I personally do like the look, I would just hem bend some copper or alu around the edge just to prevent any snagging,

as to the 3-d printing, I really do think that could work too. maybe a grid with a your initials, or symbol, something personal, I had so Many Ideas last night, Even A laser cut design could work..

wern101 What do you think?

I like! Like @Tuckstir said, you can fettle the edges a tad if there's any snagging.

Though...a 3D print/laser cut (I prefer the idea of laser cutting) personalized one would be cool too!

Or just leave it off like 98% of the rest of us too lazy to put the screws back in ?

Update time!! Yeah, finally!

So first and foremost a HUGE shoutout to @Tuckstir for hooking me up with the scratchplate. This was a headache of note that he simply sorted out without any fuss. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I received the scratchplate via postnet and immediately set out to finally get the guitar wired and playable. I went with the same ‘weathered’ theme of the hardware and, after doing some testing, came up with this idea:

Next up was the wiring. I called in the help of my eldest to assist with the soldering – he loves tinkering with circuit boards and builds little radios etc, so he has WAY more experience in soldering than I do. He simply took it in his stride soldering all the bits of pieces while I tried to figure out the wiring diagram.

Everything works!! Tested the pickups on the amp (with a screwdriver) and they both emit sound and the 3 way switch works just fine. I will only get strings today or tomorrow, so that will be the REAL test.

SO......without further delay, here then is the completed guitar!

I shall from now on refer to it as the copperstrat…. Or coppercaster….. or Stratocopper…..or……

I am very satisfied with the end product. ? Opinons? Like? Dislike?

Thanks to everyone's advise, comments, ideas and opinions. This Forum Rocks!

Was tapping out a reply yesterday...then boom. Loadshedding ?

Loving that pickguard, especially the cutout of the logo showing the finish underneath, superbly pimp...I approve! ?

Dig how you highlighted the edges and (I'm guessing) where the body joins are. One distracting thing is that the rear cavity looks offcenter with those lines - but that's minor. The other is that you've not gone the full pimp to match pup covers with the rest...but that's W.I.P I'm sure ?

But impressively...you've finished! ?

Been holding my breath for a reply...phew... ?

V8 you've finished

Yes...this took way to long. But in reflection, this was due to blindly walking into the whole thing. Lessons learnt.

V8 One distracting thing is that the rear cavity looks offcenter with those lines - but that's minor. The other is that you've not gone the full pimp to match pup covers with the rest...but that's W.I.P I'm sure ?

The lines were actually done on purpose. The joins are not straight and where the two colours meet is actually right on the joins. So the whole off-centre things is, I suppose, a little Picasso? Who wants straight lines anyway. ? The pup covers most certainly is work in progress - just need to find the right colour.

V8 superbly pimp...I approve!

Thanks man. I guess it's not everyone's taste and, compared to the bling out there, it probably won't get a second look, but it reflects a lot of my own taste and I really am happy with it. Was looking at the before photo last night - that black and white was soo dull.

Putting strings on tonight! Sound clips to follow.

wern101 The pup covers most certainly is work in progress - just need to find the right colour.

I was thinking and thinking - It would a PITA to work with,. but modelling paint? Or Hammerrite? Gold pups maybe, but they'd need to be aged, shiny n bright gold would be a tad too pimp maybe?

V8 shiny n bright gold would be a tad too pimp maybe?

Yes agreed. I was even thinking a rusty bronze would do nicely, nothing too bright, just a little bit of shiny here and there.

Dude.. that looks excellent! Well done bud.. nice work indeed