Cutting Out and Applying a Pickguard

[Darryl Young]

Anyone have a good procedure for cutting out a pickguard from stock, sanding the edges, and applying it to the body you don't mind sharing? I bought some pickguard material from Mario Proulx that looks like pickguards from the 30s and 40s and want to use this for my 000 I'm about finished with. I'll use the pickguard I received in the kit as a template.

I'm guessing I can cut the material with scissors. What do you use to sand the edges and how do you sand them? I have the StewMac double sided material for attaching the pickguard. Thanks!

[Tony_in_NYC]

I have never done this, but I would imagine you would run the grits like sanding the finish of the guitar. Get the shape you want, then sand until it shines like a jewel. Or a plastic pickguard.

[Ben-Had]

I make a wooden template and rout with flush bit or bevel it depending on look. Then I lightly hand dry sand with 320, 400, 600 and then wet sand with the 9 micro mesh grits. After the last micro mesh (12000) I rub some Meguiar's Scratch X 2.0 to polish it up. May be overkill, I don't know, but it sure makes em look good.

Tim B

[Ken Hundley]

I did exactly what you suggested, but then, once I had the edges sanded the way I wanted, I have a dremel mini-routing table attachment I set up with a 45 degree bevel bit on it. As long as you constantly keep the guard moving, the "follower" nub on the bit will follow perfectly without damaging the pickguard, gives me a nice polished and beveled edge.

[Darryl Young]

I hadn't thought of sanding the face of the pickguard......only the edges. It's pretty shiny and smooth as is (some type of plastic). Do you think the face of the pickguard may need sanding/polishing?

I'm guessing the edge will need sanding after cutting and the top corner may need beveled with sandpaper or something so it's not a sharp edge.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Darryl,
I think those other guys :>) are thinking you are making a pick guard out of wood, but it is a plastic, right?
Make a pattern out of wood or acrylic, cut around it with a razor knife, then just sand the edges smooth. Use a cylinder wrapped with sandpaper to sand with so you have very little surface to contact the edge; it is easy to bevel sand this way to just break the top edge.

Kevin

[Ben-Had]

Darryl,
I think those other guys :>) are thinking you are making a pick guard out of wood, but it is a plastic, right?
Make a pattern out of wood or acrylic, cut around it with a razor knife, then just sand the edges smooth. Use a cylinder wrapped with sandpaper to sand with so you have very little surface to contact the edge; it is easy to bevel sand this way to just break the top edge.

Kevin

No, I do this with my plastic pick guards. I don't polish the whole thing (unless it's scratched up and needs it) just around the outline and bevel cut if used. I just get a better cut that way (but then I'm old and not as steady as I used to be) and the sanding process I use brings it to full shine. I can bring an old, dull, scratched pick guard back to new with this sanding process.

Tim B

[Tony_in_NYC]

I was only talking about polishing the edge you cut and beveled. I assumed the rest of the guard is nice and shiny.

[Darryl Young]

I heated the epoxy material and cut the shape out fairly close with scissors. I sanded the edges with 300g smoothing the edges out then scraped with a razor blade. I also used the razor blade to scrape a bevel on the top edge. I then sanded with P800 followed by P1000 (it was already smooth). Finally, I rolled a couple strips of masking tape in a circle with the sticky side out and used that to attach the pickguard to some cardboard and buffed with medium then fine Menzerna buffing compound on my new buffer. It looks great.

I used the double-sided sticky material from StewMac to attach the pickguard. I cleaned the surface of the guitar with soapy water, dried it, then cleaned it with mineral spirits. I marked the edges of the rosette where I wanted the pickguard with masking tape then put some soapy water back on the guitar finish and floated the guitar in place. Wasn't too difficult.

I still haven't fine tuned the action but my 11 year old can't wait to take this guitar to her guitar club that meets after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I guess I'll let her take it tomorrow (crosses fingers).