Non PBG build burl question

[Tgraham]

Thanks again fender, Ive applied more paint, added copper strips to make sure all the paint is connected to pickguard and bridge so we will see how it works, think I lost my multimeter in my last house move, more shopping. While I’ve got it apart again I thought upgrade pickups - Wilkinson Nashville, and why not put some through body ferrules in time for the next restring. So many jobs and so much time

[fender3x]

The Wilkinsons should be great. Once you've cured the buzz, it'll be interesting to see if you like the string-through or top loading better. I was gearing up to do string-through on my Tele build when I saw this:



I have seen a couple of other vids on this was well. I can never tell the difference in sound between the two methods. I am, evidently not alone in that. There seems to be consensus, though, that there is a difference in the feel. I'll be curious which way you like it better.

[Trevor Davies]

The guitar is looking great. The gold hardware goes really well with the light burl colours.

[Tgraham]

Thanks Trevor yes I really like the gold hardware and the colour scheme, I was even tempted (but resisted)to make a few more hole in the burr so I could have more resin patches. Yeah I watched a few vids on the through body vs non - they all seemed to say more sustain and easier to bend - so we shall see. At least I will have either option when it’s done.
Doing these builds has taught me so much about guitars that I never knew, some of which is still confusing

[fender3x]

I haven't A/B'd top vs through strings with a guitar yet, but I have with a bass. Sort of. I have a '75 Fender P-bass that is top loaded. I have partscaster P-bass that is string through. Not really a fair contest since the Fender has a stock bridge and the Pcaster has high-mass, locking bridge. The latter may have a touch more sustain, but it's not very noticeable.

Years ago, I "discovered" that if I used a C-clamp to "lock" the Fender's saddles together it produced slightly better sustain. Since then I have tended to think that sustain is primarily the product of immobilizing bridge, so that the motion in the string stays in the string. I believe this is also sometimes referred to as Newton's first law of bass-string motion.

About that time, an apple fell from the tree I was sitting under, hitting me on the head, and I had the following epiphany: Sustain is really not really a problem on a bass. Mostly the trick with a bass is not to have too much sustain. At that point, I gave up my experiments and ate the apple.

It will make a much more interesting experiment on an instrument where you actually want the sustain ;-)

[Trevor Davies]

I have recently purchased a set of string through ferrules to convert one of my tele builds. I'm mostly worried about getting the holes drilled precisely enough so that they look neat.

@fender3x: Interesting story with the apple. I'm a big fan of Newton and his laws. I did not know he was a bass player

[Tgraham]

An apple a day keeps the bass at play or something like that. Yeah drilling the holes for the ferrules is a scary prospect but I will do it at the men’s shed with a big drill press and hopefully not stuff it up.

Pretty sure I am going to scratch build a Tele next but no hurry, might try to get some burl veneer for the top. Did you make the neck on yours Trevor or buy one from PBG.

[Trevor Davies]

An apple a day keeps the bass at play or something like that. Yeah drilling the holes for the ferrules is a scary prospect but I will do it at the men’s shed with a big drill press and hopefully not stuff it up.

Pretty sure I am going to scratch build a Tele next but no hurry, might try to get some burl veneer for the top. Did you make the neck on yours Trevor or buy one from PBG.

I have used PBG necks for my scratch builds. Mainly- 1. I do not think I could get the parts for a decent price, and 2. I'm not sure I could do a decent job!

[Tgraham]

Yes my thoughts re neck as well Trevor. I might try to make a trial one to test my skills. If it works I’ll take some pics, if it’s a failure you’ll never see it . Will sharpen the spokeshave today or but flapper wheels for the grinder.

[fender3x]

I have recently purchased a set of string through ferrules to convert one of my tele builds. I'm mostly worried about getting the holes drilled precisely enough so that they look neat.

I realized after my previous post that I have actually done this twice, once with the p-bass and once with my hybrid bass which has an arch top.

I used a method like the one below on the p-bass, which worked pretty well.



I haven't done this on a guitar, but have thought about it enough to discover a potential problem (at least for me). I have a small, 8" "bench" drill press, which won't reach far enough to drill bridge holes on a guitar. This may not be a problem for you enviable types that can just go to a "men's shed," but since we don't have them here, I build this:

https://www.buildyourownguitar.com.a...ead.php?t=5908

I have used this on two archtop basses either to drill somewhere I could not get to with the drill press or because I had trouble stabilizing the body on the drill press platform because of the arch top. This approach is not as good as a drill press...but much better than doing it freehand.