Short Pole Toasters on 60's guitars

[wints]

It seems there are more "shorties" in the late 60's, compared to earlier. The neck cavities must have been routed slightly shallower at this time...

As ever YMMV...

I'm not sure I understand your comment. Short-pole toasters don't require any routing.

As Jeff posted above Alan, basses still do have the cavity. I don't know if in the late 60's, the cavities in the 4001 basses where routed to match the short pole toasters being used, ( more probable?) or the other way round. Today, if you see a cavity from one of these basses, it's not unusual to be slightly deeper than stock, where a previous owner has had to rout out a little depth to get a later toaster in there.

[walker]

Keep in mind that the housing of the short pole toaster PU still sits below the pickguard on the 4001, so there still needs to be routing to some degree to accommodate for that, plus the wire which runs to the harness. Once the neck pickup was introduced to the bass' design, I would assume that the routing was an established necessity in varying degrees.

[walker]

Also, once the long pole toasters were reintroduced, it was common to see the double-tiered routing in the early 70's where RIC accommodated for the extra pole length in bodies that had already been cut for the short pole toaster.

Case in point this '72 4001FL:

[wints]

Also, once the long pole toasters were reintroduced, it was common to see the double-tiered routing in the early 70's where RIC accommodated for the extra pole length in bodies that had already been cut for the short pole toaster.

Case in point this '72 4001FL:

Yup, sometimes the factory did it too!

[Woodie]

Apologies to Andrew and Mark. You're absolutely right. Excuse my ignorance re: basses. My only point of reference has been 300- and 600-series guitars.

[walker]

No apology necessary. I'm sure my "ignorance" in regards to the 6-stringers far outweighs yours in regards to basses!

[wints]

No apology necessary. I'm sure my "ignorance" in regards to the 6-stringers far outweighs yours in regards to basses!

Yup, no apologies ever needed here when we are all learning...