Leaderboard

Can Warmoth modify pickup routing?

ghostrider

Senior Member
Messages
320
I have a SSS warmoth strat body and I'd like to be able to put in a bridge humbucker. Can (would?) Warmoth modify the existing routing to accommodate this?
 
You would have to call - if it's a W. body, it seems they might take it on if it fits with their workflow.  They do it to bodies they sell out of the showcase all the time. 


But it would likely be faster, at least, to go to a reputable shop in your area and have them do it.  Possibly cheaper, too, especially when you figure in shipping and the value of your time spent waiting.  Hell, you might be able to get someone with decent skills to do it for you for a case of a decent beer.
 
I posed the question to W customer service before, and the answer was a solid "NO." From what I gather, once they ship it to you it is not going to come back to them unless A) they didn't make it as specified on the order, or B) for quality reasons covered by warranty.
 
Welp, I sure can't argue with the voice of experience.


I did think of reason (C), though - regular product returns under the 10-day satisfaction-guaranteed provisions.


http://www.warmoth.com/Ordering/Returns.aspx


But that's just hairsplitting.
 
I'd love to be wrong on this one, Bagman. -I hope for the OP that he can get his HB hole cut by W if he can.
 
Bummer.

Thanks for the responses guys. If I get a positive respons, I'll post to let everyone know.
 
To ship it there and back will cost more than a decent workman will charge to rout it - plus, you have to pay Warmoth? It's just wood... you need to be careful about picking a repair guy, but this is really a 20-minute job. In a city of 2,000 people there are at least 7.3 people with the routing skills needed.
 
StübHead said:
In a city of 2,000 people there are at least 7.3 people with the routing skills needed.

Are you sure it's not 7.6 people?  :laughing7:

It's not just the skills, you really need the templates, too. Trying to do something like that by hand is asking for trouble.
 
If it is a top-routed body, this is one of the easiest DIY projects. So long as you don't care if it is perfect behind the pickguard, the replacement SSH 'guard is the only template required.

Lay it on there and align the pg mounting screw holes. Mark off the offending wood projecting into the HB opening in the 'guard. Remove guard and begin wood removal. A dremmel with a small router bit will work, but it may take several passes at increasingly lower depths to achieve. Switch to a drum sander before cutting up to the marked outer edges of the cavity. Especially be careful with the cut closest to the Bridge; the gap between the 'guard and the front edge of the bridge plate will expose your craziness if you get too outa control! Most HB's have mounting brackets that protrude to the sides yet even deeper into the body; a hand-held drill is sufficient to dig the sumps required to accommodate the new pickup. Again, don't get too wild here; poking through to the spring cavity can happen if the depth isn't measured and monitored. Mount the HB in the 'guard and test for fit on the newly gutted body. If it fits, great. If not, be conservative and remove modest amounts of wood at the suspected hang-up points until the pickup-equipped 'guard drops into place. It might not be the prettiest hole you've ever seen, but once it's all together, nobody'll be the wiser.

If it is a rear-routed design, and wood-working isn't your thing, ya may want to seek out one of those 7.3 (or 7.6 according to KG's math) router-wizards in a 2K population town near you.
 
Back
Top