Off the deep end: Swimming pool or not?

I have serious PMS (Partscaster manufacturing syndrome): The body is routed for a HB neck and SC bridge. It's going to have a Barden Nashville T-set. The router is coming out. The question is: route third cut for the center Pup, or route a swimming pool?

The pool would certainly be easier and leave flexibility for future mods (which are inevitable). Is there an noticeable change in tone or sustain when you take out that much material?

hey you're from boston, just give me the guitar and we can save it from the swimming pool route =) just kidding.
are you planning like a "mini pool" route? because if you routed all the way to the bridge pickup there would be a hole in between the bridgeplate and pickguard.

The only real difference I've noticed it makes between the two is that on swimming pools you lose support for the middle of the pickguard and it tends to become somewhat flimsy. Rate your playing style from zero to 10, zero being the lightest and 10 the most violent. If you rate your style anywhere from 5 to 10 I'd go with a separate route for the middle pup to retain support for the PG. Otherwise it's every man for himself.

Is there an noticeable change in tone or sustain when you take out that much material?

I haven't found that to be the case. And I like anything that makes most bodies a bit lighter.

hey you're from boston, just give me the guitar and we can save it from the swimming pool route =) just kidding.
are you planning like a "mini pool" route? because if you routed all the way to the bridge pickup there would be a hole in between the bridgeplate and pickguard.

I guess it'll be a kiddie pool. The pickguard is going to be Aluminum diamond plate, so the lack of support isn't so much of an issue. The gap between the pickguard and the bridge plate would be a concern though. I forgot about that, mostly because I've been playing my Thinline w/HB's.

Thanks for the input from everyone.

I don't think either way you do it will have all that much effect on anything other than losing a few more ounces of weight. My Nashcaster has a bathtub route, my CS Nocaster doesn't. Both have the same pickups and bridge/saddle, tuners, etc. Both have ash bodies and tonally there isn't enough difference between them to matter.

I'm converting my MIM to a Nashville by adding a middle pickup and since I don't have a router setup well enough to do the work I'll leave it up to whoever does it. If they can copy the neck pickup rout fine but if not then cut a bathtub. The pickups will mount to the pickguard so no matter which way I go it will work fine.

I don't dig into the middle of the pickguard when I play but I suppose for someone who does they make like the extra support. YMMV.

I hate the swimming pool route. I have a three ply pickguard and if I am playing low volume and my hand contacts the pickguard with even a little force I hear a "thump" similar to when you are playing an acoustic. I just don't like that when it comes to my electrics.

I don't mind it in the one guitar I have it in, because that particular guitar is one I experiment with different arrangements in, but I won'd try to ever own another. YMMV

I hate the swimming pool route. I have a three ply pickguard and if I am playing low volume and my hand contacts the pickguard with even a little force I hear a "thump" similar to when you are playing an acoustic. I just don't like that when it comes to my electrics.

I don't mind it in the one guitar I have it in, because that particular guitar is one I experiment with different arrangements in, but I won'd try to ever own another. YMMV

This would be the only thing that I have noticed with them as well. It didn't make much difference on one Tele I had with the body mounted neck pickup, but it was pretty noticeable on one with pickguard mounted pickups.

My '97 Roadhouse Strat has a swimming pool rout, and nobody's fallen in yet. Then again it isn't necessary unless you have a specific mod in mind that needs the room (I can't think of any).