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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 8:34 pm
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On to the neck plate attachment... I admit this was a lot of work. I decided (1) I would have a recessed plate.
(2) But because of the neck heel being formed so that fret access is maximized It created another slight problem..
Having fitted the neck ( multiple times ) I can easily reach the low E string at the 21st fret with the pinky finger.
Anyone say shred guitar ?? :lol:

So I didn't like the way the recessed plate protruded with the contoured neck heel. This was the problem which to me seemed like I tried to finish off the neck joint area on a friday afternoon... Ha !! ..
Solution was to further recess the plate and fit a cover over it .... OCD ... :?: :idea: :wink:
Was there an easier solution ? Yes, But ...

I just wanted a clean look and figured it could be done, plus I really dislike looking at a neck plate on this guitar.. Don't ask me why, it is just a matter of aesthetics.
I'm sure Xhefri, Ceri or Martian would understand. Especially Ceri as I suspect he is now holed up in some abandoned medieval castle, creating violins for the angels ... :lol:

But seriously, I will answer questions on this as it isn't obvious as to how I will attach / fasten the neck plate cover...
Only you know and I know.... )

Image

Next pic is with the plate in its proper recess, for those who wonder about the thickness of the neck joint. Keep in mind that it is a sandwiched section made up of four separate woods bonded together with the grain running in opposite directions. It will not be moving at all ....

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This final pic for the evening is of the neck plate cover over the neck plate ... ( Why do I have Monty Python running thru my head ?? Also Also, with " Los " by Raimmstein playing in the background.... Hmm... Time to retire for sleep...

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So I will upload pics tomorrow of the neck installed and all. Finally tonight I glued the tail block into the body and will sand and smooth it out tomorrow...

Cheers all .... Signing out ... Need to hit a few chords ..

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2015 9:06 am
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So the plan for today is drilling out for the jack, Pup adjustment screws, cover retention screws, bridge screws and thru body ferrules. ( This is a solid tail, thru body bridge ). Drill holes for the wiring which should prove to be interestingly challenging :o

This morning I finished shaving the bridge plate flush with the body. Once the above is completed than it will be final sanding time, some fine contouring and then I can begin to apply the final steps in Lacquer finish. Then let cure, reassemble and strike that 1st Note....

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:44 pm
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Onward it is. Somewhat of an odd day today. Threatening rain with a few drops but enough not to feel confident in setting up outdoors.
So first I thought I would tackle the recessed jack hole and drilling thru the body for the pup wiring to the control cavity...

Image

It is located in the general location of a Tele but is a recessed jack, I will add more pics on this later.

edit .. 6/21

Jack is in place with screws attached. Holes have been drilled for Pos. and Neg. wiring to be routed to the control cavity..

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Left to do is final sanding, I also needed to flatten just the area where the outside diameter lip of the jack meets with the body. There was no need to recess it..

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Last edited by 53magnatone on Sun Jun 21, 2015 6:48 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:53 pm
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A very long shaft drill bit is needed and is the simplest way to drill the holes to thread the pups wiring directly thru the back of the neck pocket towards the bridge. I may decide to plug the neck pocket hole later since it will serve no purpose at all.
The Texas Specials have extra long fuses :wink: so I had a couple options as to how to route the wiring but stayed with the simplest most direct route to the bridge pup cavity then to the control cavity.

Image

Image

Also visible in the 2nd pic is the plug inset for the bridge. I did choose to use Maple just as a contrast. Later will be lining up the drill spots for the thru body stringing and the string ferrules location .. :shock:

So that is it for this phase, which is really the easiest of the last couple of days. I would add that thinking two or three steps ahead is a requirement when building a guitar. Backtracking is at times impossible as I will explain in the next post.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:09 pm
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From the bridge side, there is actually 15 holes to drill. 3 for the screws fastening the bridge to the body.
6 for the strings to route thru the ferrule than the bridge and 6 which are just to allow the locking saddle adjustment screws to clear the body for vertical movement.

