Author Topic: can anyone cut a hole for a completely new pickup (a P-90) (Read 4435 times)

sambo · « **on:** January 05, 2006, 06:37:46 PM »

hi just wondering does anyone have any idea how to cut a hole and the required channels or whatever for a entirely new pick-up to be installed. I'm asking because i have a guitar with just one pickup in and really want to add a second.

PhilKing · « **Reply #1 on:** January 06, 2006, 11:54:19 AM »

If you are not a woodworker I wouldn't try to do this yourself! Ideally you need a router and template for the pickup cavity and a really long (2 ft/55 cm) drill to connect to the control cavity. The reason you need a drill this long is to be able to drill at a shallow angle. If you have a guitar with a scratchplate it is a lot easier, as the scratchplate will hide the wiring channel (in this case you cut the channel with the router too).

If you are a very skilled cabinet maker, you can cut the cavity with a chisel, but you reall have to have a lot of skill to do this without messing up the finish or the wood in the body.

Depending on the value of the guitar, the cheapest option might be a luthier!

sambo · « **Reply #2 on:** January 06, 2006, 04:18:56 PM »

ok thanks for the advice. It's probably not worth it then as i'm not a skilled woodworker and the guitar (which cost me £350 second hand) isn't valuable enough to get a luthier involved. Unless i can find someone to do a favour for me then i guess i'll just have to wait and buy an entirely new guitar.

thanks again.

PhilKing · « **Reply #3 on:** January 06, 2006, 06:04:53 PM »

One other thing, as I just realised you like P-90's and I saw your other thread in the pickups section. If you have a Junior, please don't add a second pickup. Gibson LP DC and SG specials get neck breaks at the body because the pickup cavity rout goes through the tongue on the neck which weakens the neck joint. I did see a couple of Juniors where the second pickup was added in the middle to avoid this (Terry Thomas in Charlie used to have one).

Juniors get part of their sound from the stability of the neck joint, this is why specials never sound as raunchy as juniors!

Save your money and get a 2nd guitar.

Calum_Barrow · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2006, 06:09:06 PM »

Quote from: PhilKing

One other thing, as I just realised you like P-90's and I saw your other thread in the pickups section. If you have a Junior, please don't add a second pickup. Gibson LP DC and SG specials get neck breaks at the body because the pickup cavity rout goes through the tongue on the neck which weakens the neck joint. I did see a couple of Juniors where the second pickup was added in the middle to avoid this (Terry Thomas in Charlie used to have one).

Juniors get part of their sound from the stability of the neck joint, this is why specials never sound as raunchy as juniors!

Save your money and get a 2nd guitar.

Never knew that. Interesting..