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Post subject: 3 strange holes in MIM bodies
Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:28 am
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I've noticed when working on MIM bodied Fender guitars that there are extra holes routed under the pickguard. On strats it is 3 in a row, on teles in a triangle, I've even noticed one of these on a jazz bass. I don't see this on the american bodies.

What are these for? Are they only on the MIM models or do the MIJ bodies have the same thing?

I've pondered it a bit and it seems like it is either for weight reduction, a method to easily identify a non-american made body, or possibly how the piece is mounted during shaping.

Enquiring minds want to know!

-Andrew


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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 12:02 pm
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I'm just guessing but could it be routings for humbuckers? I have an MIM HSS and the humbucker requires a larger routing. I'm very new so take this with a grain of salt!!!

Bill


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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:24 pm
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LongT wrote:
I'm just guessing but could it be routings for humbuckers? I have an MIM HSS and the humbucker requires a larger routing. I'm very new so take this with a grain of salt!!!

Bill


Hmm, I don't think so. These holes are about the size or a quarter or nickel and not connected to the pickup and switch routing cavities.

-Andrew


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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:25 pm
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its more than likely weight reduction :?

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Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:26 pm
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no idea.
my friends MIM doesn't have this


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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:59 pm
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I've seen holes like those on various guitars (I saw an American Series that had one) and at first I thought it might be part of some way to grip the body while painting it but I also think they're probably for weight reduction.


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Post subject: Re: 3 strange holes in MIM bodies
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:19 pm
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aalbinger wrote:
I've noticed when working on MIM bodied Fender guitars that there are extra holes routed under the pickguard. On strats it is 3 in a row, on teles in a triangle, I've even noticed one of these on a jazz bass. I don't see this on the american bodies.

What are these for? Are they only on the MIM models or do the MIJ bodies have the same thing?

I've pondered it a bit and it seems like it is either for weight reduction, a method to easily identify a non-american made body, or possibly how the piece is mounted during shaping.

Enquiring minds want to know!

-Andrew


Hi Andrew, when the model calls for it, they're in there for mainly 2 reasons:
- Differentiate one similar shaped model from another at early guitar body processing.
- Use it as a major reference point for tooling usage in later processes, this way the bodies are kept dimensionally correct one after another.

Thanks for your interest, and we'll keep making guitars that you can appreciate and love!. 8)


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Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:06 pm
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It is just so damned cool to hear from the dudes and dudettes who actually make these instruments after which we all lust so.

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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 9:20 am
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It makes perfect sense now that we know the truth


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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:07 am
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I have a mexican standard strat (SSS), 2000 model. It also has these shallow holes (comlpetely painted over).

I was always under the impression that they were there for other standard signature models that required a small toggle switch to be mounted, like the Dick Dale signature for example. But being that the holes are too shallow to mount the switches all the mexican standard bodies came with these so that when they got ready to make the toggle switch models they basically already had the location of the installation, but if they went ahead and drilled all of them deep enough, then other guitars could come up too light.

This is what I made of all of it.


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Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 10:54 am
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very cool info.


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Post subject: Re: 3 strange holes in MIM bodies
Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 8:01 pm
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Ruben Miranda - Fender wrote:

Thanks for your interest, and we'll keep making guitars that you can appreciate and love!. 8)


Thank you for the info direct from the source!

-Andrew


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