Pickguards

giggsy

I know Alan has an exhaustive list of pickguard suppliers from overseas, but can you not buy any in SA? (For a Squier Telecaster and Gibson SG specifically). If not, what have your dealings been like with the overseas suppliers? I once bought four T-shirts from the UK and had to pay almost a grand in custom charges and I don't want that scenario again. Thanks.

AlanRatcliffe

Locally, you're going to struggle for an SG guard. Teles are a lot easier, but you'll basically have to phone around the bigger shops and it's basically luck what they have in stock. Fender branded will be quite pricy. Just be aware that most replacements are made for US Fenders and you'll find that the screw holes won't all line up perfectly - not even Fender branded pickguards (not a huge problem though, screw holes are easy to make and the new PG covers the old holes).

If you buy from overseas, guitar spares have no duty (clothing is a very different story), so you shouldn't pay more than VAT, but if you're just buying an item or two, the shipping can work out quite expensive. www.guitarfetish.com have a number of pickguards quite cheap. What colour Tele PG are you looking for? I have a single ply white lurking somewhere (basically new).

giggsy

Thanks for the info - will look into buying from the US suppliers then if I cant find anything locally. Thanks for the offer but unfortunately looking for a black one!

themanthatwalks

I am trying to build on for my cort. also a black one. Will let you know how it goes and if its easy or whatever

AlanRatcliffe

? I made the white pearloid PG and backplates for my G-VT and my Strats. Not difficult, just time consuming to do it properly and you never get the lines quite as smooth as a guard cut on a computer controlled cutter.

themanthatwalks

Il just see how it goes. got some Plexi glass and paint ?

doc-phil

I've been wanting to make a diamond plate pick guard for my guitar but I'm hesitant to modify my guitar since i don't know what the heck i'm doing!

Is it possible to manufacture your own pick guard and attach it to your guitar without altering the tone of the guitar or having other serious consequences?

Heath

i have+made one for one of my guitars and+looks very nice also makes the pickups brigter just trace your pick guard +cut it with a jig saw use lots of lube (Shut up alan) and drill the same holes .

AlanRatcliffe

It's possible to do. I know there are companies like Sharp Concepts that use diamond plate aluminium, but I'm a bit sceptical as to the effect on tone. According to both Jason Lollar and Bill Lawrence, you shouldn't get aluminium too close to your pickups because it introduces eddy currents in the pickups, I know for sure that the aluminium pickguard shields Fender used in the 60's make a difference in tone and they are relatively thin.

It also depends on your guitar pickups - Strat and other pickups are suspend from the pickguard, and the microphony of the pickup tends to pick up more of the pickguard tone than you realise. I once fitted a 1mm thick, non-magnetic stainless PG to a Strat that had very microphonic pickups and it immediately turned into something that sounded more like an electric dobro than an electric guitar.

doc-phil

hmmm thanks for the info; if there's a chance it could alter my tone thats the last thing i want, especially if it'll give me brighter tone!

Maybe i'l try it one day when i have many guitars, but only having one guitar at the moment i cant really use it for experiments :-\