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I am contemplating my next project and I need to figure something out about the routing on thru necks. I'm sure there's a simple answer, but how on earth do you drill the holes for the wires on an instrument like this?



^This is essentially what I am trying to acheive. No pickguards, lots of show face.

Also, anyone ever know of a skunk truss route on a thru neck? (truss routed on the back of the neck) I think it can be done and I want to do it.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Not sure on the holes to route the electronics wires. Looks like it would be a challenge. What i would do is actually rout out the maple center strip on the body between the neck pickup and just under the bridge location to a depth of 1/4", rout the channel for the pickup wires, and cap it with a 1/4" piece of maple. If you did it right, no one would ever suspect.
As to the truss rod idea, i don't see any reason why it would not work just fine.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

I would do like mike said but. You can do it by the back too.
OR, You drill by the side of the neck blank before you glue de wings on it. Could work.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

I'm actually planning on making a solid one piece guitar. I don't like the idea of covering up routes like that, especially since I will be using cocobolo and the grain may be somewhat unpredictable. Perhaps coming down just the right angle with a long drill bit on both cavities may do the trick. I'm just wondering how so many builders have done this without leaving any marks. It seems like theres a technique that I don't know about.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Ok, I hope I misunterstand what you're saying. You'll carve from a 40'' x 15'' x 2'' piece of cocobolo???

1-Where the hell are you going to find it?
2-Why wasting such a piece?

You know that cocobolo's density is between 0.9 and 1.2 (55 to 75 lb/ft³), and usually over 1 (62 lb/ft³), harder than some ebonies.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

1. I know where to find the piece.
2. It wont be a waste, it will be a truly one of a kind instrument.
3. It can and will be done.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Well, I never said it couldn't be done. I was warning you. Sometimes people do things without thinking. But if you're sure of yourself and aware of what all that implies, go ahead, nobody will stop you. And I'll be the first impressed and amazed.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

That said, let's go back to the question. I think a long drill bit, in angle is the only way, if there won't be any cap or pickguard. Maybe you could also, with a really long bit, go straight by the end bouton through the neck pickup. You'll be able to wire the 2 pickups and the bridge ground. You'll juste have to angle drill from the bridge pickups to the electronic cavity. And patch the hole before drilling for the strap button.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

What did you mean when you said "bouton"? Thank you for the forewarning, and the advice. I think if I angled the bit and drilled from both pickup cavities to meet in the middle it might work. Just have to make dang sure I dont go all the way through the back.

It is a pretty wild idea but I think it will be loads of fun and I'll learn a lot. I'm really curious what the tone will be like. Still trying to find out what pickups would accentuate the wood the best. I know I want two humbuckers and possibly a single coil in the middle.

Any more advice?

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Sorry, i'm french speaking, so my expressions are sometimes wrong. By end bouton I meant the straplock at the butt of the guitar. Drill straight by there (less chance to pass through the back), after that, fill the butt hole ( ) with a tight dowel and epoxy. Then you will be able to re-drill for the straplock.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

Prior to gluing up the main pieces.....you rout out a channel down the middle of the edge of the right half of the body and drill a hole in that slot which accesses the electronics cavity. The slot starts at the neck pickup and ends somewhere along side the electronics cavity.

Once you cut the pickup cavities you'll have access to the slot provided the pickup slot is just a tad wider than the center strip of the neckthrough. If not...then just drill a hole into the center strip for each pickup....prior to gluing.

That ought to do it. The only thing to worry about is using WAY too much glue and blocking off your slot and holes with glue. .....don't do that. Also....drill big holes and make the groove wide enough so that you can get a needle nose into the hole .... to grab the wire and pull it through when you see it.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Well, it's a one-piece...

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

The pictures show a three piece guitar. Two body chunks and a neck. I'm talking about routing the edge of one body chunk prior to gluing.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

We're not talking of the picture, the guy said I want to do a one-piece.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

The end button idea is pretty clever, that might just do it, If I have a long enough drill bit that is. I suppose they can be found. Good thinking with the epoxy, that would really do it. Thanks.

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

i have done this before with a neck thru guitar or two. i just take my long drill bit and stick it through the out put jack hole into the electronics cavity. drill one hole for each pickup and one for the bridge. works fine. i think the drilling in the strap button location may be a better way to go though. in either case you will have to drill multiple holes.

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~shad peters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petersinstruments/
http://petersinstruments.blogspot.com/
http://petersinstruments.com/

You can drill the holes from the control cavity to the pickup routes, you have to be very careful.
Something like this helps: http://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-1300-O ... gchilds-20

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Old growth, shmold growth!

I routed a channel along the inside edge where the pups and bridge will go, then drill a hole to the control cavity with a forstner bit. Take your time, make a jig to hold the router straight if you have to. I seem to spend 3/4 of my time on prep work before I do anything.

Ti Roux's method really intrigues me. I'd definitely go with it. I found me a three piece set of LONG drill bits at harbor freight. Check out their site. You'll probably find other things there you could use, and everything is very inexpensive. You should definitely look into a way of keeping that drill straight though, or it might go through the top of the guit. As for the control cavity, how about an output jack on the side, and then drill through that? Not a fan of that location but it'll work for you nicely.

Oh and from now on just say the thing will be a one piece of whatever your prototype will be made from It'll get those "WTH?" posts out of the way. Maple would be a good choice for that BTW.

The control cavity is aimed to the fb pickup.
You could drill through that to the fb pickup pretty easily,

I'll probably go with drilling from the control cavity. At least for this project. Anyone ever play with 1 Meg ohm pots?

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http://www.tinyhouseandland.com

Buy some different pots and tryum out, then put different ones in the guitar, take them out, put new ones in etc. Try combinations too. Only way you'll really know how they compare is through first hand experience. People perceive things differently. I say get a set of 250k's, some 500k's and some 1 megs as a start. You can always use them on future projects. And get good ones too dadgummit.

I used long drill bit for my pickup wire hole. My pickup cavity c´was routed already and then I just angled the drill as close to my guitar body as possible, hole in electronics compartment, ended up in the middle as planned, matter of aiming, also used dremel to round up hole ends, so it will allow the pickup to move up and down freely without touching the isolation of the wires.

Im working on a neck through and I just drilled into the sides of the wings and neck