Routing out the mortise in the body

I have attached the template with 2 screws

I am using a 1 3/8" forstner bit to remove most of the stock to a depth of 1 7/16"

 

Next I will use a router to remove the rest.

After the first pass

I now have removed the template. You can see that the 2 screws were set where the pick-ups cavities will be. Now for another pass.

I still have more to do with this mortise. I still have to router the bottom at a 4.5 degree angle. That will be later. Now the moment of truth. Time to check the fit of the neck. To see if the center line in the neck lines up with the center line of the body.

I have pulled a guitar string down the center of the neck and it lines up perfectly with the center line of the body. Whew!

The next step is building a jig for beveling the face of the body at 4.5 degrees and starting to form the arch top.