TL-1TB Telebilly

[WeirdBits]

Rough cutting 2mm clear acrylic to shape (coping saw again). I need the template to be on the back of the pickguard plastic to enable one of the later steps, so I do that from the start. The risk is that if you're not careful you can scratch your nice new soon to be pickguard face before you've even cut it to shape and taken the wrapping off.


Carefully routing to shape, lots of light passes working my way up to the template's edge. Pickguard is face down with the template on the back.




Drilling and counter-sinking holes for pickguard screws (template is still on the back).

[WeirdBits]

To bevel the edge I'm using my Dremel routing table and a piloted chamfer bit. The pickguard needs to be face down with the template on the back for this to work, as the pilot bit needs the wooden template edge to run along (it will melt plastic). It's difficult to detach and re-attach a template and get it to line up perfectly, which is why I've been doing all the shaping with the template on the back from the start. The blue masking tape is to remind me which sections not to bevel.




Edge bevelled, again light passes. If you're doing something like this it's wise to test the bevel on some scraps of the same material to ensure the edge is the way you want it. In this case I tested on a scrap of ply with a scrap of the acrylic stuck to it, did three adjustments before I was satisfied with the bevel and moved on to the actual pickguard.




I then sanded the bevelled edge up through the grits from 400 to 1500+ and finished with steel wool so it was nice and smooth and almost crystal clear.

[wokkaboy]

good stuff Weirdy you have to take DOTY award dairy of the year the detail you go to !

[WeirdBits]

One custom clear pickguard.


Now, before I commit and drill the holes… a question for the forum. Do I go with the clear pickguard to protect the finish, or does it detract too much for the protection it adds? The acrylic is quite stiff so I can get away with only 5 screws. Its surface is hard but scratches/scuffs pretty easily so it won't take long for it to have wear marks and start to look a little cloudy/opaque in places. So, over to you guys, what do you think*…








(*any decisions made by the forum may be ignored anyway )

[wokkaboy]

nice one Weirdy, it gets my vote the clear pickguard !

[Simon Barden]

I like the clear scratchplate. You've still got the template, so why not make another clear pickguard now, in case the first one does scratch over time? And if it does scratch very easily, you've always got the option of painting the back of it so that the scratches don't show so much. If it is scratching, then it's doing its job and protecting the finish, so you could treat it as a disposable/replaceable item.

[billb]

I think it looks better without the guard. The edges draw my eye away from the lovely finish.

[andrewdosborne]

Oh that's a tough one. I prefer without the pick guard but having a clear one will protect the guitar so the choice is a clear pick guard from me.

[Hobastard]

If you must have a Pickguard, then this is a pretty good option, Personally I prefer no Pickguard but that's not possible with the Guitars I am using at the moment, and I don't use a pick, so it's less of an issue for me. If it was my Guitar, I'd say No Pickguard and refurbish as required. The worn look is quite popular anyway... nothing wrong with a few Battle Scars.....
A tough Clear Coat on top would help too.....

Either way, That is a Great looking Instrument with or without a Pickguard.

as an aside, if you do scratch and don't feel like refurbishing it, it you can put a nice pearloid guard on it later.....

[WeirdBits]

Thanks for the feedback guys.