Need some advice on undrilled bodies

[phred]

I have spotted a few bodies on Ebay that I WANT, but they are undrilled. I dont have a drill press and I wonder how much of a PITA would it be to accurately drill every hole needed for a body, and how would I do it? I seen that there are templates you can buy for the neck route for instance, but those look like they would be used on a body blank.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Need some advice on undrilled bodies

Do you literally mean undrilled or not even routed?

If you have the correct drawings and tools for measuring and marking out, the world is your oyster. You could even adapt a popular body shape to an unusual scale length neck just by appropriate positioning of the bridge.

 

[phred]

Re: Need some advice on undrilled bodies

No the bodies are completly routed, just not drilled at all.

 

[phred]

Re: Need some advice on undrilled bodies

Here is one I'm lusting for.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Telecaster-guitar-body-project-BOOKMATCHED-SWAMP-ASH-TOP-/151488178985?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2345662b29

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Need some advice on undrilled bodies

Go for it. Most of the hard work is done. They even have the output jack hole done, which could be a PITA for a novice.

I'm sure you can find some tutorials on how to drill the neck screw holes and position the bridge.

A few bits of advice:

-Get a neck without the screw holes pre-drilled.
-Have neck and bridge in hand before you do any measuring or drilling.
-Double check your bridge positioning before drilling.

Have fun!

 

[AlexR]

Re: Need some advice on undrilled bodies

The Neck is usually the hardest. Its best to have the neckplate and neck there so you know the spacings. You fit the neck into the body, and mark on the neck where the end of the body is. Remove the neck and measure how far into the body the screws are. Place the neckplate in place at that location and drill to where those holes are. Also remember with final tightening to have the neck running along the body centreline.
With the bridges, you place the bridge on the body once your neck is done. Measure from the nut and adjust the bridge so that the scale length hits in approx the middle of travel of the saddles. This gives both fore and aft intonation adjustment. Align the bridge with the neck, which hopefully also places it along the centreline of the body.