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Once again the drill bit wandered ( I'm now convinced that the body is much denser at the middle and is the reason the drill bit wandered once again ) even though I used a jig to ensure the bit was at 90 degrees north and east.
But it is slight and I will be able to align the ferrules since they require a much larger diameter hole.
They can also be recessed but I have not decided if they will be flush or recessed completely.

Image

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:17 pm
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Wonderful build/pictorial 53mag...I don't recall if you posted the "naked" body weight :?:

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:26 pm
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Thank You and great question Danagos, It has never occurred to me to weight the body. I don't have an accurate enough scale or preferably a digital one.
But I will say that when body and neck are connected, it is lighter than my 2 mim stratocasters. I don't anticipate much difference once all hardware is on.
Finish wise I'm planning on 4 to 5 light coats of clear lacquer. I want to start spraying tomorrow but we are forecasted for heavy rain which means the humidity will be quite high. Not good for spraying so I may just spray the coves for the pups, control cavity and neck plate...

I will return later as I'm going back to finishing up with the bridge ferrules and their inset..

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:59 pm
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A guesstimate Light is fine by me...I usually forget to weigh the bodies and I DO have digital scales for that! :lol:

You've made a lot of progress recently and it's fascinating...pics of your "paint booth" would be appreciated. :D

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 6:16 pm
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My paint booth is nothing special. It sort of came with the house. My basement has this 8 foot wide by 4 foot wide by 4 foot high box / crawl space where on one side my well water pump and pressure tank is located. You have to step up into this rectangle but it has an opening. It's weird but the original owner of my house was Finnish and Fins and Swedes built homes a little differently. House is about 60 years old on 4.5 acres. Anyway I set up plastic on either side which is really not needed since the floor of the crawl space is rough concrete. But directly from the opening is a 4 inch vent to the exterior. I set up my Industrial Wet Vac outside, connect the hose to the pipe and turn the vac on and it provides more than enough suction to draw overspray out... So I can stand on the main basement floor and my spray booth is elevated and really easy to use. I will add some photo's at a later time... The plan is actually to build a studio workshop over the garage and have that as my main work space. Garage is about 80 feet from the house.. Or I may turn the cabin in the back of the property into the studio... Many options all pretty cool.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:37 am
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Editing some of the last two days posts with updates and pics.
Finishing up with the string ferrule inset... This phase has been an absolute pill. But I anticipated it would be as all six ferrules are so close together..

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 1:18 pm
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So my less than 100% successful ordeal with the string thru body ferrule location is done. It's a bit off but I may at some point in the future prep the blocks that the ferrules are set into before glueing them to their body cavity. That said....

I have imbibed more caffeine in the last two days than usual but I was working things out until 01:30 am last night / this morning..
And it is forbidden to build a Telepartster and drink coffee from anything but a Fender Mug :wink:


Image

Yes ... :shock: That is a Taylor Guitar coaster under the mug....

And there are the troublesome little string buckets lol.
Drilling their recess took a long time. I drilled the outside diameter first which is just a lip. ( there's a pic some pages back of the little golden critters. I speaking fondly of them now but they were not so endearing at 05:00am this morning. )
Then I used my 1/8th pilot hole as guide and drilled out each hole repeatedly with an ever-increasing diameter drill bit. It was difficult not to chip out as there is so little space in between each.
They are permanently glued and set in even though I will be spraying over them. There was no way to spray and then install. The lacquer would constrict the recess and I would have to red rill and risk further damage to the inset Maple block. I will just mask the inside of them and then clean them with a Dremel fine wire brush once the lacquer is cured.. In a week or two hopefully.
( Glad I have 3 other Stratocaster bodies and 1 Telecaster bodies to carve out )

Image

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Last edited by 53magnatone on Wed Jun 24, 2015 4:39 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 1:44 pm
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Next was flipping the body over and fitting the bridge.. In some photos you can see registering marks ( register / registering is what we call reference points or pencil lines in woodworking ) those are what I set up to.
To backtrack all the hardware on a body is lined up with a center line which you draw on the templates and on the bodies when the bodies are but a squared, rectangular piece / slab / baulk of wood. It's next to impossible, not really but very difficult to align a center line once a body is contoured. Two mm offline at the tail will mean 5 to 8 mm at the neck joint... Anyway...

