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making plastic pickup covers?

deepestend

deepestend

Commercial User
Feb 21, 2003
6,249
8,171
Brooklyn via Austin and NOLA
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Website and Social Media at Sadowsky
#1
Does anyone have any input on how to make some odd sized pickup covers?

I have a lakland hollowbody and the pickup size is non standard for pickups with pickup rings (87x44mm). I have a smaller, more standard sized pickup I'd like to put in one of the rings. I'd like to make some kind of cover to put over it to make it look a little more of this kind of look (see below). Any idea how I'd do that? I've been looking for boxes for electric projects that are closer in size, though none are just right. I'm thinking maybe just get some kind of plastic and attach it to the top of the pickup? Any ideas?

part13_1.jpg
 
#4
Check out any local "Maker Spaces", a lot of them have 3-D printers these days, and you can use them for a membership fee. They usually only have smaller machines, but plenty for a pickup cover. You'd either have to learn the software to model the cover, or pay one of the other Makers to do it for you.
 
#6
deepestend said:
Does anyone have any input on how to make some odd sized pickup covers?

I have a lakland hollowbody and the pickup size is non standard for pickups with pickup rings (87x44mm). I have a smaller, more standard sized pickup I'd like to put in one of the rings. I'd like to make some kind of cover to put over it to make it look a little more of this kind of look (see below). Any idea how I'd do that? I've been looking for boxes for electric projects that are closer in size, though none are just right. I'm thinking maybe just get some kind of plastic and attach it to the top of the pickup? Any ideas?

View attachment 7335121
Click to expand...

Yes, 3D printing would work, if you have access to a machine and the software skills. Also, there are plenty of small companies that will 3D print parts for you by mail order, if you send them a CAD file.

But, there are also old-school methods that require no computers or digital machines.

It's easy to make things from plastic. You can buy a sheets and strips of black styrene. Cut them into little parts with hand saws, glue them together, Shape them with files and sandpaper. A small project for hand tools and a workbench.

One way to simplify it is to not make it as a separate cover, but to glue the plastic rectangles right to your new pickup. Build up its outer shape to the size you need.

Another option is to cast the pickup in black epoxy, to enlarge its size. Make up a Master from wood or plastic, make a silicone mold from the Master, then cast the pickup coil in epoxy in the mold.

We cover many of those techniques in this long thread all about making pickups:

Freekmagnet

Thread 'Magnets & Copper Wire: A Pickup Building Thread'

Since starting my own pickup-making project, it has been suggested by a few folks that it would be a good idea to start a thread here in The Luthier's Corner dedicated to building pickups. The intent is to have a thread for all the pickup builders here in LC to contribute, share projects and information about their processes of pickup building.

My most current pickup project has been exhaustively documented in another thread:

Build #3: La Charra: the Semi-Hollow Adventure Continues

but I will post here a video of my winder and the initial stages of a new pickup project.

Here's...
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#7
Bruce Johnson said:
Yes, 3D printing would work, if you have access to a machine and the software skills. Also, there are plenty of small companies that will 3D print parts for you by mail order, if you send them a CAD file.

But, there are also old-school methods that require no computers or digital machines.

It's easy to make things from plastic. You can buy a sheets and strips of black styrene. Cut them into little parts with hand saws, glue them together, Shape them with files and sandpaper. A small project for hand tools and a workbench.

One way to simplify it is to not make it as a separate cover, but to glue the plastic rectangles right to your new pickup. Build up its outer shape to the size you need.

Another option is to cast the pickup in black epoxy, to enlarge its size. Make up a Master from wood or plastic, make a silicone mold from the Master, then cast the pickup coil in epoxy in the mold.

We cover many of those techniques in this long thread all about making pickups:

Freekmagnet

Thread 'Magnets & Copper Wire: A Pickup Building Thread'

Since starting my own pickup-making project, it has been suggested by a few folks that it would be a good idea to start a thread here in The Luthier's Corner dedicated to building pickups. The intent is to have a thread for all the pickup builders here in LC to contribute, share projects and information about their processes of pickup building.

My most current pickup project has been exhaustively documented in another thread:

Build #3: La Charra: the Semi-Hollow Adventure Continues

but I will post here a video of my winder and the initial stages of a new pickup project.

Here's...
  • Like
Click to expand...
Maybe gluing a plastic piece on top will 95% accomplish what I'm trying to do.
 
#10
Bruce Johnson said:
Yes, it might. All you are trying to do is add some plastic to the outside of the pickup to fill some space. Plastic is very easy to cut, shape and glue.
Click to expand...
I actually have a bunch of pickguard material... it's worth trying the path of least resistance before I go down a rabbit hole.

Also... this is for a modern version of a darkstar pickup. I THINK that I like this kind of pickup due to their legendary status, but really need to spend some time with it before I know that I like them in practice.
 
#13
For a wallet based solutions, there are dozens of prototyping shops online.
I've used Ponoko.com a lot in the past.
Though since I got the CNC router, I only use them for hard metal/stainless stuff. They laser cut most of my acrylic building templates and scale library, though much of that is now (mostly) obsolete. They'll take nearly any 2D vector drawing format. One or two item orders are not what I'd call cheap, but it is a solution.
 
#15
Also, you can find small pieces of very thin 3 ply plywood in hobby stores or sometimes still used in the boxes for clementines. Wood is a lot easier to conventionally work than plastic. Shoot some black paint over top afterwards. Thin Masonite is another alternative , sometimes available in those clementine boxes. If you have any veneer on hand you can make your own plywood by gluing 3 layers together. Shoot with black, or maybe even a sharpie.
 
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#18
No but I watched my therapist make me a custom splint for some broken fingers and it looks easy enough. Just need a source for thermoplastic, Granger or McMaster-Carr maybe.
 
#20
tubedude said:
No but I watched my therapist make me a custom splint for some broken fingers and it looks easy enough. Just need a source for thermoplastic, Granger or McMaster-Carr maybe.
Click to expand...
PT or Psychotherapist? if it's psycho.... I really need to up my game with clients!
 
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