Members Crunchtime Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 I recently got a new guitar that I really like but the pickguard is the wrong configuration for the pickups I want to use and I'm not crazy about it's color either. It's from an oddball guitar no longer in production so I will have to have one custom made or attempt to make my own. How hard is it to make your own? Is the material difficult to cut with hand tools like an exacto knife? Since I've never attemped this and I'd have to buy the materials anyway would I just be better off paying to have a custom one made? At least then I would know it would be right. opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 Exacto knife just won't cut it. You may get by with a hand held coping saw but I doubt if you'd get a pro look. there are many sites that will do a custom if you send them a tracing with the holes, pup cutouts, etc on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Skyforger Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 Exacto knife just won't cut it. You may get by with a hand held coping saw but I doubt if you'd get a pro look. there are many sites that will do a custom if you send them a tracing with the holes, pup cutouts, etc on it. Go with this. My experience with plastics is limited (secondary school workshops), but I imagine it would require a very delicate touch with a coping saw since pickguards aren't very rigid. Best leave it to a pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FarToMany Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 I would say at a minimum, a dremel tool, various files and sandpaper to smooth the edges. An exacto as mentioned won't cut it---well, it will with several and several passes. But a good sharp exacto knife will help on the clean up of certian cuts and edges too. The dremel tool I use for the rough cut out, then slowly work towards your lines. The dremel will melt the plastic, but it can be minumized with some practice. I use a counter sink bit on my drill press for the screws but it can work in a hand drill just as easy if your careful. I made this one for my double neck project out of a blank sheet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob411 Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 Making a pickguard is beyond simple. Trace it onto a piece of plywood, cut the plywood. Cut the PG material a little big then, use a router with a laminet cutter bit. Done. The only problem you might run into is it's {censored}ing impossibe to cut the plywood perfect around the pickups. If your template isn't right, the PG won't be right. What I do is just cut the PG with router then use an Airway knife, sort of a utility knife, and use a heat gun to soften it. A blow drier might work, and whatever you use, heat the back side, not the face you will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 Making a good-looking pickguard is actually really difficult. Get twice as much blank stock as you need, because the first one is going to look like it was made by a school kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted March 17, 2012 Members Share Posted March 17, 2012 For what people charge for a custom, I'd get it done. I love to tinker but pickguards are a pain and difficult to make look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 God, all these nay sayers. Make your own dude. The dremel will work, or the router will work. You can also use a coping saw and then make your own bevel tool out of a utility knife blade and a wooden bevel handle you make yourself. I can probably think of twenty different ways right off the top of my head to get this done depending on what tools I have available. First choice would be the router/template methed. I would use some spray adhesive to temporarily glue the picguard material to a piece of plywood or similar to give it stability while you cut out the shape. Better yet, sandwich it between two thin pieces of wood for complete protection while you cut out the shape. Next step is routing the bevels. Let me know what you decide, but geeze, if you have any inclination of doing this yourself, just go for it. So you ruin a piece of plastic or two getting the hang of it. Big deal. When you are finished, you will be the pro all these nay sayers told you to leave it to. Good luck, and post a thread about the process. It will be well received.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 There are videos on how to do it. Check out Stewmac and YouTube. It's not rocket science. If you are at all handy you can do a nice job of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 God, all these nay sayers.Make your own dude.The dremel will work, or the router will work. You can also use a coping saw and then make your own bevel tool out of a utility knife blade and a wooden bevel handle you make yourself. I can probably think of twenty different ways right off the top of my head to get this done depending on what tools I have available.First choice would be the router/template methed.I would use some spray adhesive to temporarily glue the picguard material to a piece of plywood or similar to give it stability while you cut out the shape. Better yet, sandwich it between two thin pieces of wood for complete protection while you cut out the shape.Next step is routing the bevels.Let me know what you decide, but geeze, if you have any inclination of doing this yourself, just go for it. So you ruin a piece of plastic or two getting the hang of it. Big deal. When you are finished, you will be the pro all these nay sayers told you to leave it to.Good luck, and post a thread about the process. It will be well received.. Sounds like you've been