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pickup screw holes template

joeyl

joeyl

Jun 3, 2006
5,492
153
El Paso TX (formely New Orleans, LA)
#1
How do you guys mark the location of the screws for a pickup, say a Jazz. I use the pickup itself and use a drill bit to mark the location of the screws but I am always off by a tiny bit because the pickup moves in the cavity. Looks like I really need 3 hands for that method...Is there a better method, or am I just being anal?


thanks
 
#3
I use the pickup cover (or the pickup, if it's epoxied into the cover)...

Here's my method for J-style pickups: I place two small finish nails through two of the holes (just tacked, not hammered in... I use my fretting hammer to just set them, and they are oriented diagonally from each other, not both on the same side), then drill the holes for the two open spots. Switch the nails to the freshly drilled holes, and drill the other ones...
 
#7
SDB Guitars said:
In all honesty, I use a small hand drill and let the cover pilot the drill... it's worked out so far. I need to get a new drill press
Click to expand...

do you use a 1/16" bit or go almost snug with the pickup ears?
thanks for the info so far. I messed up one of my Warmoth projects and I used epoxy to fill the horrible oversized wonky holes after drilling them bigger. I am waiting for it to dry to use your method but I am not sure if the nails are going to go through the epoxy :eek:
 
#9
joeyl said:
how big is your press? I see most of the ones I could afford have too small of a throat to accomodate a Jazz body
Click to expand...

Yeah, I had an 8 inch, and it was too small to drill the screw holes for the G string bridge on my fanned fret. I just bought a 14" General International for a bit over $200

I think a 12" is big enough, and even a 10" would probably do for most stuff.

An 8" is still really handy, but you can expect to have to freehand a few holes if that's all you have access to. (Still beats doing everything freehand though)

I use my drill press a lot, and my old one is a rattly old 25 year old one my dad gave me, so it wasn't hard for me to justify getting a nice big one.
 
#11
No, but it's surprising how much you'll use it once it's available.

I'd suggest keeping an eye out for a cheap 10". Forget all the gimicky lasers and variable speed controls.

Just measure the distance from the nearest edge to the furthest hole you would have to drill. Multiply by 2 and that's approximately the size of press you need.

-Nick
 
#13
SDB Guitars said:
I use the pickup cover (or the pickup, if it's epoxied into the cover)...

Here's my method for J-style pickups: I place two small finish nails through two of the holes (just tacked, not hammered in... I use my fretting hammer to just set them, and they are oriented diagonally from each other, not both on the same side), then drill the holes for the two open spots. Switch the nails to the freshly drilled holes, and drill the other ones...
Click to expand...

Yup, that's pretty much what I do too.

This is one of my drill presses - 34 inch swing:
http://www.right-tool.com/shopfoxw1flo.html

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#15
Son of Magni said:
Yup, that's pretty much what I do too.

This is one of my drill presses - 34 inch swing:
http://www.right-tool.com/shopfoxw1flo.html

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

well, that's a big press :rolleyes:

BTW I love working with 2 part 30 minute epoxy. Mess up a screw hole? no problem! drill it out larger, fill with epoxy, wait and redrill. I could do this forever :smug: And the threads are strong and clean in epoxy as opposed to open grained ash
 
#16
OK got myself a drill press for Christmas, I don't know what I was missing, I love it. Also for the pickup screw hole location, I found a quick method: I remove the cover from the pickup, dab a tiny bit of super glue to 2 spots on bottom edge and set the cover in the rout. Let it set for a few, and then I use a brad point drill bit that is just big enough to slide in the mounting ears to punch the locations. A sharp twist on the cover breaks the glue joint when you are done. works perfect.
 
#18
I center the pup in the cavity upside down so you don't fight the wires then place pup screws in the holes and lightly tap with a hamer to indent the wood. Then use a drill press for the holes and a wedge shaped bit to go in just 1/16" to help guide the screw in the hole.
 
#20
I use 2 sided "Painter's drop cloth tape"

It's like the ordinary green removable masking tape, except that it's 2 sided. Works awesome for holding routing templates and stuff too.

Surprisingly, though it's easy to remove, it seems to do quite well against shear forces. I still like to use a clamp when possible, but that lets me get away with a single clamp, instead of several.

Another decent method is transfer punches, 2 sided tape/dab of hotglue to hold it in place, then a transfer punch to mark the holes. That's what they're made for, after all. ;)

-Nick
 

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