Making a scratchplate

Kalimna

Greetings folks,

I am cracking on with my two 3/4 scale guitars (WIP photo's will appear at some point!), and need to think about making the scratchplates to hold the pickups/controls.

I realise I should have planned this out first, but I stupidly didn't, and now have two bodies with all the cavities routed. What would you recommend is a sensible approach to marking out the pickup holes and pickup securing screw holes? And the neck 'recess' too?

I have the scratchplate material, and a bodged-after-the-event paper template of the neck pocket and pickup cavities.

Cheers,

adam

CasperCaster

How did you make your bodies? Do you have a template for the outline of the body? If so, make a copy of the template, then lay it accurately on one of the bodies. Finally transfer the pickup/control/bridge/neck routs onto it using a laminate trimmer bit with the bearing following the respective routs - you'll then have an accurate layout of the body outline with all the routs transposed onto it. That will give you something accurate to work from whilst designing and laying out your pickguards.

Kalimna

Hi,

Yes, that would indeed be the sensible approach. Howwever, the body outlines were traced out and shaped by myself. The pickup cavities were added in later on the actual bodies in a "looks like here is a good place to put them" method. Not very clever in retrospect.

The switch and controls aren't an issue as the exact position isn't as critical on the scratchplate.

Cheers,

Adam

CasperCaster

You could extend the idea and create a template set now. I have a set of Tele templates I made from a Tele body, just one extra step which is to make the initial outline template with the laminate trimmer bit in exactly the same way as copying the pickup routs.

The only other thing I could suggest is making careful drawings, perhaps with clear acetate sheet like the stuff we used to use with overhead projectors.

Kalimna

The clear acetate is a good shout. I will try that I think. And leave with the knowledge for future builds that a template is a must for when a scratchplate is to be made.

One of the reasons I didn't use an off-the-shelf pattern is that I am making 2 different short-scale guitars (copies of a Strat and a Jaguar), and I couldn't find such patterns.

Cheers.

Adam

WezV

I normally just bodge a paper template by taping it in place and tracing the cavities.  Then I transfer it to black or white card and cut it out.  

That gets tweaked over a few days, and I sometimes end up with multiple versions.  Once I have settled on a design I stick the card to a piece of MDF and cut it out

acetates a good idea, but you should be able to get there with normal paper

Kalimna

Cheers WezV - think thats what I'll do.