"Quick" change pickguard

[scolfax]

I'm considering getting another pickguard for my Strat (G&L Legacy) with a totally different pickup configuration. I'd like to be able to swap it out when I change my strings without having to solder. What kind of quick-connects do you guys use for something like this?

 

More importantly, I don't want to constantly screw in and out of the wood. Is there something other than wood screws I can use to connect the pickguard to the body? Velcro would probably suck, but something as convenient.

[Belva]

Make your own p/g and drill holes in exactly the same place. Get a telephone jack and plug to use for your output and bridge ground. I did this for a customer recently and he's happy as a pig in {censored}. You'll just have to deal with the mounting holes. But if they're in the same place it's less of an issue. That's what toothpicks are for.
Edit:
If you don't have the capability to make pickguards you could try warmoth. They make them fairly cheap. Tell them what you plan on doing. then your mount holes should be located in the same place.
In this case I made 2 at once and stacked them on top of each other to ensure exact location. One's a 2 hum and the other is SSS. The phone jack will give you an xtra connection if you ever want to stereo the guitar.

[larryguitar]

 

Make your own p/g and drill holes in exactly the same place. Get a telephone jack and plug to use for your output and bridge ground. I did this for a customer recently and he's happy as a pig in {censored}. You'll just have to deal with the mounting holes. But if they're in the same place it's less of an issue. That's what toothpicks are for. Edit: If you don't have the capability to make pickguards you could try warmoth. They make them fairly cheap. Tell them what you plan on doing. then your mount holes should be located in the same place. In this case I made 2 at once and stacked them on top of each other to ensure exact location. One's a 2 hum and the other is SSS. The phone jack will give you an xtra connection if you ever want to stereo the guitar.

 

 

Rare earth magnets hidden behind the pickguard, with the heads of screws glued into the screwholes. That's how they mount screwless access plates on the back of some high-end guitars.

[Belva]

Rare earth magnets hidden behind the pickguard, with the heads of screws glued into the screwholes. That's how they mount screwless access plates on the back of some high-end guitars.

 

That's a good idea. If you could find small rare earth magnets, say, 1/4" diameter you could just drill holes with a forstner bit and super glue them in place. Then any old p/g would work

[Jarick]

You guys are forgetting about how the rare earth magnets will alter the magnetic fields of the pickups and then you need to find which telephone jacks have the best tone!

[honeyiscool]

I use wire nuts in my guitars sometimes for non-permanent installations.

 

 

Considering that you'll probably only be using two of these, one for the hot wire, and one for the grounds, which tend to be pretty fat, a wire nut should hold them fine. I don't know why more guitar people don't use them.

 

Anyway, there's nothing wrong with screwing in and out of wood. If the threads get wimpy, there's always wood filler or toothpicks.

[Belva]

I use wire nuts in my guitars sometimes for non-permanent installations. Considering that you'll probably only be using two of these, one for the hot wire, and one for the grounds, which tend to be pretty fat, a wire nut should hold them fine. I don't know why more guitar people don't use them. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with screwing in and out of wood. If the threads get wimpy, there's always wood filler or toothpicks.

Got me thinkin' now. You could run all your grounds to a screw in the body. Ring terms on the permanent ones and a split ring on the one going to the p/g. Loosen the screw and pull out the p'g. You could use an insulated bullet connector for the + side. The wire nut idea is a good one, but I'd be scared the wire ends would get too phucked up after a bazillion p/g swaps.
The comment about the rare earth mags affecting toanz was tounge in cheek, I know. But maybe it would have an effect of the pups?
This is what we need, more brainstorming threads:thu:.

[robbdeman]

I know a buddy of mine who has these for his RC airplanes, its by a company called deans they are little connectors that would work Perfect for your needs

[larryguitar]

Yeah, spade connectors would work, or bayonets. Pickups don't have very much voltage, so any actually metal-metal connection will be enough for the toanz, I think.

 

AFA the magnets affecting the pickups, I'd put three-four on the perimeter of the pickguard's outline set into the body, then glue sheet metal to the back of the P/G itself. If they're farther away than the other pickups are from each other, you should be OK.

[PunkKitty]

I use the little spade connectors from Radio Shack for this.

[Belva]

AFA the magnets affecting the pickups, I'd put three-four on the perimeter of the pickguard's outline set into the body, then glue sheet metal to the back of the P/G itself. If they're farther away than the other pickups are from each other, you should be OK.

Another good idea. All it would take is something .010". It would double as shielding.



This was my first attempt at this. I used the aforementioned ring and split ring for the ground. The jacks were in the pickguards themselves, so it was a non issue. I also had a 2 hum guard, but don't have any pics and the geetar is long gone. I did find that a neck with an overhang caused problems. So no overhang is the best way to go.

[Belva]

http://www.magnetsupplier.com/product_info.php?products_id=1494&cPath=102

How thick is 15 mil? You're lookin' at $2.30 worth of these cut & stuck to the guitar itself. Then the aforementioned .010" ferrous sheet metal. Go with some .060 p/g material and you're home free. BTW on the guitar above the only ground I needed to worry about was for the bridge. A Strat type jack would make it a bit more complicated, but not enough to be a real concern. Plus the lack of p/g screws would be a subtle and way cool look.

[Belva]

http://www.first4magnets.com/flexible-a4-sheet-with-self-adhesive-60-c.asp

I may have to do this.

[scolfax]

Wow, some interesting ideas folks! Thanks!

[diceman1000]

regular ol' crimp or solder spade connectors should do the trick as well...

[sxyryan]

 

http://www.magnetsupplier.com/product_info.php?products_id=1494&cPath=102 How thick is 15 mil? You're lookin' at $2.30 worth of these cut & stuck to the guitar itself. Then the aforementioned .010" ferrous sheet metal. Go with some .060 p/g material and you're home free. BTW on the guitar above the only ground I needed to worry about was for the bridge. A Strat type jack would make it a bit more complicated, but not enough to be a real concern. Plus the lack of p/g screws would be a subtle and way cool look.

 

 

This is actually a pretty neat idea... I work at a scrap yard during school breaks and weekends. We have this kind of stuff just lying around. I may have to try it.

 

I'd be worried about the magnets not having enough strength to reliably hold the pickguard on. But I suppose you could always add another magnet for more strength.

[larryguitar]

 

This is actually a pretty neat idea... I work at a scrap yard during school breaks and weekends. We have this kind of stuff just lying around. I may have to try it. I'd be worried about the magnets not having enough strength to reliably hold the pickguard on. But I suppose you could always add another magnet for more strength.

 

 

Neodymium magnets can hold stuff on moving cars-even small ones are hard to separate at times. Shouldn't ever be an issue with a PG.

[Alex_SF]

 

Got me thinkin' now. You could run all your grounds to a screw in the body. Ring terms on the permanent ones and a split ring on the one going to the p/g. Loosen the screw and pull out the p'g. You could use an insulated bullet connector for the + side. The wire nut idea is a good one, but I'd be scared the wire ends would get too phucked up after a bazillion p/g swaps.

 

 

Bullet or spade connectors are the way to go. If you have enough room in the cavity, you could use one of those multi-wire connectors they use in automotive & motorcycle wiring harnesses, if you can find one that's not too bulky.

[stratotak]

PC Molex connector