Routing a tele for a humbucker. In the bridge

[badgermark]

So my Strat sucks balls, and I love the feel of a good tele, so I have a plan.

What does it take to route out the bridge of a tele? I have a drill and a multitude of assorted bits, and not much else. Is it possible?

Also what would be the best way to mount the pickup? been thinking of either a hardtail bridge and mounting rings, or one of these jobbies.

Basically want this to be as easy as it can be, by buying a cheap MIM tele and ripping a hole in it and whapping in a dirty great Holydiver.

[indysmith]

wouldn't it be easier to just buy a tele with a humbucker in it?

[Ratrod]

I'd use a router for that. If you use the bridge you posted in the link you can always change it back to the original if it's routed neatly.

Have a luthier do it for you, if you have doubts about your own abilities.

[badgermark]

I haven't seen a decently priced tele with a humbucker in the bridge, not counting the Deluxe which is a touch out of my budget right now. A router would be the best bet, but I not have one... Unless I can pick one up for cheap...

[WezV]

yep, router and template will do it and if you havnt done that before get a pro to do it.  I would go for a tele bridge with HB cutout rather than a normal hardtail with mounting ring.

There isnt actually that much wood to remove  and it could be done with a series of carefully drilled holes and a chisel but i wouldnt do that unless it was a cheapo guitar or you know you are good with a chisel

[badgermark]

Hmmm I am good with my hands, and I'm pretty sure I could do it if I'm careful... How much is a router anyway? I know little of power tools, can I get a hand-held one cheaply?

[Ratrod]

This was the result of my ex MIM nashville Tele converted to a humbucker in the bridge:

[badgermark]

Very nice Ratrod (what's your real name btw?). Not too sure on the flamed hardwear though... Though red tortoiseshell makes my pants tingle.

[Philly Q]

Hmmm I am good with my hands, and I'm pretty sure I could do it if I'm careful... How much is a router anyway? I know little of power tools, can I get a hand-held one cheaply?

I don't know how much they cost nowadays (and can't be bothered to find out   ), but if you do a lot of guitar modding a router is a very worthwhile investment.  It's so much neater than using hand tools.  

But always, always use a template.  I make them out of bits of hardboard, stuck down with double-sided tape.  It's a bit of extra work, but you can save them for future projects.

[ToneMonkey]

I'm fairly sure there's a template in the back of the Make Your Own Electric Guiar bok (by Melvin Hisc--k).  Well worth the £15 just for the read.

Routers can be picked up fairly cheap.  I paid about £35 including some bits (although the bit aren't great).

Beware entering into modding guitars, you'll want to build one, I can almost guarentee it.

[_tom_]

Someone on HC routed out a pickup cavity on a guitar they made with a hand drill and a chisel :lol: It didnt look too neat but when the pickup and surround were on it looked fine.

[Philly Q]

Someone on HC routed out a pickup cavity on a guitar they made with a hand drill and a chisel :lol:

Yeah, I fitted a couple of Kahler tremolos that way (in 1985!).  But I went back a few years later and tidied it up with my router.

[gwEm]

avril lavigne tele and change the scratch plate and hardware?

[WezV]

basic routers can be got dirt cheap now but they work so much better with good quality bits rather than the ones they come with.  In fact i think they can be quite dangerous with those cheap bits.  First they are more likely to snap and nobody wants a piece of metal spinning at 30000 RPM to snap!!.  they also are more likely to cause mistakes because they are not as sharp or certainly get dull fast and whenever you make a cut with a dull tool you are more likely to have to froce it and it never ends well.  they make dust rather than fine shavings and generally leave a lot more scorch marks

Routers are quite dangerous tools and its very easy to ruin a guitar with a cheap router and a cheap/dull bit.

its possibly not worth buying one, and buying decent bits and having to learn how to use it just for a small job like this... much better if you can find a friend that has one or a small router like a dremel.

[Ratrod]

Very nice Ratrod (what's your real name btw?). Not too sure on the flamed hardwear though... Though red tortoiseshell makes my pants tingle.

Pretty isn't it? It's candy apple red. Gold sparkle with red transparant coat.

My real name is Gerlof or Ger for short.