Telecaster type bridge - opinions please

Any 'telecaster' experts out there that can help?

I've just received a 'telecaster' style guitar kit from my friend in the US as a christmas pressie The bridge unit has holes for thru-body stringing, although the body doesn't have these holes pre-drilled. Before I decide on how to finish the body, should I drill the holes for the thru-body stringing. I've tried a couple of 'teles' in the local music shop, some with the strings thru the body, some without, but couldn't really tell any difference in the tone. I know the pick-ups and body of the guitar have a lot to do with the sound, the pick-ups I can change later, the body is apparently basswood.

To drill or not to drill, that is the question!

Thanks

String-thru-body is generally accepted to impart a better tone to the traditional tele, however the G&L ASAT doesn't use through body stringing and sounds pretty good - but it has lots of other things like bi-cut neck assemble and a hefty bridge that may also contribute. Tele copies without thru-body stringing usually sound and play terrible but, again, the associated hardware won't help their cause.

Drill, is the answer. But you may have to decide whether you want the string ferrules flush with the body, or sticking out. If you want then flush, you're going to have to counter drill on the back to make the neccessary recess, and that can be trickey if you want to avoid tearing of the wood (however, it does look rather tidy.)

Thanks for your help. Ferrules ordered, so at last I have a use for my o-level in woodwork, only waited 25 years!!!! What are the chances that I don't get all six holes in a straight line........good job they'll be at the back of the body so won't be easily seen. Now just got to decide what colour to do the body, decisions, decisions.

Hardly any at all, unless you use a pillar drill. I think that you'd be best positioning the bridge and using the holes as guides.

One workaround is to stick one of those 'bullseye' spirit levels to the back of your drill with a lump of plasticine. Put a long bit in the drill such as a 18' masonry bit and clamp it in a vice so it's vertical, checking with a conventional spirit level, then 'zero' the 'bullseye' level in softened plasticine. You need to ensure the guitar body is flat on a level surface for this to work. You probably won't get them exactly spaced and in-line, but unlikely to get 2 holes merging into one unlike the 'rack't thie' method.

If the bridge doesn't have string holes in the rear edge, where the intonation adjusters are, you'll have to drill or get a different bridge, or add a stop bar tailpiece if the string angle can be made low enough. If you can afford it, and want different tunings at the push of a button, have a look at the Hipshot Trilogy.

Quite high. Even Fender produced some that were pretty squint in the early days. Make a drill template. That way, you'll see if they are straight before you start drilling the guitar. A bit of ply around 5mm thick should do the job, then stick it to the guitar with double sided tape. Use the bridge plate to get the initial placing of the template. Fix it in place them masrk though the holes in the baseplate onto the guitar. That'll then tell you where to position the template. Also use a drill press to ensure you're drilling through at right angles - otherwise you'll come out the other side all over the place.

Bear in mind that a drill long enough and thin enough to drill right through can easily wander, even if the body is held so that it cannot move. If your measuring skills are up to it, drill just over half way in from each side. That way you will know that the _entrance_ holes are in the correct place.If everything lines up - brilliant! If there has been some wobble then if needed you can accomodate this after drilling out the hole for the bush by drilling a short, oversize section to connect the two ends. The taper from the point of the drill will guide the string into the right place when you need to thread it through.