First build - TL1 Ian Rodness

[FrankenWashie]

I do luckily have a router. Having to route the body of a guitar in my first build - holy shit!!!! But how do I now secure the bridge to the body?? there's no wood underneath 2 of the screw holes?

We'll get you through it mate, it could be worse. I elected to strip the fretboard and reshape the neck tenon of my first build, having not done any form of wood work since highschool.

The good part about it, is you can make up a template in 6mm or 9mm MDF based on your existing routed cavity. You then adjust that template, to suit the actual pickup, and then you can rout both the required adjustments at the same time.

What you will need to get though is a router bit with a guide bearing above the cutter head. Probably a 1/2" or 3/8" one would give you a nice fit to the curves of the cavity.

EDIT: The screws should locate into threads on the PUP to give you height adjustment relative to the strings I would assume? Or am i wrong in saying that for the TL Kits? TL Veterans, Assemble! Your wisdom required!

[WeirdBits]

Have you checked your scale length? Before you start modifying/routing the cavity it's best to clamp the neck in place and check your scale measurements, then you can be certain where the bridge needs to sit and adjust if/as needed.

[ianrodness]

EDIT: The screws should locate into threads on the PUP to give you height adjustment relative to the strings I would assume? Or am i wrong in saying that for the TL Kits? TL Veterans, Assemble! Your wisdom required!

Yes...realized this morning that this was the case....whew.

[Simon Barden]

As a rough guide, the bridge plate normally sits about 2-3mm back from the edge of the pickguard. It doesn't butt right up to it (look at pictures of Fender Teles for guidance), though the control plate does sit right against the pickguard in its semi-circular cut-out.

The bridge plate only has the four mounting screws at the rear of the plate; the three around the cut-out are just pick-up mounting holes, so there shouldn't be any wood underneath them.

But you may need to enlarge the pickup rout a bit. Even Fender routs can be on the small side if you fit an aftermarket pickup with a slightly larger footprint. As people have said, a Dremel type tool with a drum-sanding bit if handy here and will save using a router. Just mark with pencil where the front edge of the bridge plate is, so that you don't enlarge beyond the front edge and leave a visible gap.

[ianrodness]

thanks for the input Simon - much appreciated! This is the mock up - I'm kind digging this colour too. More sanding, then I'll start the route.

[wazkelly]

As Weirdy said the scale length is most important bit to get right. Once that has been established you will know if the Bridge PUP rout needs work.

[ianrodness]

so here's the route done - not as difficult as I imagined. P/U's are fitting nicely now. As far as scale length.....I've measured from the nut to 12th fret = 12 11/16 inches, so measured the same from the 12th to the saddle - lots of play in the saddles, so just wanted to make sure I'm on the right track. I know the scale length of a tele is 25.5, and 2 x 12 11/16 is a bit longer, but this should be fine, right?

[dave.king1]

Should be good Ian.

FWIW I normally set the bridge position with the high E saddle about 80% fully extended and on a F type guitar the saddles move further back from there so the E6 is around 6mm closer to the back than the E1 so you have plenty to work with

[Simon Barden]

A Dave, said the top E saddle will be the one furthest forward, so if you set the top E saddle to around 80% (or say with 5mm of thread still showing), and measure from the top E nut slot (board side) to the top E saddle with double the nut to 12th fret distance, you should be fine for position and saddle adjustment. It's then just a question of getting the middle of the bridge on the neck centre line.

[ianrodness]

so I did this last night.
Should I worry about it?