54 Strat body build some specific router depth info needed please

Hi there folks,

I know there's a lot of variation from year to year so if I wanted to build a '54 Strat (I'm doing it out of 'un-period correct' Alder) what would the routed depths be?

Neck, pickups, control cavity, claw/spring cavity and the small lip on the tremolo? EDIT: Also the correct round-over size for that year?

I'll be doing the 'nick with the chisel in the bridge p'up route too, don't worry.

I know there are various measurements online for these routs that will work and produce a good guitar but I'm wanting to see if anyone can give me the dimensions that would have been on a real '54.

Thanks for your time, I'm hoping to complete most of the routing this week at my college course (I'm supposed to be making furniture, I'll bet the tutors love me....:roll:) so if anyone in the know can get back to me by then that would be fantastic.

Forum member Preeb has built a copy of a '55 Stratocaster. You might look at his build thread. Cavity depths are probably the same.

I could give you the depths for a 62 Stratocaster but that not what you're asking for.

I've read all of preeb's threads (several times probably, haha) and don't recall seing any dimensions for the body routes.

I'll have another look though and thanks for the offer on the '62, I wouldn't mind having the dimensions handy for another build though if it's not too much trouble for you to dig them out.

Thanks for the reply.

EDIT: Yep, can't find any dimensions in the '55 build

I'll just refer you to this blueprint.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v208/jwells393/NewAlbum2/StratBP2201.jpg

Thanks very much, I'll keep that for the next one!

Bump, if anyone knows.

I think the route depths are the same. The only difference would be a deeper 9/16 roundover vs the later 7/16 and the lack of a shoulder in the control cavity. Try sending Gil a pm.

I think the route depths are the same. The only difference would be a deeper 9/16 roundover vs the later 7/16 and the lack of a shoulder in the control cavity. Try sending Gil a pm.

Thanks for the roundover information! Very useful, I may have to get a bit for that but I'll check the bit selection at the college first.

I was wondering if they were the same but I think I read somewhere that the early years had a shallower route on the p'ups (I think that's why the chisel/gouge mark is seen under the bridge p'up route, because the wires wouldn't fit).

I've already bugged Gil quite a bit about other things, haha, so I think I'll see if I can get the information from someone else first :lol:

50's control cavities had a more triangular shape according to the Duchossoir book. There was a hump that was added for the pickguard screw later. Tummy contours were thinner in early years, but these were bandsawn out and sanded on a belt sander so they are not consistant. 54-59 had 8 hole guards. In 54-74ish a small channel was routed in the lead pickup cavity,and became flat later on as Fender increased the depth for the wires.

The first necks were round and clubby with no v shape which started to appear in '55.

It sounds like you may need to get a copy.

also look at this image and link

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=54+fender+body&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS391US391&biw=1251&bih=531&tbm=isch&tbnid=A3hEyXSDDAo-OM:&imgrefurl=http://home.provide.net/~cfh/54strat.html&docid=bIE8zMmn2HZAnM&imgurl=http://www.pinrepair.com/vgi/fender/54_strat-july_9.jpg&w=1024&h=700&ei=P88ST7L6KMPj0QGelLGsAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=339&sig=102283056106276216805&page=1&tbnh=108&tbnw=139&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0&tx=67&ty=65

Thanks for the roundover information! Very useful, I may have to get a bit for that but I'll check the bit selection at the college first.

I was wondering if they were the same but I think I read somewhere that the early years had a shallower route on the p'ups (I think that's why the chisel/gouge mark is seen under the bridge p'up route, because the wires wouldn't fit).

I've already bugged Gil quite a bit about other things, haha, so I think I'll see if I can get the information from someone else first :lol:

Most of the early ones have that worm route chiseled by hand as needed. About '62 the worm route became a standard part of the routing process.

50's control cavities had a more triangular shape according to the Duchossoir book. There was a hump that was added for the pickguard screw later. Tummy contours were thinner in early years, but these were bandsawn out and sanded on a belt sander so they are not consistant. 54-59 had 8 hole guards. In 54-74ish a small channel was routed in the lead pickup cavity,and became flat later on as Fender increased the depth for the wires.

The first necks were round and clubby with no v shape which started to appear in '55.

It sounds like you may need to get a copy.

also look at this image and link

http://www.google.com/imgres?q=54+fender+body&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rlz=1T4GGLL_enUS391US391&biw=1251&bih=531&tbm=isch&tbnid=A3hEyXSDDAo-OM:&imgrefurl=http://home.provide.net/~cfh/54strat.html&docid=bIE8zMmn2HZAnM&imgurl=http://www.pinrepair.com/vgi/fender/54_strat-july_9.jpg&w=1024&h=700&ei=P88ST7L6KMPj0QGelLGsAw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=339&sig=102283056106276216805&page=1&tbnh=108&tbnw=139&start=0&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0&tx=67&ty=65

Thanks man, Already trawled the provide site though I'm afraid (love that site).

In-fact, I think I've looked most places. So far I've gotten pretty much of all the info that I need, just struggling on these routing depths.

There's a ton of great info out there though so I'm starting to think that if no-one has posted any specific depths by now that they may just be the same as previous years. Does seem strange though as I'm sure they look shallower.