routing a humbucker cavity

axisus

How does one do it? I'm thinking that it will be a problem cutting tight corners. All my router bits with bearings look like they will be too big a diameter to get in to the corners?

Drill the corners first with a drill bit?

Electro_Ham

Forstner bits might help. It's not a bad idea to remove as much wood as you can before routing. If a drill is all you have, go for it, but it might not look all that tidy.

WezV

a 1/2" wide router bit will be  fine for most pickup routes with normal covers/rings, although if you are going for direct mount it is worth making a tighter fitting template and thinking about this more.

TBH I am surprised this question isn't in the neck pocket route thread you just started, because the corners of a tele neck pocket are too small to do with a 1/2" router bit

options:

*drill corners before routing

*buy a smaller router bit

paulnb57

Probably worth investing in a smaller diameter router bit, Im glad you are askong all your questions, its all stuff Im curious about....

WezV

also, take a look at something like a carvin

its not the prettiest pickup route, but it works just as well as a normal one if you are using a ring.   there is no need to do it this way, but i hope its a reassuring pic

WezV

you also have lazy options on the neck pocket like these fenders

structurally its fine, but obviously it would look shit if you didn't have a fretboard overhang and/or scratchplate

ICBM

I use a 1/4" router bit and a plain template follower, with a plywood template clamped to the guitar. That gives neat results with nice 'square'-looking corners, pretty much the same as Gibson/PRS routs.

axisus

WezV said:

a 1/2" wide router bit will be  fine for most pickup routes with normal covers/rings, although if you are going for direct mount it is worth making a tighter fitting template and thinking about this more.

TBH I am surprised this question isn't in the neck pocket route thread you just started, because the corners of a tele neck pocket are too small to do with a 1/2" router bit

options:

*drill corners before routing

*buy a smaller router bit

I was planning on doing this shape, with the small ends

I have to admit that I haven't seen a smaller router bit with a bearing?

Neck no problem as I'm fitting a p90.

As it happens, I'm being a doofus here! I will be using a pickup ring to cover the edges so I'm quite happy just routing out by eye with a smaller bit, which is what I did on my Angel tele.

Thanks people, problem solved

axisus

Yuck to those Fender pockets!

WezV

That's the shape I use for all my humbucker routes and I do usually just do it with a 1/2" router and it works fine.

If you go bang on Gibson dimensions it wouldn't work, but the tab section on my templates is usually a bit longer.

I wouldn't free hand it, just think about whether you are using a ring or not and make a template that suits the tools you already have

WezV

here are some routes, all done with a 1/2" bit - they all fit pickups with or without covers without modification

axisus

Ok thanks @WezV