help with making a pickguard

phil_b

I want to make a new pickguard for this so I can mount some new pickups whilst still keeping the original in tact

the body is routed for two pickups already so it lends itself to a bit of experimentation without doing any non reversible modifications.

Can I get good results by cutting out a pickguard from a blank directly or is a template the best way to go.

ICBM

In my experience it's very difficult to get a really good result without using a router and a template, especially if you want the edge bevelled to factory standard. It can be done, but it's going to take an enormous amount of care and time.

poopot

Buying one is prolly the easiest route!. (Pardon the pun)

https://www.wdmusic.co.uk/pickguards-c62/gibson-les-paul-c141/les-paul-special-2019-tribute-double-cut-c432

phil_b

poopot said:

Buying one is prolly the easiest route!. (Pardon the pun)

https://www.wdmusic.co.uk/pickguards-c62/gibson-les-paul-c141/les-paul-special-2019-tribute-double-cut-c432

that would be my fist choice to. but my pickups look like this

but I was not aware you could buy pickguards in the UK. Thanks they still might be useful

Fuengi

Jacks Instrument Services will cut whatever you want. 

https://jacksinstrumentservices.com/

phil_b

poopot said:

Buying one is prolly the easiest route!. (Pardon the pun)

https://www.wdmusic.co.uk/pickguards-c62/gibson-les-paul-c141/les-paul-special-2019-tribute-double-cut-c432

so with one of these I could turn it into a special without any problems

I also believe a mini humbucker will fit into the P90 route is that correct?

and could I just open up a p90 hole to fit a full size humbucker?

I thought over time I could make up 2 or 3 pickguards that I can swap in and out as the mood takes me

Funkfingers

phil_b said:

that would be my fist choice

Stop that right now!

poopot

phil_b said:

poopot said:

Buying one is prolly the easiest route!. (Pardon the pun)

https://www.wdmusic.co.uk/pickguards-c62/gibson-les-paul-c141/les-paul-special-2019-tribute-double-cut-c432

so with one of these I could turn it into a special without any problems

I also believe a mini humbucker will fit into the P90 route is that correct?

and could I just open up a p90 hole to fit a full size humbucker?

I thought over time I could make up 2 or 3 pickguards that I can swap in and out as the mood takes me

If you want to make two or three or four etc I would use your existing guard and make an mdf template... you can then either router your own or send the template off to one of the pickguard makers on here...

what is the second route in the body? P90?

phil_b

poopot said:

what is the second route in the body? P90?

yes

ICBM

Those are amazingly crude-looking humbucker routs.

WezV

Fairly sure its the stain making them look rougher than they actually are

GoldenEraGuitars

Add up the parts you maybe don’t already have. Then the time and materials needed to make a template. After that, add more time to the job and allow for non repairable mistakes. For a one off I’d pay for a pro to do it.

If you’re wanting to have some fun then get a router, template bit, MDF, Perspex and plastic for the pickguard itself. Watch your fingers and enjoy every second shouting “FOR FUCK SAKE” whenever the router takes an ugly chunk out of the last few inches of your otherwise immaculate and well cut pickguard

epizootics

It goes without saying that having a router table is necessity if you're going the DIY route (...no pun...). You can make one yourself pretty easily, it doesn't have to be fancy. I'd start with tracing the existing pickgard onto a piece of 1/4" mdf, cutting that roughly, sticking the pickgard on top with the bevel down, then taking it to the router table with a pattern bit with the bearing at the bottom. You're essentially using the PG as a template. You have to be really careful doing that, because you only have the tip of the bevel to guide your piece. If your bearing seizes, there's a chance it's melt your pickguard. You can do the same thing with the existing pickup route.

Once you've done that, you only have to use the existing screw holes to get a template you can use to make perfect replicas of the original. The one annoying part is finding the center line, but you can use the first pickup route, calipers and a square. Won't be 100% precise, but there is quite a bit of tolerance with pickup routes. You can then add the route for the second pickup with the proper template.

All in all, it's feasible...If you have the right tools. Otherwise, it's probably cheaper/safer to buy it, as the others said.

phil_b

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Add up the parts you maybe don’t already have. Then the time and materials needed to make a template. After that, add more time to the job and allow for non repairable mistakes. For a one off I’d pay for a pro to do it.

If you’re wanting to have some fun then get a router, template bit, MDF, Perspex and plastic for the pickguard itself. Watch your fingers and enjoy every second shouting “FOR FUCK SAKE” whenever the router takes an ugly chunk out of the last few inches of your otherwise immaculate and well cut pickguard

I actually quite enjoy making my own stuff well I used to. My current job means spare time is in short supply but this project is just a bit of fun and experimentation rather than an attempt to build a nice guitar. I am fairly confident I could make my own to a good enough standard but I know it will take a long time probably too long

phil_b

I have ended up with a bit of a half way house.

I ordered a pickguard to the original pattern but without any pick up hole cut and I will do that part myself. it sort of worked out easier to order that way as I did not need to supply templates or drawings

phil_b

So my next question is about pick up selection.

I plan on fitting two pickups on in the neck and one in the bridge as per the layout of the special version of this guitar.

I have a set of 3 Burns tri sonic pickups labelled neck middle and bridge. should I just use the neck and bridge or should I use the RPRW middle pickup in one of the positions

gjonesy

I'd use bridge and the middle as the neck pickup. That way you should get hum cancelling when in the middle position on the switch (I think - hopefully someone will confirm)

phil_b

my pickguard arrived from WD music and today I got it wired up and fitted to the guitar. I quite like the look of it

mikem8634

Wow, that's really nice. How did you cut the pickup holes in the end?

phil_b

mikem8634 said:

Wow, that's really nice. How did you cut the pickup holes in the end?

I screwed my small router to a bit of MDF to make myself a make shift router table and made a template from a bit of scrap ply wood. It did not cut perfectly. I think I let the bit get to hot on the second cut and the template was hand cut so not perfect in the first place. but once mounted to the guitar you can not see it is not exactly straight. I think it being a black guard helps

mikem8634

phil_b said:

mikem8634 said:

Wow, that's really nice. How did you cut the pickup holes in the end?

I screwed my small router to a bit of MDF to make myself a make shift router table and made a template from a bit of scrap ply wood. It did not cut perfectly. I think I let the bit get to hot on the second cut and the template was hand cut so not perfect in the first place. but once mounted to the guitar you can not see it is not exactly straight. I think it being a black guard helps

Top work, well done. I love stuff that takes something familiar and offers a fresh take on it.