There are several differences as compared to a stock Telecaster. The bottom plate on the lap steel are rectangular and are .062″ thick and the pole pieces have slightly different spacing. When I make the modifications the standard Telecaster bottom plate is .093″ thick which I can’t use. I punch out a blank Telecaster bottom plate (.062″ thickness) and hand punch all the holes to the proper spacing and diameter. Extreme care has to be taken when removing the rectangular vulcanized fibre on the lap steel. The fine magnet wire must be removed first from the eyelet’s so they can be inserted into the eyelet’s on the new bottom flatwork.

I have several fixtures to remove the rectangular bottom plate and then carefully press on the new Telecaster flatwork, carefully connect the magnet wire from the coil to the new eyelet’s and do the final hookup and waxing.