@tv101 @eddie6string @mattbeels You all make good valid arguments for not having plastic pick guards etc and I agree in some cases. Just so you know, I’m not having a go at anyone, I’m just messing about @tv101 🤣👍. 

I really do thing plastic pick guards (or other materials) look good in certain circumstances. Out of my guitar collection, I only have two guitars that have a plastic pick guard, an American Strat and an Ibanez JEM. The others don’t have any but they do have control cavity covers, that’s pretty standard on most guitars. 

What would you all do with a guitar you bought that had plastic cavity covers on? Would you make something out of wood or some other material? 

Can you believe they covered up that beautiful finish with a black piece of plastic?!?

@mattbeels Now, in this case, I agree with you. That wood needs to be on full view, I would not cover that up with plastic. Nice guitar. 🤘

Like this Pickguard 

@eddie6string Yeah that is stunning, I agree, I wouldn’t cover that up, it’s beautiful. 👍 

@boo

What would you all do with a guitar you bought that had plastic cavity covers on? Would you make something out of wood or some other material? 

With bought guitars I simply leave them. I wouldn’t replace them with wood because then you’d have to deepen the cover recess to install a thick enough cover.

Not really worth the time and expense, plus good luck getting a decent match with the new cover.

When building a guitar, that’s a different story as you can do whatever you want in the first place.

When using a wooden control cover you must make them much thicker then plastic or metal covers so the wood doesn’t warp or split and think how easy it would be to punch through such a thin piece of wood.

There are those that make wooden truss rod covers but they’re strong enough. I’ve seen the wooden ones (Taylor for example) split along the grain. Sure they look good and add a nice touch but they ultimately disappoint.

I do like the metal covers on Jacksons and the like (cuz they’re not plastic) but for me I like the idea of wooden covers as it blends into the body so much nicer imo.

There are those that make wooden truss rod covers but they’re strong enough. I’ve seen the wooden ones (Taylor for example) split along the grain. Sure they look good and add a nice touch but they ultimately disappoint.

I put a wooden truss rod cover and control covers on my first build, basically because I I didn't have plastic like real guitars have, but I did have wood. I was just being a typical cheapskate Scotsman. But I think the truss rod cover with the same veneer as the headstock looks really good, so I intend to keep making wooden covers.

Current thinking

@robin

I didn't have plastic like real guitars have, but I did have wood. I was just being a typical cheapskate Scotsman. 

I don’t think using wooden covers is being cheap, quite the contrary. I think using plastic is cheap, definitely for the factories.

Wooden truss covers look nicer for sure so yes, please keep doing them. But they require special handling, just don’t crank the screws down and hope the wood doesn’t expand and contract too much...

Wrong image!!!

Try again

Custom finish on BKP Cobra Pup

I am however interested in an anodized brushed aluminum pickguard but as that’s not something so easily attained I’ll stick to without for now.

@matt-beels

A bass I made ...

Just so you know, I’m not having a go at anyone, I’m just messing about @tv101 . 

I really do thing plastic pick guards (or other materials) look good in certain circumstances.

Oi @Boo - who's "messing about" with me???

😋

And in the interests of full disclosure - you could even say transparency - here's a build that I did *with* a cheap piece of plastic on the front ...

I had to put something on the front of this to hide the neck tenon which is otherwise visible because of the construction style. 

It looked a bit naff when nude ...

Now take another look at the photo of the guitar with its (plastic) clothes on ...

As the edit button still isn't working ... here's a better photo of the scratchplate ...

here's a better photo of the scratchplate ...

@tv101 That looks really good. 😁👍

@tv101. Very nice Indeed. 

🙏🎸🎶🙂

@robin Hey Robin, did you write your logo by hand or use a decal? Very neat.  

🙂🎶🎸🙏

@Russ

 Hey Robin, did you write your logo by hand or use a decal?

Hi Russ, the logos were done on the PC and printed onto inkjet waterslide transfer paper. It took a lot of coats of lacquer to build it up enough to hide the edges of the transfers.

Hi Russ, the logos were done on the PC and printed onto inkjet waterslide transfer paper. It took a lot of coats of lacquer to build it up enough to hide the edges of the transfers.

@robin. Did you spend hours mulling over which font to use........ I've spent months over it and still can't decide what to go for. 😂

🙏🎸🎶🙂

There's a Dry transfer paper available (Developed in Japan in 1980s) that just leaves the ink + microlayer of adhesive.

I use it for my 'Electric Lady ' logo.

Did you spend hours mulling over which font to use........ I've spent months over it and still can't decide what to go for. 

@Russ, I certainly did. I tried hand writing, I had pages of my own signature and they all looked crap. I eventually found a font thats similar to my writing.

@tv101

Niiice pickguard, did you buy it or make it?

I can easily make an alu guard and there’s a great youtube vid from Maximum Guitar Works where he built a jig to sand them for the brushed look before sending it out to be anodized.

I want to make a single hum Bandsman (I think it’s actually called a Nantucket) and so I’m going to have to inquire about anodizing, I just hope it’s not expensive. Especially since it’ll just be a piece here and there, none of those high volume discounts for me! 😂

@mattbeels

It was a joint effort - I had someone cut out the shape and cutouts (they had the tools to do that bit easily!) and I chamfered the edges and rubbed it to get the look.