Esquire Build (WIP)

Springywheel

Thought i’d start a thread to document the progress of my first guitar build, based on the Fender Esquire. Basically a telecaster without the neck pickup! Hoping that maybe beginners and even more experienced builders can pick up a few tips. 

.....

Routed out the body

https://i.postimg.cc/mgJHG4xL/87908-C8-B-1-D64-4645-9-BD7-2-A9578-A7-EDE4.jpg

Fibre glass tape in the truss rod slot for a snug fit..

https://i.postimg.cc/MHFLYH42/32-E05712-E9-C9-44-E6-8110-593-F76-E260-A4.jpg
Routed the neck. Radiused the body edges and roughed out an armrest. I’ll do the body contour after finalising the neck joint. 

https://i.postimg.cc/WzC9kKFs/33-E15825-1-BA9-4-D45-8229-255-A27-E3634-F.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/cLq91pGm/94424056-8-C87-47-ED-A073-35-A0-E828-E643.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/mZ5pJcdK/E7-EEE125-7270-4-E82-BBD5-C05-ACECEE4-AC.jpg
Drilled out tuner holes..

https://i.postimg.cc/y8FfDLVz/FA064672-3-AD4-4430-A3-B7-613-D9-CBBAE54.jpg
Nails to hold fretboard in place and prevent slippage during the glue/clamping stage. The holes will be hidden by the frets. 
https://i.postimg.cc/Nf2CcgSF/BF57-A10-E-1760-42-A6-9-E1-D-5-DA5-E3-C3-AC5-B.jpg
Before clamping, I sandwiched the neck between a fretboard caul and strip of hardwood. The caul has holes for the nails. There’s a strip of cork glued to each side to accommodate the radiused fretboard (7.25”). In hindsight I should have used a thick piece of MDF as opposed to thin plywood. 

https://i.postimg.cc/L5QsBk29/41-F9257-D-71-CD-4563-B825-C18335-A2078-D.jpg

Next up is thinning out the headstock. I prepared for this yesterday by building a simple routing jig, which is basically a flat piece of MDF with two rails on either side to support the router base.

Edit: Phew... I’m glad to get through the gluing stage relatively unscathed. I wiped off most of the squeeze-out last night, but the titebond’s still made loads of mess on the fretboard sides. Nothing a bit of sanding can’t take care of though. It’s also seeped slightly into the ends of several fret slots but I can easily unclog those with a fret saw, or scalpel. 

Springywheel

Now onto the headstock. 

I’ve just realised the holes are way too tight for the tuner bushings.....I initially thought i could get away with hammering them in, but common sense has prevailed, and I’m pretty sure the wood will just end up splitting as it contracts. So I’ve ordered a tapered reamer off amazon to increase the diameter ever so slightly. I did ask for a reamer in B&Q but the guy looked at me suspiciously, as though I'd just asked where they kept the gimp suits.

Anyway, I used a basic jig for routing the thickness...two strips of MDF stacked on either side of the neck to guide the router + a strip of wood clamped down and used as a stop. I routed the thickness down to 15mm, taking off about a mm at a time. Takes a while longer but I don't want to take any chances with maple. I made my own router base out of acrylic (10" X 10") that spans the width of the jig. It also has other uses like providing better support for profile routing.     

Tomorrow I will carve out the slope leading from the top of the fretboard down to the headstock.   

  

Springywheel

Carved the slope at the headstock, and marked the facets in preparation for carving ...

https://i.postimg.cc/SNS31vxQ/B6732382-2-A25-4-A48-875-E-CA6-DFE7597-EB.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/PrScgQCW/390-D2-AF1-6-B7-D-4-DA5-AF51-EB7-F08-E01-ABE.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/rwbHmyCz/6271426-C-EC0-B-498-F-841-E-B3614884-F312.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/9XtsphVN/8-CB76898-9688-4-F26-9446-F344-F714-C216.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/7ZbcwJzp/B1-F61-E54-3-DC7-49-D0-B2-CE-3-F907-AE67-D61.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/yxP5YFvz/B3-F5-C8-E4-601-D-49-FC-B610-C7-D71-F825-D51.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/3r1DmnfQ/7219-A0-A1-ECBD-4-EBF-BC60-E13939-B55223.jpg

sawyer

Looking good. Watching with interest

Springywheel

Thicknessed and faceted, then rounded over. I used a Shinto rasp to take off as much material as possible. To flatten the main facets I used a combination of a sanding block plus cabinet scraper. For the rounding over I used scrapers, sanding blocks and sandpaper via the shoeshine method. I regularly checked for flatness with a try square. When thicknessing I actually left a little excess wood on to allow for further sanding via the roundover. The thickness taper is approx 20mm at the first fret to 23 at the 12th, though I’m tempted to bring this down a mm. I just need to work on the heel transition now and tidy up the volute (headstock transition)

https://i.postimg.cc/zG3zLYbC/A9201-BA7-0266-4-D90-81-B6-EF9-DE935-AD6-B.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/2j7sd9nV/64-BE375-B-2565-4-AC0-ABCF-28352-DBA7-AFD.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/tJW1MZGN/IMG-1148.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/PJHbxxP5/41-E4-BB4-B-8385-4545-9-FB0-1-FE831-E86864.jpg

Preparing in advance for the fretting stage with a DIY fret bending jig 

https://i.postimg.cc/HxdFybZq/7999-BEB2-7931-4-C14-9066-B71-B88-AD9-BC6.jpg

Winny_Pooh

First full build? That is impressive and it looks great

Springywheel

Thanks Winnie...yeah first build, but I’ve been well prepared by the tonne of reading I’ve done over the past year . I’m in no rush either, so I can take my time and contemplate each stage of the build. The fretting job poses a new challenge but luckily I bought a bunch of scrap necks a few months back to practice on. 

sawyer

Very impressive. 

Springywheel

Had to put this on the back burner, but I'm resuming the build a year later. Added inlays. Am now waiting for the third colour coat (vintage yellow) to cure before adding gloss. I hate this part, I'm way too impatient. The gloss itself will need a week to fully cure. 

https://i.postimg.cc/qgfLfzs6/IMG-20221004-010920.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/j2nXkz7r/IMG-20221004-010930.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/G25KQM9Q/IMG-20221004-011053.jpg

In the meantime I've ordered some custom acrylic cuts to form a makeshift neck pocket routing template. So one plank on either side of the neck plus a shorter piece at the end to close it off as instructed in Martin Koch's book. The router bit diameter will override any gaps - in my case the heel corners have a 1/4" radius (verified with a radius template printout) so I will use the corresponding bit to accommodate that. 

I'm already contemplating my next build...probably a semi hollow telecaster....but I really shouldn't get too far ahead of myself....lots of work to be done yet with this one.

PeteC

Looking really great, and I am glad you found time to get back onto it.  It’s a fine job for a first build with everything looking very neat.   

What did you use for the vintage yellow neck finishing ? 

Crazed_Fandango

I can only dream about having the skills to do this.

Springywheel

PeteC said:

Looking really great, and I am glad you found time to get back onto it.  It’s a fine job for a first build with everything looking very neat.   

What did you use for the vintage yellow neck finishing ? 

Thanks! I used the finish from Wudtone. I also have their Hot Auburn (red/orange) for the body.  

Springywheel

Crazed_Fandango said:

I can only dream about having the skills to do this.

If I can do it anyone can...the books by Martin Koch and Melvyn Hiscock are really helpful, as is the TDPRI forum.