Just got my SG body but I can't find hole for neck pickup wire

[purduebretty]

Am I missing something?  I really hope so because I don't think I have a drill byt that can do this!

 

[bagman67]

Often you'll find a hole between the neck pickup cavity and the bridge pickup cavity through which the wire would run, and then it would run into the control cavity from the bridge pickup cavity.  I would expect to see it inside the cavity where the red arrow points in this photo:

If it ain't there, hmmm, you got a problem.  Or it's somewhere else I haven't thought of.

 

[anorakDan]

You could drill this hole with what is called in your hardware store an "aircraft bit." Essentially, it's a really long drill bit. You would need to attack it from the neck end, drilling at as shallow an angle as possible. You need to be extremely careful you don't run your drill bit through the back of the guitar. Drill to the bridge pickup cavity and route the wires together through the exit hole to the control cavity.

Before attempting that however, a call to Warmoth Customer Service is probably in order. Maybe they messed up. I can't imagine they'd omit a hole to run your pickup wires through.

 

[line6man]

Am I missing something?  I really hope so because I don't think I have a drill byt that can do this!

The bit is easy to obtain, most hardware stores have something you could use. Get a 12" long 1/4" bit and drill through the neck pocket from neck pickup cavity to bridge pickup cavity.
The bit will cost like $7, and it will take you two minutes to do the job.

 

[Syntheticocean]

I wanted a sg body but I let my girlfriend have the final decision.  She said SG's look like fat lady's lol. What does yours look like... Pic?

 

[AutoBat]

I wanted a sg body but I let my girlfriend have the final decision.  She said SG's look like fat lady's lol. What does yours look like... Pic?

Fat bottomed girls make the rockin' world go 'round.

 

[swarfrat]

It also makes a handy dandy skull if properly decorated   I came soooo close to getting a BKSG for my project, and it would've been cool, but there is no chambered SG, and I found my Strat in the showcase that spurred me to go ahead and buy. (There are no, and will not likely ever be any 0 degree neck angle SG bodies in the showcase). I still think about it, but it'd be too close to the purpose of this current project, and I don't really think I need but one of those.

But nothing touches the jumbo acoustic shape. Fat bottom Guild's make the rockin world go round, indeed.

 

[purduebretty]

Yeah it was totally not there.  I got the long bit and drilled the hole myself.  nicked up a little bit of the neck pickup cavity but after filling and sanding it's not very noticeable and it's completely hidden by the mounting ring.

(also the first guitar I built from Warmoth had crappy action even with the bridge saddles all the way up.  So I got some washers to use as shims before I installed the hard tail on.  Guess I have crappy luck with these guys)

 

[Ace Flibble]

That's not your luck, that's all Warmoths. Warmoth parts are made with really high action in mind, the idea being that it's easier to change a guitar form high action to low action than it is to try and change a guitar from low action to high action.

That said when it comes to angled neck pockets I do think Warmoth must have some of their calculations a little off because when I put together my carved top with a tune-o-matic the neck needed pretty hefty shimming, and not just to correct slightly high action - that neck pocket was way off what it should have been even for high action. Same for one of my flattop bodies that needed an angled pocket. I love Warmoth parts when they stick to the basics (vintage modern neck style, flat tops/basic neck heel/pocket) but whenever you involve angled neck pockets (and for my money, the Pro neck construction) it all seems to go to pot.

 

[Cagey]

That's not your luck, that's all Warmoths. Warmoth parts are made with really high action in mind, the idea being that it's easier to change a guitar form high action to low action than it is to try and change a guitar from low action to high action.

Really? Because every neck/body I've ever purchased has gone together perfectly, with the one exception being my mahogany Strat where the action was too low.

 

[Syntheticocean]

That's not your luck, that's all Warmoths. Warmoth parts are made with really high action in mind, the idea being that it's easier to change a guitar form high action to low action than it is to try and change a guitar from low action to high action.

I'm pretty sure that's one of the more absurd things I've ever heard.  Giving a guitar high action is ALWAYS easy.  Giving it low action, sometimes not even possible without additional tools (sanding/shimming).

 

[Ace Flibble]

It's easier to cut nut slots deeper than it is to make a whole new nut. Bridge saddles can be lowered to the point where the strings are touching the top of pickup mounting rings or constantly resting on the frets but there is a much tighter limit on how high they can be set. It IS easier to get a guitar with inherently high action and lower it than the other way around.

And like I said, 's been the case with every Warmoth part I've handled to date bar one. I doubt I could be so consistently unlucky either.

 

[Syntheticocean]

It's easier to cut nut slots deeper than it is to make a whole new nut. Bridge saddles can be lowered to the point where the strings are touching the top of pickup mounting rings or constantly resting on the frets but there is a much tighter limit on how high they can be set. It IS easier to get a guitar with inherently high action and lower it than the other way around.

And like I said, 's been the case with every Warmoth part I've handled to date bar one. I doubt I could be so consistently unlucky either.

You've had some horrible luck with them I guess. I'm building my first warmoth now, but the action only had to be adjusted by 1/64 at the 17th fret and the nut, and truss rod were perfect. This is the 5th warmoth I've set up and all of them played better than any other guitars I've played straight out of the box.