Well, if you want to forego the router you could get a hot-rails pickup of some sort.....
However, if you want a true humbucker, this is how I would do it do it...........
- remove strings, pickguard, and neck pickup, desoldier it from the rhythm/lead selector switch and ground plate, also, remove the neck and anything else that can get in the way, remember, you have to make room for the router base to fit.
- you'll need a router with a regular ole' cylindrical router bit (I forgot the term for it). Remember to take your time and be careful, or if you are worried about it coming out looking bad, use a "guide" to cut the hole, they are availble from Steward Mac-Donald guitar shop supply.
- Decide weather you want the humbucker mounted through the pickguard, mounted directly to the wood, or mounted through a trim ring. Then use a router bit with a bearing on the end. What the bearing does is follows the shape of the humbucker cavity. However, if you want a top mount, carefully avoid routing out the section where the screws will go through the pickguard on each side of the rout.
- Finally, wire the hot lead of the humbucker to the middle lug on the rhythm/lead switch where the single coil was connected, wire the ground to the metal sheilding plate on the bottom of the body and then mount it into the pickguard/trim ring, any other attaching that might need to be done, then put the guitar back together (strings, neck etc.), set it up, and you're done.
Just remember, if you rout it out, it might be hard to return it to stock later if you wish to do so.
