Pickup routing

[southadc]

Hi,

I've approached a guitar tech about getting one of my 7-string axes routed to take 2 EMG 707's (these being larger than the 2 humbuckers already in place).

The guy said I should think about a re-finish at the same time. Is this reasonable? I would have thought the routing could be done without messing up the paintwork on the top of the body?

[Zerberus]

You´re right. Any decent tech can rout out a pickup without causing the need for a refinish

[southadc]

Thanks Zerberus, I was hoping you'd pick the thread up.

I figured that, routed properly, it wouldn't mark the top, and if the hole is sized properly, you shouldn't really notice the 'paintless' sides to the hole once the pickup was in.

The guy said £40 for the routing, which I think is reasonable, but he said I may need a re-finish, and said wiring up the pickups would be £50! I think I'll use my own soldering iron!

I think I'll look round a bit more for a tech - everywhere else I've been so far they've said they can't do it.

[butnut]

You can get a Roto-Zip (or generic 'spiral saw' ) from Ebay cheap. The best for opening up pup holes. NO chipping either...and this was thick ass poly. Just use a China marker (grease pencil or Stabillo) to draw your cut lines. If you wish, use masking tape outside the lines as a guide, routing always makes a lot of dust and sometimes covers your drawn lines. Just follow the line (don't push hard, let the bit do the cutting) and it's cake. Chisel off the insides and it's done. Safer than using a router, just set the depth. Good luck.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/52686162/52686578EtUcVV

[southadc]

Yeah, I did think about trying it myself with a rotozip or something (having practiced a bit on something other than the guitar first of course)...I did buy the guitar I'm going to put them in specifically as a test bed for these pick-ups (since they won't retro-fit without routing). I guess I'm just worried about slipping and carving a hole into the top of the guitar (I've never had a very steady hand. Soldering is the worst, the closer I get the tip to the wire, the more it seems to move).

I'm also unsure how deep the hole needs to be? The guitar I intend to drop the pickups into is a Squire Stagemaster seven string, and the pickups are EMG 707s:

http://www.emginc.com/displayproducts.asp?section=Guitar&categoryid=6&catalogid=89

Funny thing is, I bought the guitar to try this stuff out, but now I quite like the guitar and don't want to screw it up

[butnut]

You need a dose of confidence bro! The Roto won't cut, unless you steer it...it has a real skinny tip, unlike a router which may be more apt to 'bite' with it's bigger bit. Maybe you or your relatives/friends know a wood worker? It's not dificult for anyone who uses tools. Good luck.

[StefanM]

I suggest making a template for the router to follor first out of something like thick ply, then practicing on scrap wood first until it is perfect.

[southadc]

Re: Pickup routing

You can get a Roto-Zip (or generic 'spiral saw' ) from Ebay cheap. The best for opening up pup holes. NO chipping either...and this was thick ass poly. Just use a China marker (grease pencil or Stabillo) to draw your cut lines. If you wish, use masking tape outside the lines as a guide, routing always makes a lot of dust and sometimes covers your drawn lines. Just follow the line (don't push hard, let the bit do the cutting) and it's cake. Chisel off the insides and it's done. Safer than using a router, just set the depth. Good luck.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...52686578EtUcVV

Hi, I've ordered a couple of EMG 707s now, and I followed this advice and picked up a Rotozip and a straight edge guide from Ebay.

What bit should I be using in the Rotozip? The bit it came with burnt the wood I was practicing on a little? Maybe I was pushing too hard, or maybe it was because it was a piece of hard old oak I was cutting? The cutting I was doing was straight enough, even without the guide, so I just want to make sure I don't set fire to my axe now by using a dodgy bit?

[Alex_In_Chains]

Re: Pickup routing

Hey dude, I can't really help you much with the routing but god damn, that guy quoting £50 for wiring up an EMG 707 should be ashamed. I know you've said before that you're in Stoke sometimes, if you have any problems soldering it yourself, and if you're gonna be around, let me know and I'll solder it in for you, it's a piece of cake, I have a pretty steady hand for soldering (apart from the time I nearly burnt half my hand off due to an over excitable pet, but the least said the better). I would've thought he'd throw the wiring in with the routing free of chage. It literally took me about 5 minutes to wire mine up, £50 is ludicrous. By the way, want me to measure the pickup cavities on my ESP so you have some idea how deep to route them? They're a perfect snug fit for 707's.

[southadc]

Re: Pickup routing

Hey dude, I can't really help you much with the routing but god damn, that guy quoting £50 for wiring up an EMG 707 should be ashamed. I know you've said before that you're in Stoke sometimes, if you have any problems soldering it yourself, and if you're gonna be around, let me know and I'll solder it in for you, it's a piece of cake, I have a pretty steady hand for soldering (apart from the time I nearly burnt half my hand off due to an over excitable pet, but the least said the better). I would've thought he'd throw the wiring in with the routing free of chage. It literally took me about 5 minutes to wire mine up, £50 is ludicrous. By the way, want me to measure the pickup cavities on my ESP so you have some idea how deep to route them? They're a perfect snug fit for 707's.

Yeah, I was a bit shocked to say the least when he gave me that figure. That and mentioning a refinish? Smell a cowboy? I only mentioned the wiring to him because I reckoned it'd save me some hassle to have it all done together.

I could be round Stoke again soon actually - haven't been up that way for a few months for varying reasons, but looks like I'll be up there again soon. I have to say I've always had fun soldering in pickups - my hands do shake a little, and the closer I get the tip to the wire the worse it seems to get, need to have a beer to dull the shakes a bit

If you could measure up the pickup cavities for me that would be great. The depth of the cavity is the one I'm unsure about. Need I put an extra little groove in to accommodate the quick connector, do you know?

