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Post subject: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2015 7:35 pm
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I recently got a Classic Series '50s Telecaster and I decided that I didn't like the modern plastic pickguard. (What is that plastic anyway? ABS? PVC?) So I bought a replacement pickguard: the Fender-branded 5-hole phenolic resin one.

When I took the stock pickguard off, I was surprised to find a rout in addition to the one for the neck pickup and the one for the wiring. I've attached a picture.

Image

At the bottom of the hole is a pink sticker with some sort of writing on it. I can't read it because it's somewhat covered with the polyester "lacquer". I could pretty easily remove the sticker, though, so it's not embedded in the finish.

What's the deal with this extra hole?


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 3:16 am
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That's a CNC machine guiding hole.
(Actually I prefer the answers "mojo hole" or "the hole for holding a gold coin you give to Kharon".)


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:17 am
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Do we know that, or is that just a guess? Because I've used CNC machines to cut wood before and I certainly never had to either guide the machine with a hole or clamp the cutout piece separately.

Or is it a pre-CNC mark made by hand to show the machine where in the blank to cut (to avoid knots, etc.)?


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:57 am
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Quote:
Ahhh, the mystery holes. If you do a search you'll find all sorts of theories, mojo holes, aliens, smuggling various illicit materials, and even some weird stuff. I emailed Fender about this, and here's the answer:

This is a pretty common question and I’m more than happy to answer it!

The holes you find under the pickguard are the Router Pinholes. This is where the CNC Machine holds onto the body to perform the outline cuts and pickup routing.

American Series instruments should have no router pinholes on the body – while Mexican Made you will generally see three (one big, two small.)

Hope this helps!

Cheers,
Bryce Wells
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.

quote from dsutton24 @ tdpri


Of course, it can just as well be a part of an extraterrestial alien conspiracy. "Bryce Wells" might be a codename. Etc.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 1:18 pm
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I dunno. I'm not buying the CNC routing pinhole story. Not that I think that you or Bryce Wells are lying. I suspect that Bryce is just a customer service rep who heard a story about something else and made it into what these holes are. Or some other rep did and it's the story that's gotten passed around.

For one thing, I'd hardly call a ¾" hole a pinhole. Second, as I said, I've used much cheaper CNC machines than Fender is likely to be using, and I never had to mar the finished piece. And, third, why would there be a sticker with writing inside it?

I also don't think it's a big conspiracy. But I do think it's odd enough that I'd like to know, and I'm not buying the story about the CNC.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 2:31 pm
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I am a full time machinist, and I could see this being used as an alignment hole or even clamp/fixture hole for routing the outside profile.

I've built enough fixtures over the years, and there are some pretty wild ideas from folks on the way they want to hold stuff.

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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 5:38 pm
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It's a reference hole for the CNC cutter. The machine grabs the hole and uses it to help locate the body and keep it properly oriented during machining. All the new bodies have them. CNC wood cutting is not like CNC machining of metal. You can't use the same level of force when clamping the piece for the risk of crushing the wood. The hole helps to keep the body positioned properly using less force than can be guaranteed to prevent the wood from moving without it. It is a preventive measure.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:53 pm
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FWIW, here's the documentation for how to hold down material on the wood CNC machine I've used:

http://www.shopbottools.com/ShopBotDocs/files/General%20info%20on%20hold%20downs.pdf

Nowhere does it say anything about clamping the top of the finished piece. I can't claim to be a professional machinist, though.

Actually, I just found a video of a factory tour of the Corona facility that shows some Strat bodies being CNC'd:

http://youtu.be/EVs98GmcrU4?t=26m1s

There aren't any "routing pinholes" in those bodies, nor are they being clamped or aligned from the top in any way. There is a different CNC machine shown a little earlier than the part I've linked to, though.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:14 pm
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And here's another of the Ensenada facility. You can see the body post-CNC without the hole:

http://youtu.be/2XNdwX0FPTo?t=3m7s

But elsewhere in the video you can see the hole, so it's not like this was filmed before the holes started showing up.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:54 am
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Rob (Schwartz) to the rescue? Please.
:lol:


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 1:52 pm
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I guess the question is, do you think it affects playability? If not, don't worry about it. If it does, fill it with something. I would just put the new pickguard on and forget about it.

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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2015 3:50 pm
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It doesn't bother me. I'm just curious.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 4:43 pm
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I recently got a 2008 MIM standard Tele that was upgraded by a previous owner.
It has the 3 holes under the pickguard. Thanks for the info.


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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 6:16 pm
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The question has been asked before and FMIC gave us the answer I gave you. On more than one occasion. You can choose to disbelieve if you like. It's a free country.

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Post subject: Re: What's the deal with this extra hole?
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 8:47 pm
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Yeah, and I posted videos taken in the Fender factories showing bodies being CNC'd without these holes. So, uh, yeah, I don't believe that they're being used in the CNC process since they're not there during the CNC process.

You can choose to believe things contrary to evidence if you want.


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