This project is to turn all of these bits into an ESP Tele style copy similar to the one played by Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers

Most of the bits that are required are here, now all that remains is lots of hard work to get it looking like a guitar!...........Watch this space.

With the scale length marked out, it's time to make sure that the Floyd Rose bridge and EMG active pick ups 
will fit in there............which they will fortunately!  There's a lot of routing to do on this guitar but before I can start, all the existing cavities and chambers need to be blocked in - basically so that I can start again with a "clean canvas" 

This shot shows the re-cut pick up cavities,  and where the original top access to the control chamber has been filled in, this has now been re-cut in the back of the guitar body .

The guitar is having a Floyd Rose bridge fitted as you've probably guessed from the above shots!  Here the first stage of the chamber to fit it into is being routed out 

The Floyd Rose cut out shown from the back the re-cut control chamber which can also be seen, this will have to be altered in shape slightly as the job progresses 

Spring cavity routed

The Floyd Rose cut out. I'm not sure this is deep enough yet - I'll find out later!

The Floyd Rose Bridge in situ.  It's a bit of an odd one this because it has chamfered shoulders, so rather than go through the time consuming business of making a template I cut this free hand with a small Dremel router. It's sitting flush and moves ok so it must be somewhere near right!

The pick-ups fitted and up wired temporarily and the Floyd Rose fitted. It plays ok and sounds great but will need a few adjustments to bring the action down a bit - mainly in the locking nut area which is sitting too high. Also the Floyd Rose is catching at the front, so a bit more wood will have to be cut away to relieve it, but that can all be done later, at least we know it plays in tune so the F/Rose must be in the right place!  It'll now be stripped down and made ready for spraying

I'm going to have to try and find a black jack surround though, the chrome one looks daft with all the other black stuff

The shape of the control chamber had to be altered so that the position of the tone and volume controls would sit in the right positions on the front of the guitar.  Again, rather than make a template I cut this freehand with the router, it'll be covered over (obviously!) with a black plastic cover, which will have to be custom made. While I'm at it I'll make a cover for the spring chamber as well, most of the ready made covers have holes in them to make re-stringing easier but as the strings on the Floyd Rose don't come through to the back of the guitar, there's no need for them.    

To be continued..........

               
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