Custom pickguards in the UK?

pottolom

I have a G&L Tribute Fallout, like this:

However, I'm not a big fan of the stark white pickguard and would prefer it to look like this: 


Does anyone know where I could get someone to make me a 3-ply cream coloured guard like the one above? I have already tried Gig.ink, but they only do single ply.

Or does anyone on here make them?!

Jimbro66

http://www.jacksinstrumentservices.com/custom-scratchplate-cutting.html

thermionic

I second Jack. Ideal for this kind of non-standard stuff, send your guard in and he’ll make an exact duplicate.

Funkfingers

Alternatively, artificially discolour the stock 'guard.

pottolom

Funkfingers said:

Alternatively, artificially discolour the stock 'guard.

That would be ideal, and I've read online about using coffee, but a lot of people say it doesn't work. Have you ever tried?

thermionic

Coffee won’t work, and I doubt you’ll find anything to make it look mint green unless you paint over it.

Funkfingers

I use coffee daily but only as a refreshing beverage.

Achieving an even tint in a sheet of white plastic involves proper dyes, skilled application and partial removal. 

mrkb

Funkfingers said:

I use coffee daily but only as a refreshing beverage.

Achieving an even tint in a sheet of white plastic involves proper dyes, skilled application and partial removal. 

Or a sunbed addiction!

CasperCaster

I've tried tea, coffee and various shoe polishes. None of them really work - the polishes work a little, but the brown polishes seem to give everything a slight red mahogany type hue.

I've seen alcohol based stains recommended but I haven' tried them. The next thing I'll try is Colron Liquid Scratch Repair liquid and white spirit - I can't find the thread now, but WezV recommended it and he seemed to get good results.

pottolom

CasperCaster said:

I've tried tea, coffee and various shoe polishes. None of them really work - the polishes work a little, but the brown polishes seem to give everything a slight red mahogany type hue.

I've seen alcohol based stains recommended but I haven' tried them. The next thing I'll try is Colron Liquid Scratch Repair liquid and white spirit - I can't find the thread now, but WezV recommended it and he seemed to get good results.

Just found the thread - http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1741037/ - I'm very tempted to try that!

CasperCaster

@pottolom thanks for finding the thread! I intend to try it sometime, but I've got other projects on the go at the moment. I forgot to say - I believe some Fender pickguards such as those on Roadworn guitars are actually 'aged' using tinted lacquer which is sort of sprayed in a 'burst' pattern to give an uneven aged/ worn effect, and then presumably clear coated over. You could also try tinted lacquer but spray an even coat - just another idea.

victorludorum

Leave it in the sun (a lot).

WezV

pottolom said:

CasperCaster said:

I've tried tea, coffee and various shoe polishes. None of them really work - the polishes work a little, but the brown polishes seem to give everything a slight red mahogany type hue.

I've seen alcohol based stains recommended but I haven' tried them. The next thing I'll try is Colron Liquid Scratch Repair liquid and white spirit - I can't find the thread now, but WezV recommended it and he seemed to get good results.

Just found the thread - http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1741037/ - I'm very tempted to try that!

Yeah, it can work well for an aged appearance but I wouldn’t want to try and get an even colour from it... anyway, if it don’t work you can clean it off easily.

i have tried another brand of scratch cover, but it had the red tint issue that seems common in brown

pottolom

WezV said:

pottolom said:

CasperCaster said:

I've tried tea, coffee and various shoe polishes. None of them really work - the polishes work a little, but the brown polishes seem to give everything a slight red mahogany type hue.

I've seen alcohol based stains recommended but I haven' tried them. The next thing I'll try is Colron Liquid Scratch Repair liquid and white spirit - I can't find the thread now, but WezV recommended it and he seemed to get good results.

Just found the thread - http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1741037/ - I'm very tempted to try that!

Yeah, it can work well for an aged appearance but I wouldn’t want to try and get an even colour from it... anyway, if it don’t work you can clean it off easily.

i have tried another brand of scratch cover, but it had the red tint issue that seems common in brown

Thanks for contributing to the thread!

Because the rest of my guitar is not a relic, I suppose it would look a bit strange if the colour of the scratch plate ended up looking very uneven. Using the Colron, do you think it's going to be more or less impossible to get a fairly uniform colour similar to that photo of the second guitar in my original post?

WezV

it will be hard to get it as even as that... although the colour will be very close.

GoldenEraGuitars

My own experience of scratch repair products is poor. No matter what it can always be easily removed, sometimes with little effort. Personally, I’d get a replacement parchment pickguard cut. It’ll save you time and money. 

WezV

lonestar said:

My own experience of scratch repair products is poor. No matter what it can always be easily removed, sometimes with little effort. 

So can real dirt

WezV

It should be pointed out that I recommend it as an alternative to all the shoe polish/coffee ground methods... which can also be cleaned off.

 I find after a few days the Colron scratch cover would be bloody difficult to clean off without a solvent, so that works for me... but you do need to take the shine off the plastic first

WezV

here is one of the first plates i did with the method in september 2016... actually quite a bit cruder than i have achieved since and a bit patchy in places (one of the reasons i would not recommend it for a non-relic plate, but you can see a less patchy version in the link above)



this is the same guard today.  Its not currently on the guitar because i have used this to make templates for more guards and check spacing of routes on my current les paul builds.


Concerned by the comments that it can just be cleaned off, I just tried to "clean" it whilst doing the washing up... it looks exactly the same.

pottolom

Looking back in that other thread, it looks as though @mattacjones had some success, I think with the Colron method, and it looks like it's come out fairly even: