Is aligning and drilling holes for a string thru hardtail difficult?

Hi all

Whilst my IB-1 build is on hold (waiting for finish to cure) I've been thinking about what kit I might want to tackle next. The SV-1 kit has caught my attention and I was wondering whether to do a custom order in which the customization would be that there is no rout for a locking tremolo but instead just a simple hole for a ground wire to be connected to a hardtail bridge.

If I do go with a hardtail bridge, how difficult is it to position the bridge correctly and drill holes thru the body with precision? It can't be that difficult right?

Attached is an image of the bridge I would use.

Cheers, Joe

Hello! I have just finished the SV1 kit, and I really enjoy it. A hardtail version would be cool!
To position the bridge you will need to do the same thing as fitting a telecaster through body bridge. The key thing Is to get the bridge to allow the strings to pass over the fretboard correctly, so both E strings run along the neck right. The other thing is to allow for correct intonation, the distance from the 12th fret to the saddles when compared with the distance from 12th to the nut. It is a little further to the bridge than the nut, but I'm sure that is covered in detail on his forum somewhere.
To drill the holes through the body you must use a drill press, and you will go from the front of the body to the back. You will need to drill slowly and go though the body gently else the wood can split on exit and mess up the back a bit.
I think it would be a great project!

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Originally Posted by Andyxlh

Hello! I have just finished the SV1 kit, and I really enjoy it. A hardtail version would be cool!
To position the bridge you will need to do the same thing as fitting a telecaster through body bridge. The key thing Is to get the bridge to allow the strings to pass over the fretboard correctly, so both E strings run along the neck right. The other thing is to allow for correct intonation, the distance from the 12th fret to the saddles when compared with the distance from 12th to the nut. It is a little further to the bridge than the nut, but I'm sure that is covered in detail on his forum somewhere.
To drill the holes through the body you must use a drill press, and you will go from the front of the body to the back. You will need to drill slowly and go though the body gently else the wood can split on exit and mess up the back a bit.
I think it would be a great project!

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I don't have a drill press... but my school does! They even have a CNC machine. Aligning the bridge does seem somewhat complex but I'm willing to do it.

There is a trick to drilling string throughs -

From memory - goes like this - drill pilot holes (small) for each end. Using the bridge as a template, drill pilot holes ~ half way through the body. Grab the full size drill bit and repeat. You should now have two holes all the way through and 4 half way. Flip the body - grab the bridge and line up the two end holes with the two holes that go through the body. Drill pilot holes through just over 1/2 way - should hopefully connect with the holes already drilled 1/2 way. Change out drill bits and repeat. Remember that you need slightly larger holes on the back for the ferrules. Hopefully this way you should have a set of 6 holes on the front that line up and a set of 6 on the back that line up.

Check out https://youtu.be/3_pL7lXIHrg

What Brendan said.

That's the method I used for the string through on the Tuff Dog and apart from being a slightly butt clenching experience is the way to go

Joe, Im not gonna lie, its scary for the first time. but totally worth it

If you have access to a drill press. use it. I bought a $30 drill "guide" from Ebay. which is just okay, I've drilled about 4 string throughs with it so far. check out my build diary for my TLA-1R for deets.

Whatever method you use, practice on a bit of scrap pine at LEAST 10 times, or until you get it perfect. If you do that it will be in line.

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Originally Posted by Joe3334

Hi all

Whilst my IB-1 build is on hold (waiting for finish to cure) I've been thinking about what kit I might want to tackle next. The SV-1 kit has caught my attention and I was wondering whether to do a custom order in which the customization would be that there is no rout for a locking tremolo but instead just a simple hole for a ground wire to be connected to a hardtail bridge.

If I do go with a hardtail bridge, how difficult is it to position the bridge correctly and drill holes thru the body with precision? It can't be that difficult right?

Attached is an image of the bridge I would use.

Cheers, Joe

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I’m looking at that bridge and I can’t help but think it looks like a retrofit designed the go into the existing trem cavity? Am I just imagining that?

You're just imagining :). The bridge was designed by some engineers at Ibanez and they said they wanted to make it look like an Ibanez style locking tremolo.

Like that idea Brendan! Nice! I'll be doing that next time I go a string through build, actually my TLA kit which is on order right now!