# Attempt at making a pickguard



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Firstly, Many thanks to my good friend @Fox Rox for ordering the pick guard (PG) material for me.

It isn't perfect. However, it is much preferred over the snow white stock PG
(I hated that look!!)

I used a jig saw to rough cut the basic shape and then hand files for the final shaping.
The bevel on the outer edge seems virtually impossible to achieve without some type of trimmer and specific bit.

I haven't worked with plastics all that often and found it challenging.


BEFORE:










AFTER:


----------



## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

It's better than mine. Lol.


----------



## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Good job !

Following this thread to learn any magical tricks at doing them...

My results using the same methods as you years ago from a rescue attempt of an old early 70`s Aria Tele.

From this:


To this:


I decided to go black after the fact but lacked the courage to complete my idea due to the difficulty I had the first time around...  A reg Tele pickguard does not fit on the Aria.

Looking for tricks or advice to learn...


----------



## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Good work! I did one a while back and found the beveling to be the trickiest part too.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Looks good Dave!


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Hamstrung said:


> Good work! I did one a while back and found the bevelling to be the trickiest part too.


Any suggestions regarding doing the bevelling by hand?


----------



## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

You realize it looks better without the guard?


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

davetcan said:


> You realize it looks better without the guard?


Now you tell me!


----------



## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

greco said:


> Now you tell me!


Someone had to 

Well done on the PG though, I know plastic can be a real bitch.


----------



## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Bevelling seems to me best done with a scraper. Certainly some preliminary degree of filing or other rounding of corners or turns needs to be done to permit continuous scraping movements over a long stretch. Butscrapers can be arranged, and occasionally "masked" to provide a consistent angle of bevel.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Scraper or router table with the right bit. Whith the proper setup, you could use the French Curve style to get a good angle or just eyeball it with a straight style. I wouldn't use files or anything before the scraper as it will follow all the hills and valleys. A scraper at the right angle should go through it like butter.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

knight_yyz said:


> *I wouldn't use files *or anything before the scraper as it will follow all the hills and valleys.


I had no other way of doing the final shaping.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

I still need to make one for an old SG copy I have because the guard also covers the potentiometer cavity like a Strat pickguard does. I have 2 of the guitars so I have 1 I can use for making the template. I may though make it with 1/8" mdf, and use a router table. I've seen it done often on YouTube, but, worried the heat will just melt the plastic and make a big ol' mess.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

THRobinson said:


> ....worried the heat will just melt the plastic and make a _big ol' mess._


This is what I'm wondering (only academically...I'm not going to make another pickguard). 

Various types of plastics react differently to the heat caused by the friction of cutting tools. 

I cut this pickguard material on a very slow speed with my jig saw. In the past, I tried to cut some plastic and it was melting and resealing behind my blade ...what a _big 'ol mess_ indeed!.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

THRobinson said:


> I may though make it with 1/8" mdf, and use a router table. I've seen it done often on YouTube, but, worried the heat will just melt the plastic and make a big ol' mess.


This might interest you. 
Cutting Custom Pickguards with the Pickguard Bevel Cutter | stewmac.com


----------



## Fox Rox (Aug 9, 2009)

Great work @greco, and it looks much better than the white guard!


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

greco said:


> Any suggestions regarding doing the bevelling by hand?


Scrape it by hand.
It’s easier than it sounds.

I have guard templates and a 45 degree chamfer bit.... but anything other than 45 I do by hand.

I use a single edge razor blade or a small exacto knife.

If you need glasses to read wear them lol
Put the guard on a flat surface
Start with the easy parts first - the long curves.
The tight curves are more difficult.

Nathan


----------



## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

A lot of metal fab shops have computer controlled plasma tables now. Find a guitar-friendly one and go stainless, copper, brass or aluminium. They can use the old one as a template.


----------



## Guest (Apr 26, 2019)

or tooled leather


----------



## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Is that just ordinary leather or a special tone leather?


----------



## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

I made a pickguard for the Godin SD in the pic. It looks Ok at this distance.


----------



## Guest (Apr 26, 2019)

KapnKrunch said:


> Is that just ordinary leather or a special tone leather?


Just a normal slice of skin off a cow's ass I guess.
After it's installed, it get infused with mojo as you're playing.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Unless you use cheap chinese knockoff bits, you'll be fine on the router table. Use the slowest speed if you are worried. I've made a few pieces of plastic on my router table at top speed and no problems at all. A standard 45* cutter will be fine. You could get fancy and use 30 or 15 to be different.


----------



## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

laristotle said:


> Just a normal slice of skin off a cow's ass I guess.


How did you determine the specific anatomical origin?


----------



## Guest (Apr 26, 2019)

Well, it's no skin off my ass, so, it must be hers.


----------



## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Nicely done Dave. Nice change from the white


----------



## AJ6stringsting (Mar 12, 2006)

greco said:


> Firstly, Many thanks to my good friend @Fox Rox for ordering the pick guard (PG) material for me.
> 
> It isn't perfect. However, it is much preferred over the snow white stock PG
> (I hated that look!!)
> ...


Nice !!!!

I have a Randy Rhoads / Jackson, I routed out the middle, put in a DiMarzio neck Evolution (13.04k ohms), DiMarzio Evolution (13.84k ohms) for the middle and a GFS Hex High Wound pickup (16.05k ohms ) for the bridge. I added concentric pot ( each pot has volume/ tone) controls for each pick up and the neck has series / parallel DPT switch to lower the impedance.
Then the dilemma hit, no one made pickguards for RR guitar ☹ 
So I had to file a slit and drill holes in the aluminum pickguard to install a Fender 5 way switch.
Congratulations on making a great pick guard !!!!
I wish that I had the patients to do that !!!!


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I would have thought a router bit designed to make that chamfer would be the easiest and most accurate way to go.

Looks like you did a good job making it by hand though.


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

laristotle said:


> or tooled leather
> 
> View attachment 252702



LOL, maybe too nice. I'd need a guard for my guard.


----------

