Home › Forums › Tech Forum › DIY Pickguard – How to Make Your Own Pickguard
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fcleff69.
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October 10, 2020 at 11:30 pm #150488
Okay… For those of you who give a rats butt… I present, the pickguard project. It took three hours… which included photo’s and set up, but once you get the hang of it, you can make professional PG’s, in under an hour. Enjoy…
Before…
Removed PG… Of course, in typical lazy fashion, I slipped it out from under the strings.
Grab yourself a good piece of wood or the likes… I used to use furniture grade maple ply, but now I use a soft plastic board, called Starboard. Anything good and clean, and not warped will work. Ok, now that you’ve grabbed your wood… Trace your PG on it and drill two or three holes for some screws, or all if you like. It’s your funeral.
Viola! Here’s how it should look…Now cut that out using a jig saw or scroll saw, close to line, but leaving the line visible. Preferably get much closer than I did… Three Vodaks into this project already.
Here’s the router table that I use. It really sucks, but there’s not much mid grade router stuff out there… So… It’s either the Dora the Explorer model, or the $89,000 Bob Villa model… I use Crapsman.See that bit I have in there? It’s a flush bit. There’s a ball bearing at the top, which will ride along a template, and the yellow bit beneath it will shape any material to the exact shape. Bits come in MANY shapes and sizes, so if you have special needs, look for a special bit!
Anyway, adjust the router-table-bit-height, so that the bearing rides along your PG, and then the bit will carve your template.
Like so…
Now go around, trimming the wood while using your PG as a guide. And if you’re lucky and have not had too many Vodaks, it’ll look like this!
Pop off the old PG, put some duct tape loops or sticky back tape on your Jig (don’t use screws) and then stick your new guard blank on it, face up…Now, PG face down, reverse the process and route the new material, using the jig as a guide…
And hopefully, it looks like this.
Flip it over, and drill out the PG screw holes and control holes..
Smack on some insulating, self stick aluminum tape… Trim and clean it… and BLAMMO!
I hate it… But no worries, because now, I can pop em out all day. I will poly urethane the jig several times, and order up whatever I want… In this case, I already have some mirror, like my blue LB, so I’ll probably make one of those tomorrow. Once you have the jig, it only takes 15 minutes to make new PG’s.
Here are a few more, off the same jig…
Here is another that I made for my LB100…
LB100 With Mirrored PG First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al CaponeOctober 10, 2020 at 11:33 pm #150491That Kilo looks awesome without any PG.
Thanks for posting.
JP
G&L USA JB, FrankenJazzuar, Hartke 210 Combo, Darkglass B7K Ultra, Boss GT-1B, EBS Fuzzmo, Mod Tone Deep Dive Octave Plus.3 users thanked author for this post.
October 11, 2020 at 8:16 am #150511That Kilo looks awesome without any PG.
Thanks for posting.
On TB, that was a popular opinion. Thanks, I think? I could easily make it PGless.
First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al Capone3 users thanked author for this post.
October 12, 2020 at 8:10 am #150691That Kilo looks awesome without any PG.
Thanks for posting.
On TB, that was a popular opinion. Thanks, I think? I could easily make it PGless.
or a slightly blue tint on clear plexi, could look like clear purple?
“If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?”
― George Carlin2 users thanked author for this post.
October 12, 2020 at 4:30 pm #150825like this?
The Coberator. My other car is a Rocinante.
1 user thanked author for this post.
October 12, 2020 at 4:48 pm #150828On a serious note, that was my first attempt. I don’t have even a fancy (or not fancy) table router. I just did it freestyle with a hand router. Yes, it is far from perfect but I learned a few things in the process. When I cut another one I think, using the same tool, I can get a better cut.
The Coberator. My other car is a Rocinante.
4 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 8:01 am #150923On a serious note, that was my first attempt. I don’t have even a fancy (or not fancy) table router. I just did it freestyle with a hand router. Yes, it is far from perfect but I learned a few things in the process. When I cut another one I think, using the same tool, I can get a better cut.
On that note, I will say that:
- A table router is NOT required for making PG’s. It merely holds the router, square to the work piece, however, this can easily be achieved, by hand, with a little patience.
- Technically, a router isn’t even required at all. Trace your PG or draw out the new one, on your blank, cut by any means, and then finish by hand, with files and/ or Dremel, etc.
- A router table is not only cheap, but you can make your own out of any board, and then clamp it to a table. There’s no magic to it. The only critical function is depth, and that’s built into the router, not the table!
This DIY is eleaborate, but you literally, only need the top.
First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al Capone4 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 8:04 am #150924I just did it freestyle with a hand router.
First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al Capone4 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 8:59 am #150944It should be noted, that I don’t look at this as a way to make a pickguard, I look at it as a concept. To me, it’s a way of obtaining something, which doesn’t exist elsewhere.
I never reinvent the wheel. If I couldve bought G&L PG’s for $100, I would have.
Perspective is very important when you’re trying to envision a project and its possibilities.
First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al Capone2 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 9:16 am #150952I never reinvent the wheel. If I couldve bought G&L PG’s for $100, I would have.
Same here. But my pg in question is from a no name Asia model and the chances of finding a match are slim to none, leaning none. So it goes without saying, this is a good skill to have.
The Coberator. My other car is a Rocinante.
3 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 10:16 am #150973I never reinvent the wheel. If I couldve bought G&L PG’s for $100, I would have.
Same here. But my pg in question is from a no name Asia model and the chances of finding a match are slim to none, leaning none. So it goes without saying, this is a good skill to have.
Yes. That’s a prime candidate. However, if you’re only ever needing “one off’s”, then hand finishing is a great option, too. As is always the case, if you’re enjoying yourself, and interested in the material, then you should pursue it, regardless of cost or logic.
First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al Capone4 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 11:56 am #151009I never reinvent the wheel. If I couldve bought G&L PG’s for $100, I would have.
Same here. But my pg in question is from a no name Asia model and the chances of finding a match are slim to none, leaning none. So it goes without saying, this is a good skill to have.
Yes. That’s a prime candidate. However, if you’re only ever needing “one off’s”, then hand finishing is a great option, too. As is always the case, if you’re enjoying yourself, and interested in the material, then you should pursue it, regardless of cost or logic.
Reading this post almost sounds like you’re giving Sir Heffenfluffer a little validation. Are you feeling well?
JP
G&L USA JB, FrankenJazzuar, Hartke 210 Combo, Darkglass B7K Ultra, Boss GT-1B, EBS Fuzzmo, Mod Tone Deep Dive Octave Plus.3 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 12:51 pm #151014I never reinvent the wheel. If I couldve bought G&L PG’s for $100, I would have.
Same here. But my pg in question is from a no name Asia model and the chances of finding a match are slim to none, leaning none. So it goes without saying, this is a good skill to have.
Yes. That’s a prime candidate. However, if you’re only ever needing “one off’s”, then hand finishing is a great option, too. As is always the case, if you’re enjoying yourself, and interested in the material, then you should pursue it, regardless of cost or logic.
Reading this post almost sounds like you’re giving Sir Heffenfluffer a little validation. Are you feeling well?
Ah Jeff, I find your whimsical nature enchanting… Make no mistake though, when dickhead needs a pickguard, he’ll be asking me to make it.
First, whack the driver, then, off the passengers. I want everyone in the car whacked off.
... Al Capone3 users thanked author for this post.
October 13, 2020 at 4:42 pm #151064Make no mistake though, when dickhead needs a pickguard that looks good, he’ll be asking me to make it.
FTFY
The Coberator. My other car is a Rocinante.
4 users thanked author for this post.
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