Post Type Archives: SWD

The type of cavity, and how it is routed in your Stratocaster body, will determine the type of pickup you need and how the pickups will fit. The traditional cavity route will not allow the pickups to be reversed in your Strat. The shape of the fibre or molded bottom on the pickup fits the…

The majority of instruments manufactured by Fender have the traditional routing in the body and trying to reverse the pickups 180 degrees won’t fit. You would need a larger cavity or a pickup that has a oblong bottom plate like a Fender Jaguar. Some after market companies can make a reverse staggered pickup just for…

By using a wider spaced pickup, the pole have better alignment under the strings to better capture the magnetic field from the poles to obtain proper balance from the strings. The average Gibson pickup pole spacing is around 1.928″ from E to E and a Fender Stratocaster is 2.18″ from E to E. You can…

The threads on screws come in either National Coarse, or National Fine. On 6/32 screw the 6 is the diameter and the 32 is the threads per inch. Each screw size has two thread sizes each being either National Coarse or National Fine. The chart below will give you an example of the common sizes…

Knurling can be found on your volume and tone knobs. This helps you grip and turn the knobs better especially as you hands sweat after much playing. Knurling can be vertical, like on your Stratocaster knobs, or have diamond shaped serrations on the circumference of the work providing a better gripping surface. A good example…

A great catalog to order raw material and tools is McMaster-Carr Supply Co. P.O. Box 54960 Los Angeles, Calif. 90054-0960. They have the best catalog I have seen and are very helpful in finding supplies. If you’re trying to make brass bridges for your Telecaster I would suggest using a “Free Cutting Brass”. It’s great for…

My favorite book is by McMaster-Carr: you can get their catalog by calling: Chicago: Sales-312-254-0300 Fax #: 312-834-9427 Los Angeles: Sales-213-692-5911 Fax #: 213-695-2323 New Jersey: Sales-201-329-3200 Fax #: 201-329-3772

I find this interesting and I like searching for this kind of information to do articles on. I found an article written by Jim Boyd who writes for the Register-Guard a newspaper out of Oregon. Henry Phillips who lived in Portland, Oregon patented the Phillip head screw in 1934. The screw has the plus sign…

You can find many types of screws at hardware and speciality screw stores. The majority of hardware screws used today are oval head Phillips. The early years of Fender and Gibson, oval head-slotted screws were used in the majority of instruments. If you are replacing or needing extra screws, it is important to find the…

Most hardware stores carry both Metric and Standard Screw Checker gauges. The gauges I use are one’s made by “Ruelle Industries-6650 Highland Rd.-Waterford, MI 48327-(313)666-4433″. They are heavy duty and measure approximately 3″ X 5 3/8”. The gauges are made of .072″ thick metal and are tapped for various thread and screw diameters. The various…