filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

[pebber]

I still use my router to cut them out square and then drop in a wooden block to match.
The problem comes at the end: due to shrinking of the wood, the finish following the lines tends to drop in.
I know you could use epoxy filler between the wooden block and body to prevent this, but aren't there any alternatives?
I've heard of some non-shrinkable foam which could be used.. is this true, and if so, where to get it?

[Sunbane]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

A few guys here on the board just use bondo (car body filler) to fill everything up.

[sully]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

bondo works okay, but i've found that evercoat's polyester glaze works better; it's a little thinner and easier to spread.

i think that to keep it from showing up later, you should cover the entire face of the guitar (not just the pickup area) with a light coat of the glaze, sanded flat.

[mm2002]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

Some good pics on this thread. As far as I know it's still holding up quite well.
Thread

[Budman68]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

<font color="aqua">Yep, she's still looking great but remember, I'm not bringing it in and out of the house or subjecting it to different weather conditions so it may not be the "ultimate" test for it. And if you think I'm going to, for the sake of experimentation, you'd be wrong....... [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] </font>

[rjohnstone]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

For my current project, I took a JDR-94 and filled the middle single and neck hum slots with ash inserts and a generous helping of Elmers wood glue.
I let it setup for a few weeks (6 weeks actualy) and then finished the entire top off with a coat of epoxy. She's now primed with a nice heavy primer(tons o' solids)to smooth out the surface and is out for paint.
This is my first attempt at a pick-up route fill so I'll have to wait and see how it holds up.
The top looked as smooth as a babies butt after the primer cured. No sign of any seems popping so far. I can't wait to see her after the paint is on.

[DonP]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

To fill in single coils, I put in the single coil cover and bondo's over that. You don't have to worry about plastic shrinking. This was 15 years ago. If you look real, real close, you can tell.

[mm2002]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="aqua">Yep, she's still looking great but remember, I'm not bringing it in and out of the house or subjecting it to different weather conditions so it may not be the "ultimate" test for it. And if you think I'm going to, for the sake of experimentation, you'd be wrong....... [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be interesting to see one subjected to the elements though. If nothing else it would be a great learning experience.

[rjohnstone]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

The guitar I'm working on is being built as a daily player.
It will be dragged from practice to house to gigs and such.
I only have a gig bag for it, so it will be exposed to a wide variety of temp changes. I described how I filled it above and the paint will be PPG candy purple automotive paint on the top and ink black on the sides and back with six or eight coats of urethane clear to top it all off.
Basicaly I said clear coat it until the can is pretty much empty. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
I want the surface to be like glass.

[mm2002]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

You don't need six or eight coats of urethane, two or three are more than adequate. The "glass" look comes from wet sanding and buffing. If you're talking about lacquer clear, you'll need all those coats and more. Two coats per day for 6 or 8 days, then let the whole thing cure for at least a month before going further. Then the same goes for wet sanding and buffing.

[rjohnstone]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

I know jack about painting guitars... Like I said... I'm a hack who's still learning.
I just told my painter, who also happens to be my father in law, that I wanted a durable high gloss finish and to "use the whole can" if he had too.
He's been painting cars, furniture and other items for 30+ years... I'm sure he will apply the proper amount of coats needed to do the job. I was being a bit of a smart ass. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]
He's still teaching me how to mix paint and apply them properly, but I'm nowhere near ready to go solo yet.
So far I've only done a headboard and a couple of fenders... car type not guitar type. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
I did shoot the primer though... messed up a couple of times, but that's what they make sand paper for.

[FusionFarmer]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

The last one I did came out great. I cut a piece of poplar that fit quite tightly, then coated the piece with polyester resin, and glued and screwed it in place, then I used "Nitrostan" auto body spot filler, after a couple of coats and sandings and primer you cannot tell where the old cavity was, the secret is to keep the filler under 1/16"

[mm2002]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

whatever works for you

[Reverend Timmy]

Re: filling up pickup cavities: alternatives?

Mark's way works like a champ! I followed his advice and it came out great!The polyester glaze is the key.It basically is a cap and after we painted the body(my 13 year old son's first guitar project)and let it dry long enough,there has been no shrinkage where the filled pickups were concerned....