making a pg

i have had a few questions and instead of answering all of them all at once, i figured a thread may be usefull, this does not directly pertain to telecaster pg's but the same process is used for a any pg, of any style.
btw, this is a vintage issue(styled) guard for a 66 fender mustang for someone in canada. its a 3 ply mother of pearl bought from stew mac( i think thiers looks the best)
but any who.
step one. trace out the guard shape on the pg material
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0576.jpg
step 2. cut it with a band saw to 1/8 of an inch or so within the template, then double stick tape it to the template.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0577.jpg
then i measure up my table router to the template( i use a top bearing bosche bit) and proceed to cut the shape.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0578.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0579.jpg

and then the same for the pickups
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0580.jpg
something i did not show in the pics, is that to alleviate dust and stress on the bit i drill a hole in the center of the route, then use a scroll saw to cut the basic shape of the pickup before using the table router again.
. then i drill the pg holes and any other holes using a radiul drill press and the sufficent bits/sizes.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0581.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0582.jpg
here i am back at the table router with a bevel bit.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0583.jpg

that is obviously too high, so i use scrap peices of wood to ensure that its at the right distance before i continue.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0584.jpg

here is the beveled edges.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0585.jpg
then i basically do the same bevel trick using the drill press for the screw holes.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0586.jpg
note, some holes get this treatment and others do not.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0587.jpg

next i mark out where the switches will go, there are two on the mustang, and one on the jazzmaster, and a few other guitars have switches like this, but for the most part you will never encounter this(thank god)
for these i have to do them by hand which is rather tricky.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0588.jpg
then i drill out the center of the hole as big as i can and use a scroll saw to get the basic shape.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0589.jpg
then its all up to a modified rasp and a razor to get the rest of the work done.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0590.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g126/Fender96jag/IMG_0591.jpg
once it is completed i usually stamp the back with my name, and address and thebuyers name, that way it is like free advertising and if the person ever needs to get ahold of me they can.

I would like to state very clearly that i am not saying this is the ONLY way to do this, it is just the way i do it, and enough people have asked in the pas couple of weeks that i figured it proper to make a thread about it. i am in no way trying to "pimp" my stuff on here. this is purely an information thread.
and by the way the pics and steps are all out of order.

total time spent on this, about 35 mins or so, but i will spend another 15 mins working the switch area ever so carefully, and then it shall be done, after some copper foil is applied to the back.

Hi Robert,

Nice - I'm just about to embark on the same job (first time) so that was really useful. I guess getting the template acurate is the first important steps - any tips on that. I have a paper tele pickguard template that I glued onto 6mm ply and I jigsawed out as close as I could and then sanded down as accurately to the lines as I could. Although it's very close to being good I was wondering how you got your template so good. I don't have a spindle sander - maye I need to get some of those robo sanders for my drill press?

All the Best.

Coogie.

how difficult would it be to use a sanding block (sandpaper wrapped around a dowel) for the shaping process? Do you know of any convenient way to make a beveled edge around the pickguard without a router?

Now, that was useful. Very cool. Very professional looking. I like it, I like it a lot. What's the purpose of the copper foil?

Do you know of any convenient way to make a beveled edge around the pickguard without a router?

aznrambo481,

I've done this on a stewmac single ply matt black pg with a utility blade. Just running along the edges at 45 degrees for the bevel. Turned out pretty good. I also polished it up with scratch remover and it doesn't look matt anymore!!

Coogie.

i actually make almost all of my templates by taking mdf or plywood and double stick taping the piece and the template material together, and do the same proccess as above.
with pickguards it is VERY tricky to make sure you do not melt the plastic in the process.
personally working a template from a tracing is too "chancy" for me, you are garenteed to have screw holes off and what not.
if you don;t have a router then a razor blade or a rasp would do the bevels but keep in mind that with a 3 ply material any sort of bump or imperfect part with JUMP right out. i forgot to mention that after im all done i take 600 grit sandpaper to the edges. It helps to get rid of any imperfections and right after using a router you will notice lil tiny lines in the plastic. next time you are at a guitar shop look at a squire and then a nice fender, you will see what im talking about.
coogie, your method will work out fine, might i suggest that when you make it and after the bevel check to make sure your middle ply line is straight, wherever it waves will be a good indication of when you need to sand.
i do have a rotary sander but i don't use it for the pg temps becuz it will actually make any dips in the mdf bigger, block sanding will get rid of the dips better.

the copper foil is for grounding reasons, since this guitar with have two 3 way switches and two single coils right next to eachother it is much easier to lay copper foil tape down around the routes to create a universal ground. its more efficient and cleaner than soldiering a ground wire from one place to another. plus becuz this meets up with the bridge you could essentiall have some copper over hang that touches the bridge plate, thus completing the circut.
that is what leo was trying to accomplish when he first introduced the anodized gold guard on guitars like the duo-sonic, mando-caster, and jazzmaster.
same theory of grounding with the plates found on almost all 50's-60's fenders,
except strats and teles..... weird but they missed alot of the copper tubbing that was used on the higher end modles and even some of the low end models of the day, like the mustang.

Nice work!!

I've made several pickguards by using the original pickguard as the template. I just screw the new material to the old pickguard, using a couple nuts as spacers so the router bit roller bearing rides in the right place. It works good.

I've found that the slowest possible speed on the router RPM works best.

How did you like cleaning up all the chippings?? :shock:

Thanks for sharing.

What speed do you use when you countersink/bevel the screw holes with your drill press? Do you ever get "chatter" when using the countersink?

my table router is actualy a mid 70's stanley, it has no speed varient control, its solid steel, it can cut thru anything and is the best tool i have, the best part. i bought it for 25 bucks and it doubles as a planer/ jointer.
the drill press has a few settings, i usually only change the belt speed if im drilling ferrels or something that effect thru northern ash, and mohogany.
using the og guard and the new material does work well, i did that once and it turned out good and fast but i had no template afterword, i like having the template around (certain ones are a must!) but i also have one ups for weird guitars that i will never use.
i have found tho that using a half inch bitnbearing of any length will generally shred out the pg material.
for the most part all materials react well with the drill press except for the stu mac tort, i made a tort jaguar guard about a month ago and i was drilling out for the mute area and it caught one of the plys(its 5 ply stuff) and shreaded it out bad!

Errr.. here's my effort - not so pro looking but I'm happy. It's a little wavy but I think I'm going to get use to wavy.

http://lh5.google.com/eeijcon/R6JrUAWSIbI/AAAAAAAAAOk/L0g-SdtKp3E/s400/HPIM0436.JPG

And yes Terry - those chippings do get everywhere....

http://lh3.google.com/eeijcon/R6JrRgWSIaI/AAAAAAAAAOc/-cq90q_71lc/s400/HPIM0435.JPG

Coogie.

looks great!
i only see a lil waviness, definitly better than alot of the stuffi have seen in the past.

Hi Robert,

You're too kind. I'm happy as my first effort. Trick is to really get the template right, after thatit's just care and patience.

Coogie.

aznrambo481,

I've done this on a stewmac single ply matt black pg with a utility blade. Just running along the edges at 45 degrees for the bevel. Turned out pretty good. I also polished it up with scratch remover and it doesn't look matt anymore!!

Coogie.

I did the same on a 3-ply BWB guard I was cutting for one of my basses, turned out looking pretty good. The cool thing with 3-ply is that you can see when you've hit a 45 degree angle as you'll have three bands the same thickness.

Thanks for all the useful information and photos.