You know the Drill

Larry Beck · From: Pierre, SD

Help! I have a project of a 54 +/- Fender deluxe T-6. It came to me with no control plate, pots or jack. I fabricated the plate and now I need to know where to drill the holes for the screws, pots and jacks. Could anyone who has one of these make me a template? Also I'm looking for 3 legs for it. Thanks.

Email me at lbeck1@pie.midco.net

Here's what I've got so far.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

I would just make one myself out of thin cardboard or greeting card stock and use the holes in the body as guides. First put masking tape alongside the plate while in position then remove the plate and draw across the holes with a straight edge on to the tape.Do this in both X and Y axis. Then put your cardstock replica of the new plate in position and ruff in your marks off the tape with pencil and straight edge - X marks the spot.Then using a large pin or sharp awl,feel and probe thru the card stock to find the exact hole.Starting with small indentations finally punch thru with small holes. Test the overall lineup by putting all the screws in place with the cardboard mockup. Then transfer the holes over to the real plate(carefully). When you're reasonably sure they're correct,center punch them and start drilling with a small drill bit first and enlarging as you see that the alignments are all correct.If one is a little off you can fudge it back on center with a jewelers rat tail file while the hole is still small.Finally,get the holes to the correct size and bevel them to 82 degrees with a countersink so the ovalhead screws will look stock when in place.As for the pots and jacks their positions will be indicated by the way the cavity is laid out. Essentially knobs are on top and the jack comes out the end. There's some leeway here and I would take this opportunity to lay out the knobs the way they felt the best to me the wiring on the switch,pots and jack is excatly like a Telecaster. Do each step carefully and it's a one hour job. If you made the plate out of aluminum it will buff up to a glassy shine - if you made it out of mild steel,I'd have it plated. You can get legs from Bobbe Seymore and the switch handle from any guitar parts supplier or these days,any guitar shop or music store.I like Strat switch tips cause they're not as big and intrusive as the Tele "Top Hat" style ones - especially when the switch is located where it is on your guitar. -MJ-

Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Perhaps this picture will help:

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

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