Dans ES1GT "cherry pie"

[danluland@dodo.com.au]

Received my ES1 kit and it looks just awesome.

Planning on finishing in cherry with gold highlights and a vintage yellow neck with cherry headstock face.
I'm going to upgrade the electronics now rather than later as I only want to do the installation once!
I'm thinking Entwhistle pickups...

I guess I need to drill the holes for the trapeze tail piece, strap button and pickguard before I started finishing, anything I need to be aware of when drilling into a hollow body?

[gavinturner]

Hey Dan,

In my experience there isn't too much to be concerned about drilling into the body. That being said, most of the drilling I have done is either into the centre block (for the pickup rings, bridge and end strap button) or the neck heel (the front strap button). Unfortunately I've never installed a pickguard. If you look in the PUP cavities you can see the thickness of the plyon the top of the guitar. I'm pretty sure the walls of the guitar are made of the same stuff, so this gives you an indication of how thick it is.

Hope this helps.

cheers,
Gav.

[wokkaboy]

Hey Dan, sounds like a great plan for the ES. As Gav said think the only drill holes you need to be careful with are the pickguard holes. Rest of the holes required should go into the centre block

[stan]

sounds great, look forward to seeing this

[danluland@dodo.com.au]

thanks guys, I forgot about the centre block and for some reason was thinking front strap button on the top horn....
Think I might take the risk of waiting till it's nearly finished before deciding if i want a pickguard or not...
Out of interest Gav - how did you handle it when you made your ES2? Isn't that fully hollow?

[gavinturner]

Yeah I just drilled into the body and hoped for the best . The ply is pretty thick and seemed to take the strap button without issue. I also had to drill a small hole to take a ground wire for the trapeze tailpiece. I thought about strengthening the strap hole with superglue, but it seems strong enough without it.

cheers,
Gav.