Routing/chiseling under a pickguard for new pickup cavity?

[fourstringbliss]

That looks to be a killer bass when completed!

And pardon my ignorance, but I'm having trouble identifying the bass - care to share?

It started life as a Harley Benton MP-4EB

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and I've since replaced the preamp with Audere and the pickups with Seymour Duncan. Overall it's a really nice bass and was a steal for the price.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Yup, I'll be drilling to hog out the wood and the chiseling to clean it up. I was thinking about possibly using these drill bits, which might solve the issue of drilling too deep and give more control. For sure I'd measure the depth of the pickup cavity with my drill bits and then tape off where I need to stop.

View attachment 4839363

I'd also be using new chisels since I don't own any at the moment, so they'd be plenty sharp.

Nice thing about all the work is that unless I really screw up, everything I do will be under a pickguard.

You probably already know this so at the risk of being Captain Obvious, a new chisel typically needs to be sharpened the most. They generally don’t come out of the packaging sharp. Same with plane irons or anything like that. You may need to pick up some sharpening stones as well.

 

[Alessandro Cruz]

I'm used doing that kind of modding, so my suggestion is to get a Dremel rotary tool or similar, with a straight bit like this:

 

[skyline_01]

It started life as a Harley Benton MP-4EB

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and I've since replaced the preamp with Audere and the pickups with Seymour Duncan. Overall it's a really nice bass and was a steal for the price.

Ahh, cool! I'm very intrigued by the HB stuff - I'd love to do a mod project similar to this one. I'll bet it sounds killer even before the MM mod.

 

[fourstringbliss]

You probably already know this so at the risk of being Captain Obvious, a new chisel typically needs to be sharpened the most. They generally don’t come out of the packaging sharp. Same with plane irons or anything like that. You may need to pick up some sharpening stones as well.

I actually didn't know that, thanks!

 

[WestyBassBob]

Good call about the brad-point dril bits. I figure I'll screw the new pickguard down and mark the outline of the wood removal through the new pickup opening and then make it a bit wider. like you, I figure I can get the screw hole positions using the attached pickguard and the new pickup.

No. You want forstener bits. They produce a flat bottom hole. Perfect for what you want.

Make sure your chisels are sharp and go slow. However I would suggest you just take it to a woodworker and have them do it. Anyone who knows woodworking can make or use a simple template to do what you want and have it done in just a few minutes as opposed to an hour or more of drilling and chiseling.

 

[trevcda]

This is coming from a guy who once used a steak knife to cut a pre-amp into a fairly nice 12-string guitar: get a router! $29 at Harbor Freight or possibly even less for a used/but better quality router. There is less of a chance of a split in the body (ask me how I know) and it's cleaner and more accurate.

 

[mcnach]

I want to turn this MM/P bass into an MM/MM bass. I can get a new pickguard made with an MM pickup route but would need to remove wood in that opening and then slightly around underneath to make room for the MM. I don't have a router - would it work to hog it with a drill and then clean things up with a chisel?

View attachment 4839016

I've done this to to turn a PJ into a JJ:

I used only chisel. Make sure it's sharp and don't hurry. It's actually quite easy and fast since the edges do not need to be perfect, being covered by the pickguard.

 

[micguy]

Most pickups are held in a bass by screws that are driven into the wood, with a piece of foam supplying the force to hold the pickup “up”. All of this works better if the route has a flat “floor” - if it isn’t flat, the foam pressure is uncontrolled, and one or more screws may have less wood engagement on the threads. If you don’t use a router, do whatever you can to make a flat, level floor for the pocket.

 

[fourstringbliss]

I'm used doing that kind of modding, so my suggestion is to get a Dremel rotary tool or similar, with a straight bit like this:

View attachment 4839425

I do have a rotary tool and could get a router attachment. I'm not routing out a lot of wood - would this work better than drilling and chiseling?

 

[fourstringbliss]

Ahh, cool! I'm very intrigued by the HB stuff - I'd love to do a mod project similar to this one. I'll bet it sounds killer even before the MM mod.

