Telecaster "Humbucker" neck rout - Will it fit a standard Tele neck pickup?

[Longshot_II]

The subject pretty much sums it up. I'm about to order my first Tele body, and I'd like to keep my future options open. I want the classic tele pickups, but I'm thinking I might want a humbucker in the future.

Thoughts?

 

[Cagey]

Welcome to the board!

If you buy a Showcase body that's already cut for a Tele pickup at the heel, you can have them route it for a humbucker, then use a Tele pickguard with a single coil cutout to install a standard Tele pickup. Later on, if you you change your mind, you'll already have the route for the humbucker. You'll just need a different pickguard.

If you're not going to use a pickguard, you can always just route the cavity later. Templates for pickup cavities are usually in the $5 range. Find someone with a router and the appropriate bits, and cut a new hole.

 

[Longshot_II]

Yes, I do plan on using a pickguard, which I should have specified. I am a lefty so I'm actually having to build the body using the Warmoth tool since none of the pre-built are in stock.

Thanks for the quick response, by the way!

 

[bob7point7]

I have a showcase Tele that was routed for a Tele neck pickup then later for a humbucker. The corners of the Tele pickup rout were untouched when it was routed for the humbucker, so the humbucker route doesn't completely envelop the original but it's close. You could adapt the humbucker route for a Tele pickup in about 10 minutes with a dremel but going the other way would best be accomplished with a router and template. Did you call Warmoth and see if they would route it for both?

 

[Cagey]

They definitely do, and it's no extra charge. I've had it done a number of times.