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MIM with handmade wood pickguard

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by klocwerk, Dec 9, 2005.

  1. Dec 9, 2005 #1
    klocwerk

    klocwerk

    May 19, 2005
    Somerville, MA
    So I was inspired by The Bass Company's pickguards, and thought about making a wooden guard for my MIM fender jazz. I picked up a piece of baltic birch 1/8" plywood to rough something out and get an idea of how it would look, planning to replace it with something more exotic (and higher quality) later.

    I think I like it as is!
    The color is close to the headstock color, I might try a darker oil on it to get it even closer. I hated the body color before (it was a sweet deal on a fretless mim), but I think I'm onto something here!

    What do you all think?
    [​IMG]

    All thoughts/comments appreciated!
    :bassist:
     
  2. Dec 9, 2005 #2
    infamousxtopher

    infamousxtopher

    Jan 17, 2005
    pitman, nj
    looks beautiful man, i really dig it, good job on it, looks real nice. i definatly say why not keep it like that, jsut give it a little finish or something
     
  3. Dec 9, 2005 #3
    klocwerk

    klocwerk

    May 19, 2005
    Somerville, MA
    Yeah, I tossed on a little mineral oil this evening to bring out the grain a bit.

    Thanks!
     
  4. Dec 9, 2005 #4
    JAUQO III-X

    JAUQO III-X Inactive

    Jan 4, 2002
    CHICAGO,IL.
    Endorsing artist:see profile.
    It's kool(I would like to suggest that you patent it,you never know).
     
  5. Dec 9, 2005 #5
    srxplayer

    srxplayer

    May 19, 2004
    Highland, CA
    looks better than I thought it would.

    Nice job.

    Some plastic packaging and a PayPal account and you could be cashing checks soon.
     
  6. Dec 9, 2005 #6
    klocwerk

    klocwerk

    May 19, 2005
    Somerville, MA
    hah, yeah. Except that was two evening's of work in my tiny two-bedroom apartment in boston... with the piece clamped to the dining room table...

    Oh how I long to be within driving distance of my dad's workshop again. Then I could actually make good on all the projects that occur to me.
     
  7. Dec 9, 2005 #7
    Trevorus

    Trevorus

    Oct 18, 2002
    Urbana, IL
    I might have to make one for my jazz deluxe. I just have to find some good veneer type wood. Where did you get yours?
     
  8. Dec 9, 2005 #8
    klocwerk

    klocwerk

    May 19, 2005
    Somerville, MA
    It's just baltic birch plywood, available at any decent wood supplier or some hardware stores. I have a Rockler store down the street, so I'm set.
    I was thinking veneer, but I couldn't find anything thick enough to work with. You want 1/8th inch thickness, and veneer is rarely that thick. Course you could laminate the veneer onto something else... use something really exotic that way without breaking the bank. Lot of work though.

    I'm still hunting for a good source of 1/8th inch thick wood. Gallery Hardwoods will custom cut it, but I don't know how his pricing is.
     
  9. Dec 9, 2005 #9
    Trevorus

    Trevorus

    Oct 18, 2002
    Urbana, IL
    Baltic birch might work well with some cool staining. Also, I could use the birch and put some maple veneer to get a flamed look, or some other such look.
     
  10. Dec 9, 2005 #10
    IotaNet

    IotaNet

    Dec 8, 2004
    Minneapolis (Chicago Native)
    To the Group -

    The person you want to see is George Varkoly at Wood Guarden Pickguards.

    He did one for me (with a Mark Hoppus kinda flavor) way back in April that I posted in another thread:

    [​IMG]

    I have since removed it and made some modifications that I'll post when I get a chance to take a picture of it.

    Actually, mine is not the best looking one I've seen him do.

    Check THIS out:

    [​IMG]

    If I'm not mistaken, I think this one belongs (or once belonged) to a TBer as well.

    FYI, I have been talking to him about doing one for me in a transparant black Flame or Quilt.
    He's just waiting for me to place the order. :cool:
     
  11. Dec 9, 2005 #11
    brentf

    brentf

    Oct 31, 2005
    Cape Town South Africa
    Great job on this.
    Personally I would go darker on this, for me the contrast in colour depth between the body and guard are too great.
    That's just me - one of the hazards of working in the clothing industry I guess :meh:
     
  12. Dec 9, 2005 #12
    Lokire

    Lokire

    Aug 21, 2003
    Seattle, Washington
    That's awesome. I wouldn't change a thing. And I love the shape of the pickguard by the top horn. It's just a little bit different but for me it changes the whole look of the bass. It looks so much more 'modern' now :cool:
     
  13. Dec 9, 2005 #13
    bass349

    bass349

    Aug 18, 2003
    Perth, Western Australia
    looks great, although i'm another for a slightly darker color..

    i've been wanting to do this for a while on my sx, and was tempted to try glueing a few sheets of veneer together.

    i got a bit sidetracked with studies, and i'm on holidays now, so i should be tackling this project soon!

    i wonder how well the plywood would take to a dark stain..
     
  14. Dec 9, 2005 #14
    klocwerk

    klocwerk

    May 19, 2005
    Somerville, MA
    I tried a cherry stain on a piece of scrap baltic, it looked like ass. heh.

    Thanks for all the good words people!
    And that guy really does make some nice ones, that's what I was planning on going for eventually! good to know someone else is doing it. (I prefer my modified shape though. :cool: )
     
  15. Dec 9, 2005 #15
    purfektstranger

    purfektstranger

    Apr 10, 2003
    Canada
    looks great, although i'm another for a slightly darker color..

    + 1
     
  16. Dec 9, 2005 #16
    JAUQO III-X

    JAUQO III-X Inactive

    Jan 4, 2002
    CHICAGO,IL.
    Endorsing artist:see profile.
    Custom pickguards are mildly common,but your pickguard has it's own shape(and that is what I was talking about protecting).
     
  17. Dec 9, 2005 #17
    Eilif

    Eilif Grooving under the MDW runway.

    Oct 1, 2001
    Chicago
    I like it. I think it is good to try and match a wood color to an existing color theme of the instrument. Yours matches the headstock, and that looks sharp. The other ones that I have seen that I have like have tended to match the finger board color and that looks cool also. I like the TBC guards because they have the same type of color contrast as a tort guard would, or they match the fingerboard.
     
  18. Dec 9, 2005 #18
    nspark

    nspark

    Feb 16, 2003
    Gainesville/Tampa, FL
    I'd personally have done a standard Jazz Bass pickguard shape, but I love the way the wood's color just fits so well with the blue of the body. Very nice!
     
  19. Dec 9, 2005 #19
    Geezerman

    Geezerman

    Nov 28, 2004
    Chicago, IL
    Wow i hate white basses, but that is a work of art !