Clear pickguard?

[WI Short Scaler]

I recently got my hands on what will hopefully turn out to be a cool short scale bass project. Lots of things to do and work on but I have an idea for a pickguard I was wondering if anyone else has tried.

I picked up a loose pile of clear plexiglass, a little thicker but about the same flexibility of pickguard material. All of it still has the protective sheets attached so in good shape, no really large pieces but handy for some small projects.

I don't have access to a router table or bandsaw so my first question is what are people using for "basic" tools to cut pickguards?

I'm toying with the idea of painting the underside of the clear to make a guard where the color won't scratch or peel off. I took a small piece and painted it to test and looks like it might work. I'm leaning toward a daphne blue for the bass color and a white guard.

Anyone else used a clear guard with paint or some other artwork under it? I thought we had discussed this in the past on here but didn't find it by searching. Thanks

 

[Gilmourisgod]

You could just use a coping saw to cut one out, and then bevel the edges with a file, then polish the edges back to transparent gloss with increasingly fine paper. Get one of the Micro Mesh sanding pad kits that go all the way up go 15k. I made a TRC out of clear plexi, the Micromesh worked well on the edges. I finished it off with Novus plastic polish, but I probably could have skipped that. You’ll also need a chamfer bit for the screw holes. Leave the plastic on it until it’s done, or be really careful with it, scratches easily.

 

[KidAmnesia]

I did this to my cheap experimental project pbass.

After finding out that clear acrylic was way more brittle and unpleasant to work with than I had expected, I drew it on illustrator and had it laser cut in 3 mm thick clear acrylic; I just carefully counterbored the screw holes and rounded the edges with sandpaper. What's under it is paper with some flowery motif and gold sharpie, but I'll probably try painting it at some point.

I also defreted it, changed the bridge for 17 mm spaced monobridges, instaled a firebird type Wilkinson minihumbucker, replaced the electronics and shielded it with copper tape. It became my main bass.

 

[NedRyerson]

Anyone else used a clear guard with paint or some other artwork under it? I thought we had discussed this in the past on here but didn't find it by searching. Thanks

Yes, on my Masque of the Red Death project:

I printed the last line from the story out of black adhesive vinyl on my Cricut machine but mirrored it so I could apply it to the back of the transparent pickguard (which, because it's a Strat, I was able to order to spec). Then after a protective layer of shellac to minimize potential chemical incompatibility, I used regular hardware store rattle can spray paint in metal-flake red.

I used a Testors enamel paint pen to color the edge of the plastic.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Yes, on my Masque of the Red Death project:

View attachment 7101434

I printed the last line from the story out of black adhesive vinyl on my Cricut machine but mirrored it so I could apply it to the back of the transparent pickguard (which, because it's a Strat, I was able to order to spec). Then after a protective layer of shellac to minimize potential chemical incompatibility, I used regular hardware store rattle can spray paint in metal-flake red.

I used a Testors enamel paint pen to color the edge of the plastic.

Cool, thanks for the response. As I said I'm probably going to do white, but good to see the colors too. The text is a cool idea.

Side note, cricuts are great for stuff. Both of our daughters have them and we got some great band stuff and I've gotten some headstock decals using the cricut.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I did this to my cheap experimental project pbass.

View attachment 7101349

After finding out that clear acrylic was way more brittle and unpleasant to work with than I had expected, I drew it on illustrator and had it laser cut in 3 mm thick clear acrylic; I just carefully counterbored the screw holes and rounded the edges with sandpaper. What's under it is paper with some flowery motif and gold sharpie, but I'll probably try painting it at some point.

I also defreted it, changed the bridge for 17 mm spaced monobridges, instaled a firebird type Wilkinson minihumbucker, replaced the electronics and shielded it with copper tape. It became my main bass.

That looks really good. This project bass came with an original Fender humbucker so I have a big hole to cut for that. I don't know if this stuff I have is acrylic or exactly what it is, seems pretty flexible but we'll see when I try to cut it.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

You could just use a coping saw to cut one out, and then bevel the edges with a file, then polish the edges back to transparent gloss with increasingly fine paper. Get one of the Micro Mesh sanding pad kits that go all the way up go 15k. I made a TRC out of clear plexi, the Micromesh worked well on the edges. I finished it off with Novus plastic polish, but I probably could have skipped that. You’ll also need a chamfer bit for the screw holes. Leave the plastic on it until it’s done, or be really careful with it, scratches easily.

Good info on Micro Mesh, I was wondering if a file or sandpaper was the way to go on the bevel.

 

[KidAmnesia]

That looks really good. This project bass came with an original Fender humbucker so I have a big hole to cut for that. I don't know if this stuff I have is acrylic or exactly what it is, seems pretty flexible but we'll see when I try to cut it.

To be honest, I'm also not sure if what I have is acrylic or some other plastic. It is flexible to a certain point and then it it snaps.

Before outsourcing it, y tried a few methods. Metal sawblades and files clog almost immediately and the router made a mess when the shavings started to melt and stick to the bit, the table and everywhere else. Also small drill bits were ok, but the larger ones such as the ones for the pots and jack cracked the material easily. I like DIY stuff, but having this laser cut was a pleassure. Highly recomend!

 

[WI Short Scaler]

To be honest, I'm also not sure if what I have is acrylic or some other plastic. It is flexible to a certain point and then it it snaps.

