Modding A Mim Strat

[joel_10]

I want to buy a mim strat and mod the hell out of it I want to : fill in the cavitys already routed in the front of it, install an original floyd rose and throw in an emg 81. But how would you suggest fill in the cavitys, I was think place a piece of paper over it then shade over it, then cut them out trace it onto wood, then cut it out with a jig or band saw then do all the rest with sanding? what would you do?

[ryanb]

Yeah, the wood block filler idea is a good start. But frankly, why would you bother in the first place? It would be a lot less work to just build a new body (or buy one already routed the way you want).

[Ben]

It would be a lot less work to just build a new body (or buy one already routed the way you want).

+1

[boomerlu]

By MIM you mean Made in Mexico?

Along the same lines: how would you modify a Vintage type bridge set up to a Floyd set up, in terms of filling in the 6 screws which are in there? Do you just use some correct radius wooden dowels and glue them in?

[ryanb]

That is possible ... especially if the body will be painted. However, it probably won't matter, since the Floyd route would probably take that wood out anyway. (I'm not looking at the dimensions right now.) Filling in the screws is probably the least of the problems with that job.

[ChaosInc.]

Im actually doing something similar to a friends guitar, I went through all the options of filling the pickup holes and such with epoxys and woods and in the midst of it, it was suggested to plane the top down 1/4 in thenglue on a 1/4 in top to have it completely smooth with no lines, then just rout what u want to put in(bridge type, pickus etc...). What i understood from it all is that just about anything u use will expand or contract over time and the environment that its in, so its possible that all the work sanding, preping and painting will be very noticable after time, with a new top that would be almost eliminated, it would just be the outside body edge that might show some lines after a while. Just my 2 cents, might seem like more work but actually its alot easier once u make ur templates, and would look so much better in the long run.

[erikbojerik]

All of these "mod" options are way more work than just getting some templates and making a new body from scratch.

Then slam a MIM neck on it, if you must.

[boomerlu]

Yes, IF one has the proper tools like planer/router. About how much do such tools cost anyways?

All of these "mod" options are way more work than just getting some templates and making a new body from scratch.

Then slam a MIM neck on it, if you must.

[Mickguard]

About how much do such tools cost anyways?

A lot less than the cost of an MIM strat. I paid 20 euros for my first router.

[erikbojerik]

A decent router will cost you less than a decent finish job, which you have to do either way.

[ryanb]

It doesn't take any more tools to make a new body than it does to cut blocks to fill in the existing routes, sand it down, re-route from the back, clean it up, finish it, etc. In fact you could probably argue that it takes less.