Guitar Gear Forum

Hello,

I am embarking on my first Partscaster Tele build!

One question, right off the top, when marking the bridge bolt holes for drilling, how do you ensure the bridge will be straight and aligned properly with the neck and body? The body I am using already has the through-body string holes drilled, so half the job is done.

Thanks!

Good for you man!

Not sure how everyone does it, but this method has worked for me... Mount the bridge on the body (even if just temporarily) and slip the neck in the neck pocket. Take a long piece of yarn or string (you can use one or two) and thread it like it was each of the two E strings, from the bridge to the nut. This will give you a nice look at the way the neck lines up with the strings / yarn so you can make slight adjustments to how the neck fits in the pocket. When you have it straight: clamp it, flip it, drill it if you need to, then screw it down with the 4 neck screws.

Good luck! You can do it!

itchyfingers wrote:Good for you man!

Not sure how everyone does it, but this method has worked for me... Mount the bridge on the body (even if just temporarily) and slip the neck in the neck pocket. Take a long piece of yarn or string (you can use one or two) and thread it like it was each of the two E strings, from the bridge to the nut. This will give you a nice look at the way the neck lines up with the strings / yarn so you can make slight adjustments to how the neck fits in the pocket. When you have it straight: clamp it, flip it, drill it if you need to, then screw it down with the 4 neck screws.

Good luck! You can do it!

Thanks! However, the neck I have is from another guitar so the neck bolt holes are already drilled. The new body is not drilled for bridge mounting screws. Any suggestions on how to line up the bridge screw holes so the bridge will be aligned with the neck in a scenario like this?

OK, so you have the neck and body together but need to install the bridge, right? Are we talking standard three barrel Tele bridge or something different? Are you going to drill the body for string ferrules or use a top-loading only bridge?

You'll essentially use the same method above but this time cut the yarn / strings so that they are 26.25" from the nut to the back of the bridge. Line the strings up, mark the body with a pencil. That's where the bridge goes. That way the saddles will be 25.5" from the nut (Fender scale length) with room to move in both directions so you can intonate as much as a Tele can be intonated.

You are in luck ! There are some great builders here, but I'm not one of them so best of luck ! I look forward to seeing it .

Thanks for the bridge tips!

Next question: I'm thinking of putting a Seymour Duncan '59 neck pickup in then neck position and using a 500k tone pot. Any suggestions on what capacitor to use? I the humbucker, in the neck, to be as bright as possible, i.e. not thick and muddy.

Thanks!

If you want your Tele to be as bright as possible, get a no-load tone pot and use a .047uf cap.
You won't need to go any lower on the cap with a no-load tone pot.