This active 7-string humbucker project is dragging out a bit now! I couldn't decide whether to go with 707s or custom built Livewires in the schecter, so I picked up a cheap (but surprisingly playable) squire stagemaster specifically to try these pickups in. I reckon that if I don't like them then, I've only knackered up a cheaper guitar, and if I love them, then I've got a playable backup guitar. Can't lose!

How's Stoke these days? You got long left up there?

[Alex_In_Chains]

Re: Pickup routing

Yeah, I was a bit shocked to say the least when he gave me that figure. That and mentioning a refinish? Smell a cowboy? I only mentioned the wiring to him because I reckoned it'd save me some hassle to have it all done together.

I could be round Stoke again soon actually - haven't been up that way for a few months for varying reasons, but looks like I'll be up there again soon. I have to say I've always had fun soldering in pickups - my hands do shake a little, and the closer I get the tip to the wire the worse it seems to get, need to have a beer to dull the shakes a bit

If you could measure up the pickup cavities for me that would be great. The depth of the cavity is the one I'm unsure about. Need I put an extra little groove in to accommodate the quick connector, do you know?

This active 7-string humbucker project is dragging out a bit now! I couldn't decide whether to go with 707s or custom built Livewires in the schecter, so I picked up a cheap (but surprisingly playable) squire stagemaster specifically to try these pickups in. I reckon that if I don't like them then, I've only knackered up a cheaper guitar, and if I love them, then I've got a playable backup guitar. Can't lose!

How's Stoke these days? You got long left up there?

Hmmm, I'm not sure I'd say he was a cowboy per se, but he definitely wants your money maybe a little bit too much. £40 is quite a good price for two 707 sized routs, it's about what I was quoted. As far as the £50 for the wiring though, that's definitely the behaviour of a ripp-off merchant. As far as I know, that usually runs at about £10-20 for a passive pickup, and often less if it's an EMG as they're so easy to install. You won't need to route a space for the quick connect cable, that is all concealed underneath the pickup, so don't worry about that. If you don't mind, I'll measure the pickup cavities tomorrow, I need to change my strings anyway but I don't fancy it right now as I'm soon off to bed, and changing strings on a 7 string Floyd is no fun at all I'll make sure I do it tomorrow though, rest assured. Oh, and if you don't like the 707's, I'll be happy to take one off your hands should you choose to sell them on...

As far as Stoke, it's the same as always. Just be careful to behave yourself if you go for a night out, there are police vans on patrol with CCTV cameras attached to catch out anyone who's misbehaving nowadays I'm still yet to see them actually catch anyone doing anything though. I'm all but finished at Uni for now. Just 2 weeks of lectures after Easter break, a couple of exams and essays and I'm done. My dissertation is about 2/3rds done. At last the end is in sight!

[Alex_In_Chains]

Re: Pickup routing

Sorry about the delay bro, I've had a somewhat hectic time so far this weekend. The pickup rout is around 1.5cm deep.

[butnut]

Re: Pickup routing

Sorry, my puter was down...another freakin' 300 bucks to 'fix' it!!! Don't practice on Oak...that would smoke even a good carbide router bit. The RotoZip usually has 2 bits...one for drywall and one for wood. Try practice on a 'softer' wood...don't push it, let the bit cut...use masking tape for a guide edge of the exact shape you wanna cut, I would'nt use any guides myself for such a small trim, but if you want to...take your time, if you hear the RZ slowing down, ease off, you're pushing it....it will cut, go easy and good luck.

[Zerberus]

Re: Pickup routing

Thanks Zerberus, I was hoping you'd pick the thread up.

I figured that, routed properly, it wouldn't mark the top, and if the hole is sized properly, you shouldn't really notice the 'paintless' sides to the hole once the pickup was in.

The guy said £40 for the routing, which I think is reasonable, but he said I may need a re-finish, and said wiring up the pickups would be £50! I think I'll use my own soldering iron!

I think I'll look round a bit more for a tech - everywhere else I've been so far they've said they can't do it.

90 POUNDS for a pickup installation? that´s like, what, 120-150? That´s insane, if I were already open I´d say ship the sucker to me, have me do it, and have it shipped back. Still cheaper...Freakin Cowboys...

[southadc]

Re: Pickup routing

90 POUNDS for a pickup installation? that´s like, what, 120-150? That´s insane, if I were already open I´d say ship the sucker to me, have me do it, and have it shipped back. Still cheaper...Freakin Cowboys...

Those were my thoughts - bit over the top. I thought about the cost of everything, and it works out cheaper to buy the tools and a workbench and do it myself. I didn't fancy using a chisel - far too time consuming.

Alex_In_Chains - thanks for measuring that up for me, I know you've got more pressing things to do at the moment with finals and stuff coming up. 7-string Floyds are fun aren't they? I played about with mine recently and it doesn't feel very balanced now (higher strings don't dive very far compared to the heavier strings now). Have to wait until I'm changing the strings to adjust this again now. D'oh!

Butnut - thanks for you input, sorry to hear about the 'puter. I reckoned it was the hardness of the oak that was causing the smoke, so I'm going to look around here for something a bit softer to butcher. I was using one of the general purpose sabrecut bits, I reckon this is the one to use?

Got to figure out the wiring for this soon too. The current set-up is two humbuckers going into a 3-way switch, with a master tone and a master volume. Where I'm trying to get to is two 707s with individual volume pots going into a 3-way switch. I know that taking the tone pots out altogether changes the tone a little, so should I be leaving the caps in somehow, so it's like a tone pot on full? I'm planning to experiment with power a little too - probably try running them on 9v and on 18v to see which I prefer (if it makes much difference at all).

Anyone know if there are any wiring diagrams around for this set-up? I'm just a little unsure of where the cap goes - would it be from the 'hot' tab on the volume pot to earth?