This bass sounded pretty good as is when I got it - here's a video:



A lot of folks would rock it as is, but I didn't like the preamp and I can't leave anything alone. It does sound good now but I have another P/J and want to stick with three basses. I'll have a 4-string P/J, and 4-string MM/MM and a 5-string MM/J.

 

[fourstringbliss]

No. You want forstener bits. They produce a flat bottom hole. Perfect for what you want.

Make sure your chisels are sharp and go slow. However I would suggest you just take it to a woodworker and have them do it. Anyone who knows woodworking can make or use a simple template to do what you want and have it done in just a few minutes as opposed to an hour or more of drilling and chiseling.

Yeah, I'll have to check if my local luthier is still in business. It's more challenging than it should be to find someone who'll do a simple pickup route for a reasonable price.

 

[SubHuman]

I just did this with a hand drill ( non electric old school ) and a chisel a few weeks ago...

A few helpful hints

Mark depth on bit with masking tape so you don't go too deep...

Sharpen the chisel properly...

If there's an existing finish, score through the finish around the new perimeter of the cavity to help avoid chipping.

If you get a chip, glue it back in with CA immediately so you don't lose it.

Work slowly, chisel gently.

Clean out the new cavity with coarse sandpaper.

Copper tape or shielding paint will indeed cover up much of the ugly

It's all hidden afterward, anyway.

Mark depth on bit with masking tape so you don't go too deep...

Poor man's drill press. Yes it works...slow and steady.

 

[fourstringbliss]

I do have a rotary tool - could I just get something like this?

 

[fourstringbliss]

Mark depth on bit with masking tape so you don't go too deep...

Poor man's drill press. Yes it works...slow and steady.

Yup, I've done things this way before - blue painter's tape.

 

[BobKos]

This is coming from a guy who once used a steak knife to cut a pre-amp into a fairly nice 12-string guitar: get a router! $29 at Harbor Freight or possibly even less for a used/but better quality router. There is less of a chance of a split in the body (ask me how I know) and it's cleaner and more accurate.

This is the answer! Look on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist or any number of local estate / garage sales. I am 100% certain with only a little patience you can gather a router and a few bits for under $20. I recently picked up a Milwaukee 1/2 commercial duty router for $15!

 

[fourstringbliss]

Would this work?

 

[skyline_01]

This bass sounded pretty good as is when I got it - here's a video:



A lot of folks would rock it as is, but I didn't like the preamp and I can't leave anything alone. It does sound good now but I have another P/J and want to stick with three basses. I'll have a 4-string P/J, and 4-string MM/MM and a 5-string MM/J.

Wow, it really does sound good even stock. These might be the deal of the century.

I feel you on the mod thing - I can't leave anything alone either LOL. Case in point - this one started life as a stock Squier VM P5:

 

[fourstringbliss]

Wow, it really does sound good even stock. These might be the deal of the century.

I feel you on the mod thing - I can't leave anything alone either LOL. Case in point - this one started life as a stock Squier VM P5:

View attachment 4839725

Alder body, maple neck, ebony fretboard with nice inlays, zero fret, solid bridge and tuners and decent electronics delivered for $375? No brainer.

Now, it's a bit on the heavy side (9.6 lbs) and I needed to file the fret ends, but I could have left it alone otherwise if I wasn't so picky.

Great job on your bass!

 

[skyline_01]

Alder body, maple neck, ebony fretboard with nice inlays, zero fret, solid bridge and tuners and decent electronics delivered for $375? No brainer.

Now, it's a bit on the heavy side (9.6 lbs) and I needed to file the fret ends, but I could have left it alone otherwise if I wasn't so picky.

Great job on your bass!

I know - when you list out all the features it makes for an even more ridiculous deal! I'm tossing one of these around as a future mod project. One can never have too many basses LOL.

And thanks for the compliments on the Squier! I spent more on upgrade parts & tech fees than I did on the actual bass, but it makes for a superb & unique instrument. It'll murder most MIM Fenders IMO.