Before outsourcing it, y tried a few methods. Metal sawblades and files clog almost immediately and the router made a mess when the shavings started to melt and stick to the bit, the table and everywhere else. Also small drill bits were ok, but the larger ones such as the ones for the pots and jack cracked the material easily. I like DIY stuff, but having this laser cut was a pleassure. Highly recomend!

I have a sense I'll find my patience and mechanical skills are not well suited but thought I'd give it a try since the material is free. My neighbor does have a drill press and that might be handy for the holes, better than a drill anyway. Time will tell.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I’ve seen that before where router bits melt the plastic. Come to think of it, not sure the TRC material I used was plexiglass, might have been one of the other clear plastics, It didn’t seem as brittle as plexi. I’ll see if I can remember what I used. I was able to bevel it on my router table, but it chipped out a couple times, not sure what the right bit speed should be. A file is safer.

 

[five7]

I like using lexan, not as brittle as plexiglass.

 

[Beej]

I've used clear stuff and transparent coloured acrylic sheet too. You can spray the back to give it colour - Harvester Guitars does this with nitro on many of their instruments. The edges will still be transparent which can give a cool effect, it looks very 60s to my eye. @JIO has done it on builds here in the LC as well and may have more tips.

For cutting it, I've used a jigsaw and held it closely to the bench with a bird's mouth to avoid cracking from movement. I've filed them to shape with a bastard half-round file to get it to shape and then careful sanding with paper on a rod to get it to the end. If you're drilling lexan, or polycarbonate, go very slow using metal-drilling speeds, it helps avoid the melting.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I've used clear stuff and transparent coloured acrylic sheet too. You can spray the back to give it colour - Harvester Guitars does this with nitro on many of their instruments. The edges will still be transparent which can give a cool effect, it looks very 60s to my eye. @JIO has done it on builds here in the LC as well and may have more tips.

For cutting it, I've used a jigsaw and held it closely to the bench with a bird's mouth to avoid cracking from movement. I've filed them to shape with a bastard half-round file to get it to shape and then careful sanding with paper on a rod to get it to the end. If you're drilling lexan, or polycarbonate, go very slow using metal-drilling speeds, it helps avoid the melting.

As I've been thinking about this, I will have to take another look at that clear "stuff" I have to see if there's any labelling on the protective cover material that says just what it is. That would hopefully clear up if other people's experiences were comparable.

 

[JIO]

I've used clear stuff and transparent coloured acrylic sheet too. You can spray the back to give it colour - Harvester Guitars does this with nitro on many of their instruments. The edges will still be transparent which can give a cool effect, it looks very 60s to my eye. @JIO has done it on builds here in the LC as well and may have more tips.

For cutting it, I've used a jigsaw and held it closely to the bench with a bird's mouth to avoid cracking from movement. I've filed them to shape with a bastard half-round file to get it to shape and then careful sanding with paper on a rod to get it to the end. If you're drilling lexan, or polycarbonate, go very slow using metal-drilling speeds, it helps avoid the melting.

If using clear acrylic, I leave the protective adhesive paper on it and just peal it back a bit from the perimeter after cutting out your shape. Once filing/shaping the edges, I use fine wet-sand emory-cloth and toothpaste to polish it. After you get that as smooth as possible, you can carefully run a flame over the edges which further shines the plastic. If you've never done this before - do test it on a scrap piece before trying on your pg.

 

[JIO]

Examples :

Clear acylic over silver-leaf -

Clear acrylic with gold sparkle craft-paper underlay-

Clear acrylic with trans blue swirl plastic underlay - and chrome-mylar under the trans swirl plastic

Clear acrylic sprayed a specific white colour on the underside -

Clear acrylic -

 

[JIO]

As I've been thinking about this, I will have to take another look at that clear "stuff" I have to see if there's any labelling on the protective cover material that says just what it is. That would hopefully clear up if other people's experiences were comparable.

There are two types of clear - Polycarbonate vs Acrylic - Learn about the Difference Between Acrylic & Polycarbonate Material | A&C Plastics.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

This is the clear TRC I made, It was Plexiglass:

Amazon.com

I put a water slide reverse image decal on the back and then back-painted it. I was able to drill and chamfer the screw holes, but I'm still careful not to over-tighten them. I think it would crack pretty easily in that case.

 

[rudy4444]

For clear guards I use the self-stick .015" mylar sheets. Easy to cut, finish, and apply. For flat bodied instruments this stuff is great. I have a couple new guitars with painted finishes that I installed black and clear guards on. I'm beginning to dislike thick guards attached with screws. They are, of course, traditional, but breaking tradition is easy and fun!

 

[somatose]

A coping saw will work great. Also, since you have family members with a Cricut, trace your existing pick guard onto removable vinyl and apply it to the clear plastic with transfer tape.

For the edges - files are decent but time consuming. A burr remover tool would work great, wish I had used one when I did this! It would have been faster/more even (or great as a final step after filing).

 

[PNW Tony]

Examples :

Clear acylic over silver-leaf -
View attachment 7101520
Clear acrylic with gold sparkle craft-paper underlay-
View attachment 7101522
Clear acrylic with trans blue swirl plastic underlay - and chrome-mylar under the trans swirl plastic
View attachment 7101525
Clear acrylic sprayed a specific white colour on the underside -
View attachment 7101537
Clear acrylic -
View attachment 7101543

Great work. Those are beautiful!