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.
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Routed out the body
https://i.postimg.cc/mgJHG4xL/87908-C8-B-1-D64-4645-9-BD7-2-A9578-A7-EDE4.jpgFibre glass tape in the truss rod slot for a snug fit..
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.
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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.
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
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
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.