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WickedCoach
Guest
So my local guitar shop quoted me a price of $125 to rout out a sss strat body to make it able to be a hh body. Does that seem high to anyone but me?
MojoMonster
Active member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Yes.
But then I own a router, router bits, a workshop and have 30+ years of woodworking experience.
Yes.
But then I own a router, router bits, a workshop and have 30+ years of woodworking experience.
Edgecrusher
Well-known member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Maybe it really depends n your locale though. Some places that would be outrageous others not so much. Why not check with other shops in the area it will be better than asking opinions on a forum all over the world, do you really what the local shop in kalamazoo, timbuktu or tijuana will do it for?
Maybe it really depends n your locale though. Some places that would be outrageous others not so much. Why not check with other shops in the area it will be better than asking opinions on a forum all over the world, do you really what the local shop in kalamazoo, timbuktu or tijuana will do it for?
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
I'll do it for a tenner - I'll even use a router if you like...
I'll do it for a tenner - I'll even use a router if you like...
Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
I paid $40 for a professional wood worker (recommended by my tech) to mod my strat body from a single to a humbucker in the neck position. He said he did a swimming pool for someone else and charged them $60.
I paid $40 for a professional wood worker (recommended by my tech) to mod my strat body from a single to a humbucker in the neck position. He said he did a swimming pool for someone else and charged them $60.
Dr. Vegetable
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
That price differential is kinda funny, because most of the work is in the dismantling, reassembly, and setting up for the cut. The amount of wood removed shouldn't make that much difference, really. :scratchch
That price differential is kinda funny, because most of the work is in the dismantling, reassembly, and setting up for the cut. The amount of wood removed shouldn't make that much difference, really. :scratchch
uOpt
Something Cool
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
There is some detail here.
Do they give you a guarantee that they don't damage the body? The big risk here is make a nick when screwing up. Do they say they'll pay for a new body if they **** up?
Also, a "perfect" humbucker route is more than one route. There is a deeper area where the legs are which is quite annoying to do and needs extra templates.
For simply taping on one template and routing away it's a bit steep.
There is some detail here.
Do they give you a guarantee that they don't damage the body? The big risk here is make a nick when screwing up. Do they say they'll pay for a new body if they **** up?
Also, a "perfect" humbucker route is more than one route. There is a deeper area where the legs are which is quite annoying to do and needs extra templates.
For simply taping on one template and routing away it's a bit steep.
Agileguy_101
Master of his Domain
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
I brought a guitar to a local-ish shop. It was a neck thru strat body with no strings or pickguard, routed for SSS. They charged me $40 to do a swimming pool route.
Yes, that sounds way too expensive.
I brought a guitar to a local-ish shop. It was a neck thru strat body with no strings or pickguard, routed for SSS. They charged me $40 to do a swimming pool route.
Yes, that sounds way too expensive.
post toastie
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
i did one with a Dremel tool just yesterday. i used the round sandpaper bands.
i taped the whole body in blue painters tape as a precaution against scuffs. painters tape won't protect against a serious mishap or gouge, but it will protect the body from sawdust scuffs. afterwards i took a slightly damp papertowel and lightly removed the remaining sawdust that wasn't removed by simply blowing it off.
if you decide to use a Dremel tool, get one with two speeds.
i did one with a Dremel tool just yesterday. i used the round sandpaper bands.
i taped the whole body in blue painters tape as a precaution against scuffs. painters tape won't protect against a serious mishap or gouge, but it will protect the body from sawdust scuffs. afterwards i took a slightly damp papertowel and lightly removed the remaining sawdust that wasn't removed by simply blowing it off.
if you decide to use a Dremel tool, get one with two speeds.
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Did you use a template for that, or was it done freehand?
Did you use a template for that, or was it done freehand?
MojoMonster
Active member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Harbor Freight has a $25 trim router and a router bit kit for less than $10. Get one with a straight bit with the bearing on top. (optimal is the StewMac 1/8" bit)
You can get humbucker templates all day long from eBay for less than $10.(or StewMac)
A ruler to find and mark the centerline and a bit of good double sided tape and you're good to go.
Practice on scrap until you're comfortable with the tool and then have at it.
Certainly cost you less than $125 and you learn a valuable skill.
Harbor Freight has a $25 trim router and a router bit kit for less than $10. Get one with a straight bit with the bearing on top. (optimal is the StewMac 1/8" bit)
You can get humbucker templates all day long from eBay for less than $10.(or StewMac)
A ruler to find and mark the centerline and a bit of good double sided tape and you're good to go.
Practice on scrap until you're comfortable with the tool and then have at it.
Certainly cost you less than $125 and you learn a valuable skill.
Lewguitar
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
I think $125 is a little on the high side of fair but still still fair.
