AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! Help Please!

[thebrig]

I have just received all the parts from Warmoth to build a 54 precision, paid a pretty price, especially with the £116.32 duty added on.

Anyway, all the parts look great, beautiful bird’s-eye maple neck, and the body is carved from a very nice piece of alder.

I checked to make sure everything was ok, and proceeded to apply my own finish to the body.

All was going really nicely, and I was looking forward to putting it all together.
I then decided to see how well the Lollar single coil fits into the pickup cavity, and to see if the wires will push through the hole to the control cavity easily enough, but to my horror I noticed that there was no hole.

I can’t return it, as I have already started to finish it.

[b]So does anyone know how I can drill from the pickup cavity through to the control cavity, and what special tools do I need?[/b]

I have put a few guitars together in the past, and I am practically minded, but I haven’t got a clue how to do this!

I have included a photo indicating what is required.

[stingrayPete1977]

Drill from the neck pocket all the way down to the bridge area making a hole behind the bridge in a suitable position first then drill from the bridge to the cavity if it isnt already as you will need a route for the earth anyway

Plan B is to carefully drill at an angle from both sides and as long as they pass at some point you should be able to thread a pull wire through.

Edited March 16, 2013 by stingrayPete1977

[stingrayPete1977]

Is the jack socket going on the plate? If not then you can drill from the body mounted jack socket hole through the cavity and on to the pickup cavity.

[thebrig]

You guys are brilliant, this post is only a couple of minutes old, and already you have come up with great ideas which should resolve the problem.

[Musky]

I seem to remember a post on this subject a few years ago. I think lettsguitars contributed with what I thought was a rather clever way of drilling cavity holes. But I can't remember what it was!

[Fat Rich]

You just need an extra long wood drill bit.

As stingraypete pointed out you'll need a hole from the pickup to the cavity, plus another hole from the bridge to the cavity to earth the bridge (unless you use active EMG pickups or similar that don't require an earth.

It's not going to be particularly easy to judge the correct angle to drill through, might be a bit nerve wracking!

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1363442589' post='2012776']
You guys are brilliant, this post is only a couple of minutes old, and already you have come up with great ideas which should resolve the problem.
[/quote]
Thats all of my brain power used for this week now though!

[stingrayPete1977]

Plan C is a chisel and a scratchplate

[BigRedX]

As has been said the standard way is to drill from the jack socket hole through the control cavity into the pickup route. You just need an appropriately long drill bit.

[thebrig]

The earth wire hole, from the bridge to the control cavity has been drilled (that would have easier to do).

It looks like I will have to go in through the jack socket hole, luckily, it’s a 7/8” hole, which gives me a bit of room to work with, but I will be bricking it as I drill through.

And where will I get a 12” wood drill bit?

Edited March 16, 2013 by thebrig

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1363443757' post='2012804']
..... but I will be bricking it as I drill through.
.....
[/quote]

Better get some rawl plugs while you're at it.

[stingrayPete1977]

Ah so you are having a jack socket then, thats not so bad as you can keep the drill at 90 degrees to the body rather than bursting out of the back! You can get an extension bar and a cheap set of flat bits from most diy or B&M bargain type shops, the only problem is that the socket on the bar which has two little grub screws in is about 10-12 diameter so thats the minimum flat bit you can put through as the main bit, than said you can counter sink a 12mm just enough to get the extension in enough so as the smallest bit in the kit pops out if that makes sense?

[stingrayPete1977]

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/8PC-FLAT-WOOD-BIT-SET-6-32mm-12-EXTENSION-SHANK-HEX-KEY-WOOD-DRILLING-CUTTING-/400333343250?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item5d35ba0a12"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item5d35ba0a12[/url]

10mm in as far as you can get it, add the extension bar and go in until you can work out where it will need to get to for the smaller bit to reach the pickup cavity, swap to the smaller one and the ext bar will go as far as the 10mm bit went leaving a small exit hole in the pickup pocket

Edited March 16, 2013 by stingrayPete1977

[thebrig]

I've just found a place online that sells 6mm bits that are 400mm long, so I will order one now.

Edited March 16, 2013 by thebrig

[stingrayPete1977]

That would be better nice one

[BassTractor]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1363445182' post='2012827']
I've just found a place online that sells 6mm bits that are 400mm long, so I will order one now.
[/quote]

Wow. Can you tell us where?

best,
bert

[steve-bbb]

of course you will now have to video your carpentry prowess to show us all on here

no pressure

[paul_5]

yup, pictures or it didn't happen!

[thebrig]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1363455535' post='2012983']
Wow. Can you tell us where?

best,
bert
[/quote]
[url="http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p23498?gclid=CKKT0oDpgbYCFeXLtAodnWMAdA"]http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p23498?gclid=CKKT0oDpgbYCFeXLtAodnWMAdA[/url]

[BassTractor]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1363457008' post='2013011']
[url="http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p23498?gclid=CKKT0oDpgbYCFeXLtAodnWMAdA"]http://www.toolstati...CFeXLtAodnWMAdA[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks!

b,
b

[thebrig]

I'm nervous enough as it is, without the added pressure of videoing myself doing it.