Converting rear loaded cavity to top loaded

[WillEVee]

Anybody have experience with this?
I'd love to hear opinions, suggestions and/or instructions.
Thanks!

[suraj]

any particular reason to do this ? you'll probably need cavity covers on both sides.

[SGD Lutherie]

I did it on a Kramer guitar body that the owner wanted a pickguard on. I also slightly moved the pickups.





You just rout through the top. You are still going to have the covers on the back.

Unless you are adding a pickguard or something, I don't see the point in it.

[WillEVee]

Couldn't I fill the existing cavity with wood, then re-route the top?
And yes, it's for a pickguard.

[suraj]

if the bass is painted, i'm guessing your control cavity cover must be plastic and thin. So you could just make the ledge for that cavity cover deeper, and make a wooden cover about 1/4" thick and glue it in. Fill and gaps with epoxy. From the front of the instrument, route out the cavity with a end ball bearing straight bit running along the walls of the cavity and refinish the body.

OR, can you not just source long shaft pots that can go through the cavity and the pickguard's thickness ? in that case all you have to do is mount the pickguard and just drill the body through the existing holes of the pick guard.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by WillEVee

Couldn't I fill the existing cavity with wood, then re-route the top?
And yes, it's for a pickguard.

Sure, but that's a whole bunch of work. Just put a pickguard on it. Theres no need to fill in the control cavity.