2010-12-17

All Together Now! A Guitar is Born...

I drilled a 3/8" hole with a spade bit from the neck pickup to the bridge pickup for the neck pickup wires.  Like a true genius I allowed the drill bit extender to gouge the surface of my neck pocket.  It looks crappy but no harm done I guess.  Dang.



I drilled 5/16" holes for the control pots.  The top one will be the master volume, and it will have a switch next to it.  The others, behind the bridge, are individual volume/tone pairs for the pickups.


I routed like a fiend, using the same template I used for the pickups.  I cleaned up some messes with a good sharp chisel (my new best friend in the shop).  The bottom cavity is for the master volume.  Are you wondering what that semi-circular relief is for?  Thinking maybe it's clearance for a potentiometer?  Think again - it's damage from an angry router bit that I prettied up somewhat.  Wonderful!


Here's my genius pickup mounting technique.  I made aluminum bits to span the pickup routes and function like a pickup ring does.


EMG solderless wiring is pretty cool.  Again, the uninhabited cavity on the left is for the master volume when I receive it in the mail.  And the pickup selector switch when I figure out how to mount one.


The guitar body assembled:


I played it.  The bridge pickup is working and the neck pickup is not...time for troubleshooting.  It sounds very nice, I believe.  I'll reserve judgement until I hear the neck pickup.

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