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I did say there were 15 holes to drill just for the bridge. :roll: :?:

So bridge installed, as well as strap lock buttons. I 'm using Grover locking buttons, the ones where you pull the round head to release. They are really the best and the more aesthetically pleasing than strap locks or most other versions.
One can also see the pickup wiring holes in the pup cavities.. 8)

Image

Here's a backside view from a bit later on this morning. I temporarily installed the 5 way switch, the volume / tone / tone 250 pots, ran the wiring thru to the control cavity with the pups in their respective alcove..
Texas Specials are reverse wound reverse pole. Neck pup has a blue dot, bridge a red dot. mid is colorless :wink:
Everything fit as it should, I will have some fine detail points later such as recessing the screws for the 5 way .

Image

I know, the backside of the guitar has more character than the front, but it reminded me too much of an Alembic. Nein !!!

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:08 pm
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This is what the backside looks like near completion with all the covers on. I still have to locate the screws that fasten the covers to the body as well as locating the drill points for the height adjustment screws to the pickups. You will be able to adjust the pups without having to remove the covers.
I flipped back and forth on this one as there are advantages and disadvantages to both having the pup adjustments hidden or accessible Meh !! ( I never thought this would be easy or without pros and cons )

Image

BTW, the splotches on the body are from my fingers and " NO " I have not been munching on pizza while handling the walnut .... ( This is not a Runkle Joke )

So front and center here is the completed body with all parts installed ( temporarily before lacquering ... Yay !!! :D 8)
At this point I am just going to upload teaser pics... If you guys ( and gals ) think this is bad, I'm the one that will have to wait for the lacquer to cure to reassemble everything and connect and solder the Telepartster.. It will be like watching paint dry for two weeks.. :shock: :cry:

Image

I am pleased with the way it looks, leaving the contours between a Stratocaster and Telecaster was the best. It would have been too much with the contoured upper bout on the backside.

Image

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:23 pm
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A good side view of the recessed jack....

Image

Also, Also..... It has it's own case, Fender of course which I believe I had bought at Empire Guitars in Providence R.I. a couple years ago. A gig bag just would not do.. I prefer HSC's every time.

Image

A sort of tribute..

Image

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Post subject: Re: Stratopartster IV & TelePartster I Build
Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:31 pm
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A side view from the bottom.

Image

A better view of the forearm contour, It looks shallow but is more rounded than on my Stratocasters so there are no breaking lines just a smooth contour.

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Next to my 1998 MIM, a great guitar, hence whyt I just bought a new model of the same, an FSE run. I have to compliment Fender, they are producing really nice mid price point guitars. ( And Yes, all guitars need to be setup once taken home. Wood moves while awaiting adoption ).

Image

For now this is it, As I write and update this on this Sunday @ 17:40pm.
I was to attend a car show today in Boston but with pouring rain, it wasn't very conducive to German Car Day at the Lars Anderson Museum.
So I have already taken the guitar apart once again. Next is the covers and pickup screw setups.
Then final sanding and shooting some coats of lacquer..

By the Way, I may or may not stain all the back covers in a dark stain before applying clear lacquer..
What do you guys think ? dark or clear ??

If at all possible I may get the covers done tonight but tomorrow is Monday and a workday. 05:00am arrives early.

Thank you to all those who have followed this thread. I am going to separate the Stratopartster to its own thread and will just leave a link here or there. But two builds on one thread requires too much backtracking...

Cheers for Today..

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