Filling pickup ring holes

[Neo Fender]

I have a cheap (offshore) HSH Kramer Striker, made a few years ago after Gibson acquired the name and marketed them through MusicYo.  The pickups were poorly mounted and are not square with the neck or bridge, etc.  The humbuckers are ring mounted; the single coil pickup is screwed into the body.  The guitar still has a good finish that I’d like to preserve, so I’d like to keep drilling and repairs, etc. to a minimum 

I’d like to re-drill the holes in the correct (or as close as possible) position. Without really oversizing the holes, I assume that doweling them is out, which would be fine as I question my ability to do that type of work cleanly and properly.

Is there any filler or other method that will finish up hard enough to being drilled, should the new holes overlap the existing holes?  This is mostly a cosmetic issue but I would like to make it right.

Thanks. 

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Cocktail sticks make pretty good mini-dowels.

 

[bagman67]

That's toothpicks, in US English.  And I agree.

 

[anorakDan]

There are a number of really good epoxy-based products which should be available at your local hardware store. I know of a wood based epoxy putty (the name escapes me at the moment) that you can blend together and roll out as narrow as you need to fill the holes. Just mix, poke into the holes, wipe off the excess before it kicks and you've got new material to work with.

But toothpicks, wooden kebab skewers, etc. would all work well too. With those, all you need is a good white or carpenters glue.

 

[greywolf]

+1 on the toothpics  I've used them for a long time.

 

[windknot]

I used toothpicks to fill the screw holes when replacing strap buttons on my LP.  After 25+ years, the strap-lock buttons had finally worn to the point that the lock didn't work any more.  Unfortunately the guitar took a fall before I discovered it.  No real damage done so I ordered a new set of strap-locks.  I was surprised to find that the original screws were larger than the one on the new strap-locks.  I broke some toothpicks in the hole, added a little wood glue, screwed in the new button and haven't had any problems with it since.