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"Hidden" Strat jack and plate

  • Thread starter Thread starter KainThornn
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KainThornn

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My next build will have a Strat body, but I want the jack/plate on the end (like on a Hamer Californian), just below the strap pin.  Anyone have tips for a decent hole being made?  I don't have a router but I do have a milling type bit for my drill.  Also, if anyone has a setup like this, pros/cons?  Thanks!

44604_137957992913815_100000988450374_200827_2291399_n.jpg


*Not my guitar, just used for illustrative purposes*
 
Someone on here has done this, but I don't remember who or how. Aren't I helpful?  :doh: I do think it's a really cool idea though. Really facilitates the "wrap the cord around the strap" move.
 
Hee!  I had an Epi Explorer I did it to, but the cavity was pretty ragged.  Fortunately the jack plate concealed it.
 
Are you going to drill the hole for the jack yourself?  That to me is the biggest question because how does one drill a hole horizontally without goofing it up?  It's not like you can use a drill press...
 
Yes, Warmoth puts the jack cavity in only 2 places on a Strat body, neither is where I want it.  I have good quality drill bits and a steady hand.
 
CrackedPepper said:
Are you going to drill the hole for the jack yourself?  That to me is the biggest question because how does one drill a hole horizontally without goofing it up?  It's not like you can use a drill press...

There are two ways to do it.

One is with a doweling machine, which is basically, a sideways drill press, used to drill holes in the sides or end grain of wood.

The other, is by building a little wooden jig to help you drill straight with a handheld drill.
 
What you want is called a "pocket hole jig". They're fairly common, used in cabinetry for hidden fasteners under shelves and so forth. I'm not sure they make them that large, though. Google it, and see what comes up.
 
Yeah - that's precisely what I had in mind when this topic popped up a month or two ago. And nicely done. I might have to consider it in the future - just going to have to be a painted body because I'm not sure I could bring myself to do any carving on anything too pretty.
 
It doesn't really matter, because you're drilling to an internal cavity nobody's gonna see. The trick here is going to be getting something to behave itself on the going-in side, and nothing is really designed for that. That's why the pocket jig exists.

Thing is, you need a much larger hole to start with than any bit outside of an auger or paddle will get you, and neither will get you where you want to go by any stretch of the imagination. Plus, pocket jigs don't usually run to the size you'd need. So, it has to be routed first, then drilled after the fact. I don't know of a commercially available router jig that will make that cavity, so you'd probably have to come up with something custom. It's not impossible, but it's not going to be easy and you're unlikely to have many or any practice shots.

Fortunately, there's a lotta unused meat in the body at that point, so coming up with a jig for two dimensions shouldn't be too tough. Once that's done, then you can use a pocket jig to tunnel through to the control cavity with a twist drill, brad point, Forstner or whatever. Shouldn't need to be a big hole, so a twister will probably do.
 
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