How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

[Matt42]

I've got a MIM Strat that I'm thinking about dropping a set of P-Rails into, but the neck slot is only routed for a single. How difficult would it be to rout it out for a humbucker? I'm not concerned with how it looks, as it's going to be covered by a pickguard, and since it's an MIM, it's not as though it has a huge resale value that I'll be destroying.

What type of tools are necessary? I've got a dremmel and a couple of drills, and can go buy the appropriate attachments for those.

Thanks

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

Easy You need a humbucker template buy from stewmac or make your own and a router. You will also need a special router bit like this https://www.google.com.au/search?q=router+bit+template&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=SxwbUZ6YCoaViAfUioHIAw&biw=1280&bih=797&sei=TxwbUauvGdGfmQXP7oCgCw#imgrc=Gvn_FcurDP4juM%3A%3BLiUAQc1ZQSKjHM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.woodpeck.com%252Fmedia%252Fmain_templatebit.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.woodpeck.com%252Fwhitesidetemplatebits.html%3B350%3B525

You can buy attachments for a dremel as well. But in my experience a good solid large router is much easier to control. And you can use it for all sort of projects. plus every man and his shed needs one.

Template like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Humbucker-Pickup-Cavity-Routing-Template-for-Guitar-/181059066123?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2a27f6190b

Also i would recommend practicing on a old slab of wood first. And even know you wont see the route under the pickguard i would still recommend doing it the right way. one its skill you will have for life once you learn and you will feel much better knowing its done

NO one likes a beaver route

 

[JohnJohn]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

+1 to that.

If you don't have a router or want to buy one many places will rent them for a day or so.
Personal preference is a plunge router and make sure you have a space that's okay to get dusty and make a fair bit of noise.

Practice going in different depths and moving the router or Dremel at a steady pace to avoid catching, tearing or burning the wood.

A common mistake is to set the router for the exact depth and try to do it in one pass.
This can cause the router to jump or catch the piece and throw it, instead of doing it in a few passes at different depths.

The Dremel will get the job done but will take longer and deep routing through harder woods can be hard on the motor brushes.

 

[Brow]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

I routed the neck pickup route in my MIJ Strat for a humbucker using nothing more than a Dremel and some of those sandpaper wheels that attach to the tool.

It took about 30minutes or so and isn't massively neat, but as it's underneath the scratchplate I don't mind

 

[Liam1963]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

I'm doing the exact same thing this weekend, I bought a small router from the local hardware mega-store, a couple of straight bits, and 4 humbucker templates from Stew-Mac. I glued the templates together 2 per, because the templates are only 3/16 of an inch thick, and I want to make sure that the bearing on the router bit can ride along the inner wall of the template itself. Diassembled the guitar (a CIJ Strat I bought back in the mid 80's), just make sure you have enough clamps to hold the body of the guitar securely to the work surface while the router is on, even small hand-held router generates a fair amount of torque. If I think of it, I'll take and post some pics of the progress. Bought a WD strat pickguard with 2 humbucker cut-outs, test fit the pickguard to the guitar (which also allowed me to measure the area where both humbuckers would reside), have the pickguard pre-wired, just need to start chipping wood....

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

Forget templates and routers...take a dremel and a few heavy grit sanding attachments and go to town or if you are in a real hurry a flat blade screw driver and a hammer will go a long way!

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

What grit would you recommend for that?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

I use 60 and 80 grit to do some pretty serious shaping off raw guitar bodies for J. Nunis and American Guitar Foundry... I can definitely see a sanding attachment on a Dremel making quick work of a strat cavity.

I like TGWIF's hammer / chisel idea tho...I like to use any excuse I can to take a hammer to a guitar.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

What grit would you recommend for that?

The lowest number you can get...

 

[JohnJohn]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

One other thing you can do is mask off the area you are going to cut and score it with an exacto knife.
That helps reduce the finish from chipping around the route.

Just peel the tape slightly back from the cut area so the adhesive and backing don't gum up the blade.
Avoid electric or clear tape as it will melt if it does touch the blade and duct tape isn't a good option as the fibers in the tape can wrap around the blade and get caught on something.
If you do decide to do this use masking tape.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

For a job on this scale, a laminate trim router like this DeWalt would be a good choice. It's less weighty than a full blown router, and much more sturdy than a Dremel. Once you have your work clamped and route marked up, you could do this freehand without too much trouble in 2-3 passes. You can cheaper versions than this DeWalt - they're top drawer stuff and would last a lifetime.

 

[JohnJohn]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

+1 to that, DeWalt is solid stuff.
Laminate trimmers are great for smaller jobs and a lot easier to control than a router.

My favourite final line from a former co-worker right before he got fired was "Wow, those routers can really get away from you"

 

[Liam1963]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

That's the DeWalt router I own! Sanding a cavity with a Dremel I can undertsand, but routing has to be the faster method. Taking a hammer and chisel to a guitar, not so much......

 

[JohnJohn]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

I think he was being cheeky.
But I have seen people do it, and use the screwdriver as a chisel also.
Never ends well.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

That's the DeWalt router I own! Sanding a cavity with a Dremel I can undertsand, but routing has to be the faster method. Taking a hammer and chisel to a guitar, not so much......

Routing might be faster, but for someone that already has a dremel, it's much more economical to buy a few sanding attachments and take an extra hour or two than spend $80 on a router.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

Routing might be faster, but for someone that already has a dremel, it's much more economical to buy a few sanding attachments and take an extra hour or two than spend $80 on a router.

Well if your like me any excuse will do to buy some new tools.

 

[Matt42]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

Thanks for the suggestions, I will definitely go the sandpaper/dremmel route, just a lot easier than getting a new tool. And as I said, I'm not really concerned with the look of the route since it will be behind a pickguard.

 

[OttoMatick]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

may as well do the swimming pool route while you're there.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

I've used a dremel with a cutter bit, works better than just using the sand wheels. They do actually make router bits too, but I was a little too sketchy with the one I have, I like the cutter better. Would probably be a 30 minute job, and the bit is like 5 or 6 bucks.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: How difficult would routing out a single coil to a humbucker on a strat be?

I've used a dremel with a cutter bit, works better than just using the sand wheels. They do actually make router bits too, but I was a little too sketchy with the one I have, I like the cutter better. Would probably be a 30 minute job, and the bit is like 5 or 6 bucks.

Yes, if you're not going to get a proper router, at least get a cutting bit for the Dremel. Using the drum sander attachment will take you all day.