meaning to try this. I've made several and had good results, but it's just not worth the effort unless you want to do it for a living. I could learn to make my own crackers too, but I usually buy professional ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 God, all these nay sayers.Make your own dude.The dremel will work, or the router will work. You can also use a coping saw and then make your own bevel tool out of a utility knife blade and a wooden bevel handle you make yourself. I can probably think of twenty different ways right off the top of my head to get this done depending on what tools I have available.First choice would be the router/template methed.I would use some spray adhesive to temporarily glue the picguard material to a piece of plywood or similar to give it stability while you cut out the shape. Better yet, sandwich it between two thin pieces of wood for complete protection while you cut out the shape.Next step is routing the bevels.Let me know what you decide, but geeze, if you have any inclination of doing this yourself, just go for it. So you ruin a piece of plastic or two getting the hang of it. Big deal. When you are finished, you will be the pro all these nay sayers told you to leave it to.Good luck, and post a thread about the process. It will be well received.. The funny thing about the above is, it's confusing and complicated, just like the nay sayers advised. Each to his own though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Belva Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 Sounds like you've been meaning to try this. I've made several and had good results, but it's just not worth the effort unless you want to do it for a living. I could learn to make my own crackers too, but I usually buy professional ones. This. I've made my own and have the router as well as a band saw to make the template. Custom sizes are a bit of a learning process even for someone who has made a few. I'll have it done just cuz it's a PITA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaveAronow Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 Sounds like you've been meaning to try this. I've made several and had good results, but it's just not worth the effort unless you want to do it for a living. I could learn to make my own crackers too, but I usually buy professional ones. been meaning to try it? I've made many pics guards. Truss rod covers, active battery storage access covers, trem spring compartment covers, etc, etc. i've made them out of plastic, made them out of wood, made them out of fiberglass, made them out of metal, and made them out of carbon fiber. The thing a lot of you " get someone else to do it" people are missing, is that for diy'ers, a lot of the whole point is the fun, satisfaction and learning process of doing it yourself. There are actually people out there that think making things on their own is fun. I'm one of them. If you aren't then great. But when someone posts a thread inquiring about doing something themselves, I welcome them as one of my kind and I would never ever discourage someone from trying it themselves. Every single person in this thread that poo poo'ed the idea of him doing it himself because it is too much trouble, or too hard, etc, could easily learn how to do this themselves. Maybe you don't have the slightest interest and that is ok. But don't be one of those people that mock what they don't understand, just to have something to say. The correct answer would be, "I don't know, I don't have any interest in that, why don't you try it and get back to us". NOT " I don't have any interest in this so neither should anyone else except for these "pros" who are the only ones that can do it, or should do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bal704 Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 I put together my own guitars, build my own tube amps and build my own effects pedals. I'm damn handy. Cutting a proper pickguard is a major PITA in my experience. If you want it to look like store-bought, just trace it out and have a pro make it. I've cut several that look pretty good from a distance. However, when you look at the pickup cutouts, they aren't quite right. The edges aren't quite right. You get the idea. If you don't care if it's not perfect (or even close to perfect), give it a try. Otherwise, have a pro do it. My 2 cents..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D Carroll Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 I cut one out of a record a few days ago. All you have to do for that is heat it up, and cut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rand-O-Monium Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 been meaning to try it? I've made many pics guards. How much U charge? Srsly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FarToMany Posted March 18, 2012 Members Share Posted March 18, 2012 I cut one out of a record a few days ago. All you have to do for that is heat it up, and cut it. Thats thinking out of the box for a custom application---- very cool. Just buy your material of choice and do it if you want a DIY experience. Its not hard and can be done with some super basic tools, or all the way up to routers and what not. I did not buy a router untill last year and it wasn't for pickgaudrs, but stuff around my house. Thats 25+ years of carving plastic with other tools. It can be done, making a template or pattern is definatly key---especially if its custom. Go for it, maybe buy some cheaper material first to try it, rather than screwing up something more expensive like a pearloid material. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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