Back-routed Tele advice?

[halcyon]

I am building a Tele with a beautiful figured redwood top. I don't want to use a pickguard or route the top (except for the pickup cavities). I was just wondering how it is that one connects the neck pickup wires to the controls area on a back route without having that little oblong hole that is used on normal teles that have a pickguard. If anyone has done a back route perhaps you could just summarize how you did it for me? Thanks

[Guitarnut]

The first Tele I built was a carved top with no PG and rear routed. I drilled from the neck pocket thru to the bridge PU route and then from there to the control cavity. You'll need a 12" long .250" bit to make sure it reaches and doesn't wander.



Mark

[halcyon]

Thank you very much for the advice, Mark. Do you think this will work well still if I am doing a different sort of route for the bridge pickup? I am going to use a hard tail strat bridge and probably do a route for the bridge pickup similar to the one in the neck.

[Guitarnut]

Originally Posted by halcyon

Thank you very much for the advice, Mark. Do you think this will work well still if I am doing a different sort of route for the bridge pickup? I am going to use a hard tail strat bridge and probably do a route for the bridge pickup similar to the one in the neck.

It might be a little cramped in that size route. You could angle the drill bit to go into the treble corner of the neck pocket and go straight to the control cavity.

Like so...or a combination of the two since the neck PU route is different on a Tele.



Mark

[Jack Wells]

The fact that you are routing the control cavity from the back makes no difference. Get a 1 ft. long drill bit (1/4 in. minimum diameter). Lay the bit flat on the floor of the pocket and drill from the corner of the neck pocket through the neck pickup cavity and into the control cavity. This does bring up one issue, you can't see the control cavity. However you should be able to mark its location on the top of the guitar.

Drilling from the neck pickup cavity into the bridge pickup cavity then into the control cavity will work but requires removal of the bridge if you ever need to replace or repair the neck pickup.

[halcyon]

Thanks everyone. I will show off the finished guitar soon, I hope!

[stng72]

Just a suggestion, route the channels for the wires, then glue the top on.

[Muzikp]

Originally Posted by stng72

Just a suggestion, route the channels for the wires, then glue the top on.

I like this idea, wonder why I never thought of it . Although you run the risk of filling a channel with glue from squeeze out. Still I think this is a cool alternative to drilling.

[guitarbuilder]

I pretty much do the same thing but with a 3/8 "dia aircraft bit. It's easier to snake the wires in with the bigger bit and it's only a couple bucks more for it. I like to tilt the drill bit a degree or two so that it doesn't mar the neck cavity. With a hardtail bridge, I always drill a ground wire hole from one of the screw mounting holes into the pickup rout or control cavity, whichever is closest.

[Warnz]

Originally Posted by Muzikp

Although you run the risk of filling a channel with glue from squeeze out.

Not if you clamp it up with the top on the bottom (upsidedown)

[guitar2005]

The best and easiest way to do this is to route the channels BEFORE gluing the top on.

[halcyon]

The top is glued on already, so I am working with a solid piece. The body is extra thick though, so I think I should be able to go at a slight angle.

[ponticat]

Originally Posted by Muzikp

Although you run the risk of filling a channel with glue from squeeze out.

You won't fill 'em with glue by doing this:









(Please ignore faulty Spanish in the fourth graphic.)

This may be a bit OCD but it works for me.

[guitar2005]

Originally Posted by Muzikp

I like this idea, wonder why I never thought of it . Although you run the risk of filling a channel with glue from squeeze out. Still I think this is a cool alternative to drilling.

No - there shouldn't be so much glue that the channels are filled.

This is the method I use and its also how les pauls are made.