiser splitting on the pig wire and splashing all over yer new geetar and gettin' under the parts during those Friday nite "socials".
Shielding a strat is much like any other choice made, it’s great, if ya like it, sux if ya don’t. For me, it don’t suck.
While it can be argued which method works best, conductive Paint, conductive adhesive metal foil, plain sheet metal, or the type of metal, what ever you choose will suffice. I use copper sheet…plain and simple.
I use the templates I used for the body to outline the bottoms of the various cavities.
No rocket science. Remember when your Mom would make you entertain your kid Sis by cutting out the paper dolls for her? OK, time to use whatcha learned.
Once they’re all cut out, I smooth ‘em out with a socket. it’s hard, smooth and presses ‘em really nicely.
Now, I burnish it with a 3M abrasive pad, so when someone takes a peek, it looks nice ‘n pretty.
You should have 4 nice flat pieces, ready for insertion… use plenty of Guitar Assembly grease too, seen here.
Now place them in the cavities… no adhesive required.
Once seated, I cut a strip 1½ by whatever the width of the roll of copper I currently have is, and spray the back with 3M 77 again. Oh after the steel socket flattening and the 3M pad burnishing.
Now I carefully (it’s sticky as heck) thread the copper around the edge of the cavity.
I press it firmly against the sides, first with my fingers, then do the corners with a hard tool.
Now cut a few ¾ inch strips..
Press ‘em with the socket, burnish ‘em with the 3M pad, spray the back, and thread ‘em around the cavities.
You should have something looking like this,
We now fire up the Weller.
Now I begin in the electronics cavity… IMPORTANT… quick fast heat here. The back of the guitar and all the beautifully polished lacquer is only about 1/8th inch away. Go berserk with the solder gun, and you will go even more berserk when you flip over the finished guitar only to discover burnt, bubbled lacquer. So small dots about an inch away. And quick about it. If it doesn’t catch the first time, move on, do another section and return when it has completely cooled.
The little tab I add to come up and make solid secure ground contact with the pickguard shield. I’ll trim it later.
Go all the way around. The spray adhesive will hold it in place until the heat hits it, so I touch the solder, let it flow, then press the copper tightly into the recesses with a tool, stick or whatever for a few seconds until it hardens. It then becomes self supporting.
Finished.
Now go back, take an awl and open the wiring access holes, one through to the spring cavity, and the other to the jack plate cavity.
OK guys… Home stretch…
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