What tool to use to trim/cut pickguard?

SuperDuck · #1 10-27-2002, 02:31 PM

I ordered my silver pearloid pickguard from Warmoth, and it looks real purty. The problem is that the material overlaps the control plate ever so slightly. (It's a MIM, and Warmoth says their guards might not fit some Mexi-Basses, so this is all my problem.) Here's a picture of what needs to be removed (roughly):

What should I use to trim this down? Should I file it? Saw it? I've never had to cut a pickguard before. Is it going to smell bad, as I have heard pickguards can, when cut?

SpankBass · #2 10-27-2002, 04:00 PM

All plastic smells pretty bad when you cut it. Just a band saw would work, but you may not have access to any type of heavy machinery do you? A saw may work, though I'm not too sure if it will be strong enough.

merlin · #3 10-27-2002, 05:49 PM

Hello and welcome to Talkbass... i suggest you lick it down to size...

ahem. Try using a hacksaw clamp it down to the bench so it doesnt slip around the place and cut away. Cut slightly outside the line and the sand back with different grades of Wet'n'Dry sand paper.

Merls

SuperDuck · #4 10-27-2002, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by merlin
i suggest you lick it down to size...

Man, if I had a dime for everytime I heard that.

Thanks for your other advice, though.

SuperDuck · #5 10-27-2002, 06:34 PM

Well, to end this tale of love, strife, and wartime passion, I was searching in my basement to find where the freakin' sandpaper was when I found...

A Foredom Rotary!

Problem solved.

(This thing was my Grandfather's... it has to be like 50 years old. Still works though, and it has about 1.3 billion attachments. Now that I know I have it, I'll be havin' tons of fun.)

ChaosGwar · #6 10-28-2002, 04:14 AM

I used a dremel to trim one of my p/gs. Good lord that thing smelled AWFUL! Cutting it is bad enough, but the thing started melting! Anyway, a Dremel and some sand paper was all I needed to mod my pickguard.

SuperDuck · #7 10-28-2002, 06:48 AM

I've never used a Dremel, but from what I understamd, a Foredom Rotary tool is the same thing, just bigger. And while it was stinky, it didn't smell quite THAT bad... maybe I'm just used to bad smells. (I have to live with myself, don't it I?

)