Telecaster string ferrules

[rolloman]

The holes in my new warmoth tele body for the string ferrules measure .313-.314". From everything I can find the fender parts measure .312" which is gonna be too loose. The warmoth parts measure. .323" but are serrated. Are the Warmoth ones the only ones that will fit for me and do you think I can press them in without drilling the holes in the new body. Why would the holes in the Warmoth body be just a smidge too big for the stock fender ferrules.

 

[Jusatele]

I order fender ferrals and have not had an issue so far. I usually have to use a piece of wood and drive them
Did you get recessed or regular holes done? the recessed ones have a 2 step bore

 

[Cagey]

The serrations/striations on the barrel of the inserts will make them measure larger in diameter than the actual barrel. Plus, if you measure the holes on a finished body with an inside caliper, they'll show up a tad small due to finish overhang. If you have a drill press or access to one, that's the way to press the little rascals in. Hammering them in works, but is fraught with peril.

 

[bbl4ck]

I have always had good luck using the old soldering iron method.
Only thing is you don't want to get the little buggers too hot or you can slightly damage the finish, so just heat them until they start to slide in...
Good luck and  :rock-on:

 

[rolloman]

Jusatele, I got just regular holes. The body back will have a true-oil finsh, so no worries about chipping finish. I will just order the Fender ones and hope they are a few thousands inch bigger than the Warmoth holes. I got a drill press for pressing them in. I've also had good luck with the solder iron method too. Got me a huge solder iron 100 watt that works great for it.

 

[rolloman]

Ok. I got my Fender OEM string ferrules today. They are just a tad smaller than the holes in my Warmoth unfinished Tele body so they are loose and fall out. Luckily the body has straight thru holes without a counterbore for the ferrules. I also by chance have 2 different reams that are .001" and .002" smaller than the lip on the ferrules. I will just counterbore the holes in the body and let the lip on the ferrules hold them in. Although I am capable of doing this I don't understand the why of it. Shouldn't those holes have been sized correctly for genuine fender ferrules?

 

[Cagey]

Shouldn't those holes have been sized correctly for genuine fender ferrules?

Fender is remarkably inconsistent about Fender product manufacturing. Dollars to donut holes, Warmoth parts are correct to design documents while Fender's are a crap shoot.

 

[rolloman]

dang it that aint right. Fender probably farms the stuff out everywhere. I guess that's why I'm building my own guitar anways using quality companies like Warmoth in the first place. At least I can get the ferrules to work by doing a counterbore. I tested on some scrap wood and I will have to knock them in. Perfect fit, not too tight, not too loose. Thanks.

 

[Cagey]

Yeah, well, they've had several owners and management regimes of various competency, a number of plants in a number of countries, and who knows how many different suppliers over the years. Design changes, imperial vs. metric parts & fasteners, on and on.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

The Fender ferrules fall out of Fender bodies, too.

On mine and a friend's where this was happening, I fixed it with a tiny spot of CA glue on the side of each ferrule. After all, it only has to hold them in for a minute or so at a time.

 

[rolloman]

Just more justification for building my own guitars.

 

[rolloman]

I want a nice tight ferrule to wood contact in order to get every ounce of tone transfer on my builds. Probably will not matter at all but it's the accumulation of all the minute details that add up.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

It's plenty tight, the string is pulling it into the wood very hard.

 

[rolloman]

I'm sure it's just fine. I wasn't thinking about how hard the strings do pull. I like to have the ferrules flush so luckily i have a ream that is the perfect size to counterbore the holes and get a tight fit.

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Yeah, flush ferrules will be nice.