how in gods name??

You're on the right track with the needle. Sometimes you can use a piece of guitar string, like when you put strings off and have to clip off that 3-5" piece before winding? I think you can probably use a thicker string, which would be stiffer but still flexible. And if it keeps falling off or something, you can always lightly spot-spot solder the wires to the string before you pull it though and then unsolder it to make the connection.

If all else fails, you could probably drill the hole wider with a hand drill maybe.

if you can pull the wire thru from the opposite side then
wrapping a strong thread around the wie and getting the thread thru the hole
then it is simply a matter of pulling the snagged or wrapped wire thru that hole.

for some reason i didn't think of the guitar string method! excellent that should do the job and i've just re-strung one of my other guitars so have plenty of bits of strings.

i cant pull the wire through as such unless something is threaded through comepletly as the channel is preety long from the bridge pickup to the pots and pretty tight, especially with replacing two, two conducter pickups with four conductor ones..

I'll give it a go tonight when i get home and enjoy some sweet sweet rocking.

You're all missing the easiest solution ...

Send in a fly tied with a piece of thread.

Then send in a spider to catch the fly that you tied with a piece of thread.

Then send in a mouse to catch the spider that you sent in to catch the fly that you tied with a piece of thread.

:D

then the cat...

then the dog...

I'll tell you what I've done, Take a high E string and remove the ball end, I usually do this by grinding off one side carefully. You're then left with a loop on the end. Thread it through in the opposite direction and tie the wires on and pull it through. If its a tight fit, use a little silicone spray on the wires but be careful you don't get any on the finish or you will have trouble refinishing at a later date, Good luck!

i sorted it out, i clipped the wire and used a tiny bit of wd40 and managed to push it through.

Too late for you (sorry!), but it might be useful for anyone finding the thread later... instead of clipping the end off you can wrap a tiny piece of electrical tape around the end to keep all the wire strands from snagging and the hole tearing the cable to shreds.

on another note, seymour duncan pickups have dangerously short wires!!

it was a bit of a stretch to get the wire to reach the pots from the neck pickup (had not been clipped)