Realigning Strat pick guard - best way?

scarry67

My partscaster pickguard is a bit off kilter but when I plugged in some bits of matchstick and tried to redrill holes it was much harder than expected. Any tips? 

paulnb57

Use a bradawl to start things off? Poke through the centre of each scratchplate hole.....

scarry67

I'd heard that superglue fills existing "off" holes but that could get messy...

ICBM

Do you mean it's hard to drill new holes, or that it's hard to stop the screws trying to 'find' the old ones - if it doesn't need moving very far?

If it's the second, the only solution is to pack the holes as tightly as possible with the hardest wood you can (matchsticks are nowhere near hard enough), and drill (ie with a drill, not with the screws!) pilot holes accurately for the new positions before you try to put the screws in.

scarry67

Yes, the screws head back to original holes after I drilled new (but very near) holes and shoved matchstick pieces in! May just accept it as is...

ICBM

Try toothpicks not matchsticks - they're hardwood - and hammer in as many as you can force into the hole, the pointy end helps! With wood glue first of course. If you manage to really ram it tight the filled hole will actually be harder than the surrounding wood.

scarry67

Right. Time to buy some toothpicks.