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Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 11:42 am
by Jake
Anyone know someone (preferably in Wellington) who can make a custom pickguard?
Here's the dealio: I have a Kasuga Thinline Tele (based off the 72 Fender Thinline Tele) on which a previous owner has changed the pickguard on to something weird...
I bought a replacement pickguard online but nothing lined up (screw holes, neck, pickups etc.)
However, if I remove the existing pickguard you can clearly see the fade line from the original one. I'm thinking it should be possible to trace it with baking paper or similar, as well as the screw holes and pickups.
Issue is, pickguard blanks are expensive and I'm pretty sure I'll screw it up or do a below average job if I attempt it myself, especially with the pickup and switch routing.
Any thoughts?

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 3:53 pm
by TmcB
I can totally slam dunk this - Rob Matthews Guitar Repair. Got him to do a custom pickguard for my old sg to convert it from humbuckers to P90’s, which is a bitch of a job pickguard-wise. Absolutely nailed it.

Got his permission to pop his number up - get in contact, he’ll knock it out of the park - 0273075141

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu May 03, 2018 9:42 pm
by Single coil
Aaaaaand

/thread

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 12:41 am
by Jake
Legend! I'll get in touch with him, cheers

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 7:12 am
by AiRdAd
Rob will take the upmost care with any work you send him.

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 7:26 am
by willow13
Single coil wrote:Aaaaaand

/thread
not quite

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 9:12 am
by Molly
This would be such a cool wee business to run alongside a day job. Just specialise in custom pickguards. Make to order. Get your aging techniques down an' all that malarkey.

Thinks....

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 9:40 am
by Slowy
Molly wrote:This would be such a cool wee business to run alongside a day job. Just specialise in custom pickguards. Make to order. Get your aging techniques down an' all that malarkey.

Thinks....
If you can get the costs under control. I looked a a custom pickguard for one of my SE's. Chandler in the US could do it but landed price was over $200. :roll:

Makita trim router with angled base and correct bits: Say $500
Plus the time to make all the jig variations you'd commonly use.
And the guesswork involved in choosing the plastic stock people will actually want.

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 9:51 am
by Molly
Slowy wrote:
Molly wrote:This would be such a cool wee business to run alongside a day job. Just specialise in custom pickguards. Make to order. Get your aging techniques down an' all that malarkey.

Thinks....
If you can get the costs under control. I looked a a custom pickguard for one of my SE's. Chandler in the US could do it but landed price was over $200. :roll:

Makita trim router with angled base and correct bits: Say $500
Plus the time to make all the jig variations you'd commonly use.
And the guesswork involved in choosing the plastic stock people will actually want.
Laser cutter an' that kinda stuff. ;-)

I don't know... I'm making this up as I go along.

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Fri May 04, 2018 10:21 am
by Jake
Molly wrote:
Slowy wrote:
Molly wrote:This would be such a cool wee business to run alongside a day job. Just specialise in custom pickguards. Make to order. Get your aging techniques down an' all that malarkey.

Thinks....
If you can get the costs under control. I looked a a custom pickguard for one of my SE's. Chandler in the US could do it but landed price was over $200. :roll:

Makita trim router with angled base and correct bits: Say $500
Plus the time to make all the jig variations you'd commonly use.
And the guesswork involved in choosing the plastic stock people will actually want.
Laser cutter an' that kinda stuff. ;-)

I don't know... I'm making this up as I go along.
I know a design student who offered to lasercut me one, I'm just not handy enough with CAD software to make it! Probably would be the easiest way though

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Tue May 22, 2018 6:14 pm
by Slabface
I had Mal at Weta make me a custom pick guard with a matching armrest for my old Epiphone Sheraton and he did a great job. (Only difficulty is he’s never open when I can get to him). I’ve also had Rob Matthews work on my Les Paul and he did great work (albeit cutting a pick guard wasn’t part of it).

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 12:44 pm
by kwhelan

found this nugget , good info about laser cutters could be useful to some

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 1:13 pm
by mule
Not opening that at work, but based on the thumb nail, is that video really about laser cutting?

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 1:21 pm
by codedog
Yeah... that thumbnail got me weird looks at work...

Re: Custom pickguard

Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2018 1:53 pm
by Conway
I didn't notice any laser cutting in that video.