Telecaster Deluxe Custom - Route Depths

[prock]

Greetings everyone, long time lurker and very few posts to my name. I've been working on building a 72 Telecaster Deluxe for myself and I'm at the point where I need to route my pickup, control, and switch cavities. I'm having trouble finding a reliable source of the correct depths. This is the best I found:

Pickups: 13/16"
Control: 1-3/8" (although I think this is for a cavity that requires a switch, in this case the switch is separate so I'm thinking 1" should be enough clearance for the pots?)
Switch: 1"

Does anyone know what the standard route depths were for the 72 Deluxe? I'm sure the information is available, I'm just having difficulties finding it.

 

[peterg]

Look for custom and deluxe bodies on this page:

https://www.electricherald.com/fender-telecaster-templates/

 

[KATT]

Are the Deluxe and Custom not two different models?

 

[prock]

Look for custom and deluxe bodies on this page:
https://www.electricherald.com/fender-telecaster-templates/
https://www.electricherald.com/fender-telecaster-templates/

That's where I got most of my information from. Unfortunately he doesn't say what all the different depths are. Unless I missed something.

Are the Deluxe and Custom not two different models?

You are right. I meant 72 Deluxe.

 

[peterg]

That's where I got most of my information from. Unfortunately he doesn't say what all the different depths are. Unless I missed something.

You missed something! Look at the last page - for the switch and controls cavities at least.

 

[prock]

You missed something! Look at the last page - for the switch and controls cavities at least.

Re-reading that (it's a bit cryptic for a newb like me) I think that he is stating the following:

Pickups: 5/8" (for WRHB)
Control: 1-3/8"
Switch: 13/16" (I mistakenly read that the first time as 1"D as in depth, although he does also use R, but I think he meant the diameter of the ends of the switch cavity)


Now assuming I'm right about the pickup depth, that brings up another question for me. If I want to put standard humbuckers in there and perhaps will swap other humbuckers should I route a bit deeper at 13/16"? 13/16" seems pretty standard.

 

[adjason]

Not much help here but I usually just go a bit deeper on the pickups and other parts because I don't see any harm in it if mounting pickups to the pickguard? I like a bit more wood in control cavity- but it really depends upon the body thickness- I think 1/4 of wood is a bit thin and agree that 3/8 is better

 

[Novatuc]

I usually just cut pickup pockets to 3/4" but be careful of some HB's which have longer legs. You have to cut additional clearances for those.

 

[eallen]

Standard for current day pickups is 3/4". Control cavity: 1/4" less than thickness. 1.5" is standard on standard 1.75" tele.

Eric

 

[prock]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone and for sharing your knowledge! Very much appreciated.

I'm about to do the routing with the following specs:

Pickups = 3/4"
Switch = 13/16" (stew mac says I need this much clearance for the switch I purchased and is en-route)
Control Cavity = 1-3/8" (my body is very slightly smaller than 1.75" so it should give me 1/4" or so)

 

[prock]

Quick update. I have completed the routing. Not perfect but nobody will see it anyway. Overall pretty happy. Again thanks for the help.