Routing – How much should I expect to pay?

[Dubs]

I have a lovely un routed Jazz body (Celinder clone with a mahogany core and mildly quilted redwood top and rear, sycamore veneer under the redwood top – it’s nice ) and I’ve just ordered a neck so when this comes I can take the measurements for it to be routed, but how much should I expect to pay for a pro job? I need it to be routed for a standard Jazz pickup configuration with a rear control cavity, and obviously I need the neck pocket to be routed.

I’ve been offered to have it routed out for free by an old friend who is in the 2nd year of a guitar building course, but for my piece of mind I’d be tempted to pay for a pro job if I can afford it, if not then my mate gets to drill into it… :wacko:

[Dubs]

anyone?

[yorks5stringer]

When I did mine it was no longer than 1 hour actually routing those areas but then you end up paying for the expertise, jigs/templates etc and final finishing which takes a lot longer. Would you cut/make the rear cavity plate yourself?
It's not rocket science and if your friend is on a course they should know what to do.....


Disclaimer: I could be totally wrong on this!

[Dubs]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='328769' date='Nov 14 2008, 12:18 AM']When I did mine it was no longer than 1 hour actually routing those areas but then you end up paying for the expertise, jigs/templates etc and final finishing which takes a lot longer. Would you cut/make the rear cavity plate yourself?
It's not rocket science and if your friend is on a course they should know what to do.....


Disclaimer: I could be totally wrong on this![/quote]

Yeah I’d be tempted to just make the cavity plate myself – it’s all part of the ‘build’ experience and something that I could actually do myself (and it would probably cut down on costs a bit).

I’d be relatively happy to take it to a pro and pay for their time and expertise, but this is only if I’d be able to afford it. I need to speak to my mate about it properly because I’ve only spoke with him in passing or online and I’ve not actually seen any of his work, so he may be great and I’m being a bit of a prick by not having confidence in him, but I just know how he was 5 years ago in college when it came to work; minimal effort = a pass, and occasionally the old Homer Simpson motto – “If something’s too hard to do, then don’t bother”. I just need to work out if I’d actually be happy to pay the premium for a pro to do it before I take it further with him, cos (a) I don’t want financially cripple myself by getting a pro to do it if I can’t actually afford it - (b) I don’t want to waste my mates time, and © I don’t want my mate to ruin the body by believing his skills are on par with John Shuker’s when really they’re not…

[yorks5stringer]

If you visit the stewmac website it shows you how to do it: if he has done a course he should have all the right tools/techniques, also this may help too.
[url="http://www.accesswave.ca/~derekn/routertutorial/routertutorialpg4(makingtemps).htm"]http://www.accesswave.ca/~derekn/routertut...akingtemps).htm[/url]

Maybe practise on some scrap first?

[Dubs]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' post='329030' date='Nov 14 2008, 12:24 PM']If you visit the stewmac website it shows you how to do it: if he has done a course he should have all the right tools/techniques, also this may help too.
[url="http://www.accesswave.ca/~derekn/routertutorial/routertutorialpg4(makingtemps).htm"]http://www.accesswave.ca/~derekn/routertut...akingtemps).htm[/url]

Maybe practise on some scrap first?[/quote]

Thanks for that, I'll have a proper chat with him and find out what else he's routed...

[yorks5stringer]

There's also quite a bit on youtube too....

[Mr. Foxen]

I had all the routing and drilling done on a guitar body for £25. I chatted to the guy for ages and have had work done quite a few times, so dunno if I got a good rate, previously I got charged the same ofor a single pickup route from the same guy.

[Dubs]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='329699' date='Nov 15 2008, 03:36 PM']I had all the routing and drilling done on a guitar body for £25. I chatted to the guy for ages and have had work done quite a few times, so dunno if I got a good rate, previously I got charged the same ofor a single pickup route from the same guy.[/quote]

Cheers for the info mate - don't suppose that this guy is based on the south coast or in or around Hampshire by any chance? Might be worth my while having a chat with him if he is...