Custom Pickguard

[jucas]

Didn't know where else to put this, so if it's better off elsewhere, please move it.

So I need to have a custom pickguard made for a different pickup configuration, and was told that I'll need to send in a tracing. I don't have the pickguard on me, as I'm picking up the instrument over the holidays while I'm at home. Do you guys have any tips/etc for tracing it out, or any sites that might have a full sized tracing I could use and just modify the pickup arrangement by hand?

It might be for a strat, and not a bass, but really, a pickguard is a pickguard, and I figured anyone who had customized their pickups might have a suggestion.

Or is it probably easier to get an allparts blank if I can find a someone to cut it out locally?

Thanks

 

[bluetiejeeper]

I have used files, belt sander jig saws, drill presses. They all work to mod it to fit. I made mine out of 1/8 in dimond plate. came out great but was alot of work. Make a templete out of card board that put that on the material you want to cut and go to town. its really not that hard.

 

[jucas]

I have used files, belt sander jig saws, drill presses. They all work to mod it to fit. I made mine out of 1/8 in dimond plate. came out great but was alot of work. Make a templete out of card board that put that on the material you want to cut and go to town. its really not that hard.

I suppose I could just file and sand a blank into shape... Problem is I'm a student with a massive lack of tools and would need to buy anything beyond a scredriver or hammer. I may grab a file and see how it goes, but I think I'll talk to a local store first. Good to hear the DIY is a reasonable option though.

 

[bluetiejeeper]

Yeah I did it while I was still in HS and worked on it for a week after school. get two files, one flat and one round. those two you should be able to do the entire thing. good luck

 

[jucas]

Wow... I talked to the two local shops that I thought might be able to help out, thinking a strat pickguard with 2 control holes, and 2 pickup routes would be pretty easy and not to time consuming...

First shop quoted 3 + hours at 60 an hour leaving me with $180 plus whatever they charged for the materials.

I figure that thats crazy, but that shops often pricey so I walk down the street... The guy thinks about it for a minute, and tells me well over $300 maybe more. For a strat pickguard without anything crazy going on... standard black material, just 2 holes that aren't normally there. and nothing else.

There's absolutely no relevance or question here, I just had to share the crazyness of their quotes. Looks like I'm going to be doing some filing this summer.

Oh yeah, canadian dollars, but still!