Stratocaster Ferrule Installation Guide

For through-body string ferrules

Works with both "Vintage" and "American Standard" Fender Stratocaster Electric Guitar Bridges

Will not work with Telecaster bridges...different string spacings.

  I’ve retired from lutherie, but still like to putter about in the shop.  I’ve been making bridges, slotting fretboards, etc.  Also been replicating some of the special tools and jigs that I’ve used over the years.  This item is a result of a suggestion made by a client.  I’ve been selling a string-hole drilling guide for making the holes that allow strings to pass through a guitar body.  This is standard practice for Telecasters as well as numerous other electric guitar designs.  The guide makes drilling the holes easy and accurate even with a hand drill.

The ferrule installation tool is a companion to the drilling guide.  Once the holes are made through the guitar body it’s necessary to install ferrules on the back side to hold the ball-ends of the strings.  Drilling accurate holes for these can be a problem.  This template makes it easy.  And the pins used to register the guide for drilling the ferrule holes can also be used to press in the ferrules themselves.  A full set of instructions is provided.

The drilling guide is made from ½” thick aluminum and is held in place by pins that utilize the 1/8” holes drilled through the body.  Four of the holes are drilled, and then the pins are reversed to hold the guide using any two of the four drilled holes.  The remaining two holes are then drilled.  The pins are lathe turned from drill rod (silver steel).  They have a step turned in them that allows the ferrule to be held and guided, and then seated accurately.  A very simple process.

As always, if the ferrule installation guide disappoints you in any way, send it back to me and I’ll cheerfully refund your money.  Thanks for bidding!