thebrig Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 [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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Plan C is a chisel and a scratchplate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 (edited) 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 That would be better nice one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 of course you will now have to video your carpentry prowess to show us all on here no pressure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 yup, pictures or it didn't happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 [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] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted March 16, 2013 Author Share Posted March 16, 2013 I'm nervous enough as it is, without the added pressure of videoing myself doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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