Where do I get custom wooden pickgaurds?

Billy Low · #1 07-26-2006, 01:48 PM

Thinking of starting a new warmoth project, and wanted to know of places that would create pickgaurds using unique shapes and materials.

rumblinbass · #2 07-26-2006, 01:54 PM

I would be interesed to find out as well.

petie-b · #3 07-26-2006, 02:49 PM

Is there a reason why you wont make the pickguard you want.
I made one from some 3mm packing material (plywood). It had a thin veneer of mahogany on the top. It was only meant to be a trial run but came out so well i used it on the bass.

Billy Low · #4 07-26-2006, 03:09 PM

Lack of experience, and lack of knowledge as to locating materials (veneers). Not only that, but my only experience in wood finishing only extends to theatrical set building!

petie-b · #5 07-26-2006, 03:21 PM

my pickguard material was free from a lumber yard, its just what they use to put between the lumber and the strapping to stop the straps cutting into the wood.

I got quite a lot of it, cut out some different shapes and then just mucked about with different oils and stains. the stains really brought out the grain in what was a fairly boring looking veneer.
I dont have alot of experience, i have been reading the info on this site and in a few books, but i have found trial and error on scrap wood to be a great help.

pilotjones · #6 07-28-2006, 02:11 PM

http://edenhaus.com/pickguards.htm
http://www.woodguarden.com/

Musiclogic · #7 07-29-2006, 12:41 AM

I am sure any of the luthiers on this site would appreciate the bussiness, we do more than just instruments ya know.....LOL

Phil Mastro · #8 07-29-2006, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petie-b

Is there a reason why you wont make the pickguard you want.
I made one from some 3mm packing material (plywood). It had a thin veneer of mahogany on the top. It was only meant to be a trial run but came out so well i used it on the bass.

I did the same thing with maple veneer. What kind of plywood did you use? I used birch plywood.

Here's a pic of mine:

Hambone · #9 07-29-2006, 12:39 PM

It's always bugged me when builders have to use thick pieces of veneer just to get the stability of something less prone to the atmosphere. So, I've got a little different technique than others. I laminate my veneers to thin acrylic backs using special adhesives. When finished, they are the same thickness as regular pickguards but they are absolutely stable. The way they are put together affords me the opportunity to make them multi-layer like you see in the pics. I can easily make the bottom layer any color imagineable. In the pic with the pair, the top is a cherry engineered veneer and the bottom is some raw flitch makore veneer that's been stained and had a sealer of polyurethane. When I finish, it will be like glass. The P guard is the same engineered cherry with a TruOil finish. The control cavity cover uses the same technique but with a 1/8" thick piece of black styrene as the backer. The top is engineered birdseye maple with TruOil and a few coats of rattle can polyurethane.

Hambone · #10 07-29-2006, 12:39 PM

more pics...

Hambone · #11 07-29-2006, 12:41 PM

The backs are finished with a textured black paint that works very well with the acrylic

Hambone · #12 07-29-2006, 12:42 PM

and finally

Musiclogic · #13 07-30-2006, 12:47 AM

by engineered.....do you mean laminate, and not real wood???

pilotjones · #14 07-30-2006, 11:24 AM

I'm guessing it's like "engineered" flooring, which is multi-ply wood, maybe with something impregnated.

So what is it, Ham?

It's great that you have that knowledge of finishes and adhesives for mixed materials. It opens up a lot of options for you. I liked the cavity covers that were wood laminated onto brass plate. And that wood with a black underlayer showing on the bevel is cool.

Hambone · #15 07-31-2006, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Musiclogic

by engineered.....do you mean laminate, and not real wood???

No, this stuff is sort of strange. It's real wood that's been "worked over" in some way to make large pieces of defect free veneer before having a paper back applied. I'm not sure of what's done to it but you won't see any imperfections in these sheets. The cherry has a very plain and consistent grain without the variation you would see in raw veneer. The "birdseye" maple is real wood but it isn't real birdseye. The "eyes" are somehow manufactured into the surface. When it got a deep finish, the eyes and the background gain quite a bit of the flash that figured woods have.

Pilot, if you're interested, I'm using 3M 468M roll adhesive for the laminating. It's very much like their VHB "booger" tape but 6" wide and about 1/2 as thick. Once the pieces have been together about 12 hours, you can essentially call it a one piece material because there will never be any separation.

Musiclogic · #16 07-31-2006, 03:40 PM

That sounds like a really cool product Hambone. maybe you can post some further info on it. I know I am interested.
+1

Billy Low · #17 08-01-2006, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hambone

No, this stuff is sort of strange. It's real wood that's been "worked over" in some way to make large pieces of defect free veneer before having a paper back applied. I'm not sure of what's done to it but you won't see any imperfections in these sheets. The cherry has a very plain and consistent grain without the variation you would see in raw veneer. The "birdseye" maple is real wood but it isn't real birdseye. The "eyes" are somehow manufactured into the surface. When it got a deep finish, the eyes and the background gain quite a bit of the flash that figured woods have.

Pilot, if you're interested, I'm using 3M 468M roll adhesive for the laminating. It's very much like their VHB "booger" tape but 6" wide and about 1/2 as thick. Once the pieces have been together about 12 hours, you can essentially call it a one piece material because there will never be any separation.

Where can a bloke like myself get a hold of this stuff?!?!?!

Hambone · #18 08-01-2006, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Low

Where can a bloke like myself get a hold of this stuff?!?!?!

If you're talking about the adhesive, you'll have to get with your local 3M adhesives rep. I get mine through work and it ain't cheap, even with our purchasing power - a 6" x 50' roll is over $60. As for the engineered veneers, I don't remember the name of the company but I'll do a little research and see if I can come up with a name.

PilbaraBass · #19 08-01-2006, 07:31 PM

I was in Bunnings the other day (sort of like America's Lowes or Home Depot) and I saw these sheets of real wood laminate that already had adhesive backs...also there was melamine sheets...

at any rate, I thought of the same thing...get these sheets, stick them to some acrylic backing and "woila"...instant wooden pickguard material...

I do like the idea of the flat black paint on the back...

I was considering dressing up my yamaha RBX with a custom PG treatment, but now that I have a P-copy...i may experiment on it...this is number 26 on my "top 100 projects i'd like to do" list...