Pick Guard Material

[Steve Clarkson]

Someone asked me to make a pickguard out of a Tortoise pickguard material. Couldn't find anything very close at Johnsons....but a Google search shows tons of different colors of plastic for pickguards. Are these all PVC? Does anyone have a supplier for these types of plastics that is a little cheaper than what I found on ebay ($25 + $10 shipping for 12"x 9")?

Thanks!

[Jeremy Brown]

yes some pick guards are PVC. I have done alot of pick guards and there is almost no way to tell just by looking at it. I have been told the cheaper made pick guards are all pvc. I have held a PVC and an non PVC one side by side and couldn't tell the difference.

About the only way I found out was doing a light pass on engraving a corner, if it turns orange/tan color, its pvc.

when doing a pick guard, I recommend mounting it to something using the screws that you normally use to attach to the guitar. The tend to bow or curl.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g237/jbrown2252/IMG_0071.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g237/jbrown2252/5893_1079627318116_1449283362_30195.jpg

This one is entirely made by me, cut out with the engraver. these are terrible pictures, I know.
I made two, one is just blank and the other has the Gibson logo engraved on it along with Les Paul's signature.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g237/jbrown2252/IMG_0281.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g237/jbrown2252/IMG_0280.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g237/jbrown2252/IMG_0265.jpg

[Rob Patterson]

There is a place called Stewart-MacDonald (google it) that sells guitar building supplies. Not sure if their pickgard material is PVC or not but you can check them out.

[Steve Clarkson]

Thanks Rob!

[Larry Bratton]

Just as a matter of information..regular acrylic Rowmark engraving stock won't work?

[Steve Clarkson]

It will......it's just that they are looking for this specific pattern.....Rowmark is pretty limited once you google all the various pickguard material available out there.

[Jeremy Brown]

you can try these people too
warmoth (google it)

[Steve Clarkson]

Thanks Jeremy.....it seems like alot the material on that site is made out of celluloid.......anyone know if celluloid is laser safe?

[Dee Gallo]

I've engraved on celluloid many times - it works easily and cleanly. Never cut it, though. It can't contain PVC, it's an "all natural" plastic from the 1869, made from cellulose and camphor. The famous tortoise-shell combs were made of this and would make a great pickguard, I would think.

cheers, dee

[Steve Clarkson]

Thanks Dee!

Now I just have to find a source that has it reasonably priced!!!

[Mark Giese]

I was looking through the grizzly catalog and they had some material in the back for pick guards, don't know if it is what you had in mind.