Possible Upcoming Jackson Mods
- Thread starter smitty_p
- Start date
OP
The Deed.
It is done.
There are some loose ends to finish up, and a little more fabrication involved. But, today I punched through.
Allow me to tell the tale....
*****************
One challenge I knew I'd have was drilling holes that were reasonably straight and perpendicular to the guitar. I also figured the best way to make a good cavity would be to use a template with the bearing bit on my router.
I do have a small drill press, but nothing with a large enough base for a guitar. So, I decided to use a drill guide. Here's what I used:
This one is pretty rigid and holds the drill firmly. I used the Forstner bit to help create the template. The template opening is essentially an elongated hole. I used the Forstner bit to make the ends of the hole and used my router to finish it up.
Here is the finished switch cavity template. I clamped it in place with padding similar to when I routed out the anchor point in the control cavity earlier.
The template functions both as a guide for routing, and it serves as a flat surface for my router and drill guide.
After I had it clamped in place, I used the drill guide with a 1/8" drill bit to drill a pilot hole through the upper horn of guitar. Then I used the drill guide with the Forstner bit to drill the center of the cavity to depth. The drill guide has a depth stop, which is nice.
Once I had the depth I wanted, I used the template with the router to route out the cavity. Here's the cavity all done. It also shows after I drilled the hole out to 1/2" to fit the switch. The camera angle looks like I came really close to the surface. In reality, there is about 3/16" of thickness for the switch.
Here's mockup from the rear with the switch:
And a mockup from the front:
So, as you can see...we're practically there. I still have to route the recess for the switch cavity cover, drill the channel from the neck pickup cavity to the switch cavity for the wiring, fabricate the switch cavity cover, fabricate and glue into place a new anchor for the control cavity cover, and apply fresh shielding paint to all the cavities.
But, the bulk of the surgery has been completed.
I have the patient recovering in intensive care, under heavy sedation, but resting comfortably.
It is done.
There are some loose ends to finish up, and a little more fabrication involved. But, today I punched through.
Allow me to tell the tale....
*****************
One challenge I knew I'd have was drilling holes that were reasonably straight and perpendicular to the guitar. I also figured the best way to make a good cavity would be to use a template with the bearing bit on my router.
I do have a small drill press, but nothing with a large enough base for a guitar. So, I decided to use a drill guide. Here's what I used:
This one is pretty rigid and holds the drill firmly. I used the Forstner bit to help create the template. The template opening is essentially an elongated hole. I used the Forstner bit to make the ends of the hole and used my router to finish it up.
Here is the finished switch cavity template. I clamped it in place with padding similar to when I routed out the anchor point in the control cavity earlier.
The template functions both as a guide for routing, and it serves as a flat surface for my router and drill guide.
After I had it clamped in place, I used the drill guide with a 1/8" drill bit to drill a pilot hole through the upper horn of guitar. Then I used the drill guide with the Forstner bit to drill the center of the cavity to depth. The drill guide has a depth stop, which is nice.
Once I had the depth I wanted, I used the template with the router to route out the cavity. Here's the cavity all done. It also shows after I drilled the hole out to 1/2" to fit the switch. The camera angle looks like I came really close to the surface. In reality, there is about 3/16" of thickness for the switch.
Here's mockup from the rear with the switch:
And a mockup from the front:
So, as you can see...we're practically there. I still have to route the recess for the switch cavity cover, drill the channel from the neck pickup cavity to the switch cavity for the wiring, fabricate the switch cavity cover, fabricate and glue into place a new anchor for the control cavity cover, and apply fresh shielding paint to all the cavities.
But, the bulk of the surgery has been completed.
I have the patient recovering in intensive care, under heavy sedation, but resting comfortably.
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Whoa!
OP
That is a drill with a drill guide in the first pic.
I used it with a 3/4” Forstner bit to create most of the template.
I also used it to drill the 1/8” pilot hole for the switch cavity. Finally, I used it again with the Forstner bit to drill the cavity to depth.
The rest of the cavity was formed with my router using the straight bearing bit and the template.
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
I had a Drill Guide in High School man she was.........wait no that was a Drill Instructor.....for the "Ladies Drill Team" -- look I cant make this stuff up-- its just too funny to be lies-- they had fake wooden guns or something-- hung out with the Cheerleaders but were WAY easier to nail----
OP
When I am ready to reassemble the guitar, I’ll probably go ahead and use the pickups I currently have.