It takes tools and skill to do that job right. And if you blow it, you'll have hell to pay with the customer.
A professional has got to pay for his tools and his rent after all. And have something left over for himself. That's the point isn't it?
Having run my own wood shop and handmade furniture store for 30 years, I'm much more willing to pay someone what their work is worth and let them make a decent living.
I think $125 is a little on the high side of fair but still still fair.
It takes tools and skill to do that job right. And if you blow it, you'll have hell to pay with the customer.
A professional has got to pay for his tools and his rent after all. And have something left over for himself. That's the point isn't it?
Having run my own wood shop and handmade furniture store for 30 years, I'm much more willing to pay someone what their work is worth and let them make a decent living.
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post toastie
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
free hand.
i've been able to shape pickguards, bevel edge and all with just a Dremel tool. route back doors and cavities. it works really well, but it's very delicate...the attachments are. every attachment i've tried to use other than the sanding band breaks quickly. i once got one of those brown cone shaped grinders inbedded in the body of my Mustang. it was in there for a few days until i could purchase another attachment (i don't remember what...probably another sanding band) to route around it it and pull it out. there was no harm, as i was routing a hole for an LP Style toggle at the time.
in fact i even had the sanding band fly off on me yesterday. i need a new (rubber whatever it's called) that the band slips onto, i guess.
i had just started to route the [rain gullies] on the side where the height adjustment screws go when it got too dark to see outside. those side gullies [for lack of a better term] are a little bit deeper than the pickup route itself.
i'd say it took about an hour and a half to do.
Timeline:
4:00 - decided i needed painters tape. went to get some
4:25 - started to tape body up
5:10 - started to work
6:45 - done, work area cleaned up, tools put away, pondering dinner
free hand.
i've been able to shape pickguards, bevel edge and all with just a Dremel tool. route back doors and cavities. it works really well, but it's very delicate...the attachments are. every attachment i've tried to use other than the sanding band breaks quickly. i once got one of those brown cone shaped grinders inbedded in the body of my Mustang. it was in there for a few days until i could purchase another attachment (i don't remember what...probably another sanding band) to route around it it and pull it out. there was no harm, as i was routing a hole for an LP Style toggle at the time.
in fact i even had the sanding band fly off on me yesterday. i need a new (rubber whatever it's called) that the band slips onto, i guess.
i had just started to route the [rain gullies] on the side where the height adjustment screws go when it got too dark to see outside. those side gullies [for lack of a better term] are a little bit deeper than the pickup route itself.
i'd say it took about an hour and a half to do.
Timeline:
4:00 - decided i needed painters tape. went to get some
4:25 - started to tape body up
5:10 - started to work
6:45 - done, work area cleaned up, tools put away, pondering dinner
youngthrasher9
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
That's pretty high. Or their pretty high.
It's not a lot of work.
That's pretty high. Or their pretty high.
It's not a lot of work.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Invest in a good couple of chisels, and you can shave an hour off of that next time, and go easier on your materials (those little sanding drums). Do the meat of the work with the chisels, and do the finish work with the drum sander. You can also skip the tape to save materials and time. It's unnecessary.
Invest in a good couple of chisels, and you can shave an hour off of that next time, and go easier on your materials (those little sanding drums). Do the meat of the work with the chisels, and do the finish work with the drum sander. You can also skip the tape to save materials and time. It's unnecessary.
Lewguitar
New member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Nothing wrong with learning a valuable skill. But most guys would just F it up the first time around. Maybe they'd get it right the second or third time around - but only if they've got the knack. It takes a certain talent and mind set to do good precise wood work. Most people don't have it - although they might be great at something else.
Nothing wrong with learning a valuable skill. But most guys would just F it up the first time around. Maybe they'd get it right the second or third time around - but only if they've got the knack. It takes a certain talent and mind set to do good precise wood work. Most people don't have it - although they might be great at something else.
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MojoMonster
Active member
Re: Body routing a little pricey?
Fenders almost beg to be practiced on.
And as far as I'm concerned, any sub-$1k guitar is fair game for that kind of modding.
Of course I'm not talking about jumping in without practice first.
At least be comfortable with your tools.
But of the things you can do, something like routing a pickup cavity is lower on the scale of screw-up-ability than say, placing a bridge or cutting fret slots.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Oh sure, but we're not talking about working on a boutique guitar.
Fenders almost beg to be practiced on.
And as far as I'm concerned, any sub-$1k guitar is fair game for that kind of modding.
Of course I'm not talking about jumping in without practice first.
At least be comfortable with your tools.
But of the things you can do, something like routing a pickup cavity is lower on the scale of screw-up-ability than say, placing a bridge or cutting fret slots.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