But I’m seriously contemplating eventually switching to these:
Alumitone Deathbucker W/ Trim Ring
But I’m seriously contemplating eventually switching to these:
Alumitone Deathbucker W/ Trim Ring
Very, very risky...but incredibly well done!!!
OP
Yeah, it’s risky alright! I was nervous, at first, when I began routing away in the control cavity.
But, once you get yourself past the jitters of “should I or shouldn’t I”, it really comes down to formulating a plan.
This requires a bit of patience in taking the time to get the right materials and tools. You just have to settle in your mind not to rush it.
As I was drilling the initial pilot hole through the guitar, it dawned on me how un-nervous I was. I suppose that’s because things had gone okay, thus far, and I had gone over this over and over in my head.
We tend to get a little anxious about this stuff because it’s a guitar. But, I’m not doing anything that wouldn’t be child’s play to a reasonably-skilled cabinet maker or someone with similar wood-working skills. I’ve been doing woodworking projects since I was a kid. My dad was also a skilled cabinet and furniture builder. So, I picked up a few tidbits along the way.
In the end, it’s still just wood.
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No Peter Green plans???
OP
Not really. The coil-split is more my thing.
Ahhhh....
OP
Well, I pushed a little closer to the finish line today.
Yesterday, I routed the pickup switch cavity. Today's tasks were to route the recess for the switch cavity cover and drill the channel for the switch wiring.
As reminder, here's the cavity as I finished it yesterday:
To create the recess for the cover plate, I made a new template, just for that. I used a larger Forstner bit and my router again. Also, I added an extra layer of wood to make the MDF that I've been using a little thicker to compensate for the length of the router bit.
Here is the template for the cover recess clamped in place on the guitar:
Next, I drilled the channel for the switch wiring from the neck pickup cavity into the switch cavity. I used a really long bit to allow me to get a shallow enough angle. I built up the opposing end of the neck pickup cavity with additional masking tape and some thin cardboard (which is under the tape) where the drill bit may contact the body.
Here is a shot of the cavity, with the cover recess routed and a view of the wiring channel. I used my dremel to smooth and taper the opening of the wiring channel.
At this point, I peeled all the tape off the guitar.
Here's a shot of the completed switch cavity:
I was able to get the patient up and walking after this last surgery.
Here's a frontal of guitar where you can see the openings for the new controls and the switch:
So, now I just have to fabricate the switch cover plate, build a new anchor point for the control cavity cover, and apply fresh shielding paint.
I'm going to look into making the switch cover plate from ebony. I can form that to match the contours. Then, I can apply copper tape to the underside of the cover plate.
We're closing in on the finish!
Yesterday, I routed the pickup switch cavity. Today's tasks were to route the recess for the switch cavity cover and drill the channel for the switch wiring.
As reminder, here's the cavity as I finished it yesterday:
To create the recess for the cover plate, I made a new template, just for that. I used a larger Forstner bit and my router again. Also, I added an extra layer of wood to make the MDF that I've been using a little thicker to compensate for the length of the router bit.
Here is the template for the cover recess clamped in place on the guitar:
Next, I drilled the channel for the switch wiring from the neck pickup cavity into the switch cavity. I used a really long bit to allow me to get a shallow enough angle. I built up the opposing end of the neck pickup cavity with additional masking tape and some thin cardboard (which is under the tape) where the drill bit may contact the body.
Here is a shot of the cavity, with the cover recess routed and a view of the wiring channel. I used my dremel to smooth and taper the opening of the wiring channel.
At this point, I peeled all the tape off the guitar.
Here's a shot of the completed switch cavity:
I was able to get the patient up and walking after this last surgery.
Here's a frontal of guitar where you can see the openings for the new controls and the switch:
So, now I just have to fabricate the switch cover plate, build a new anchor point for the control cavity cover, and apply fresh shielding paint.
I'm going to look into making the switch cover plate from ebony. I can form that to match the contours. Then, I can apply copper tape to the underside of the cover plate.
We're closing in on the finish!
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Really good job!!!
OP
Do you think @Hackmaster would approve?
After all, he is the official TTR guitar Master du Hackage, who has set the bar for the rest of us would-be guitar cutter-uppers!
Oh yes! Masterful job. My full approval indeed.
It's great to be able to reconfigure an existing guitar into a "custom shop model" of ones own fancy.
I found it impossible to resist doing this to all my electrics. I made them my own.