Back Painted White Pickguard

[coolhandjjl]

Regarding the plain jane white pickguard, I thought I read about someone who did clear plexi, back painted it white with finish-safe paint, then beveled the outer shape with a full radius bull nose. Supposedly it adds a bit a snap or sparkle (not literally) to the overall look. Anyone read this or seen it done? Or am I just delusional?

[johnallg]

Regarding the plain jane white pickguard, I thought I read about someone who did clear plexi, back painted it white with finish-safe paint, then beveled the outer shape with a full radius bull nose. Supposedly it adds a bit a snap or sparkle (not literally) to the overall look. Anyone read this or seen it done? Or am I just delusional?

You may be delusional but it has been done.

[jps]

Regarding the plain jane white pickguard, I thought I read about someone who did clear plexi, back painted it white with finish-safe paint, then beveled the outer shape with a full radius bull nose. Supposedly it adds a bit a snap or sparkle (not literally) to the overall look. Anyone read this or seen it done? Or am I just delusional?

Like this one that Tony (Pickguardian) made for me?

[Grey]

I have one on my 480, to match the back painted TRC. The "secret" is rounding the edges like the regular plastic guard, because it catches the light a certain way and looks stunning. I wish I had a good picture of it but I did the new guard right before putting the guitar out of commission to have some other work done so I wont be able to take any new pictures untill that is finished.

This pic is small but if you look at the upper right corner of the guard you can see the effect. It gives it a depth that really looks spectacular.

[teb]

Yes, it's well worth doing. I did a combination straight edge and beveled top edge for my Fireglow 370/12, and more of a rounded edge for my 340/12. They were just done by hand at the kitchen sink wetsanding, using a small sanding block for the bevel and free-handing for the round. I don't own a buffer, so I take them up through 12,000 grit with Micromesh and then use polishing compound on a rag. It does some neat things in the light as the edges glow. It's also great on TRCs with straight polished edges. I've done it to the edges of the black, back-painted guards on my 430 as well, but it doesn't seem to show up well on black guards. In any case, it does give them nice smooth edges.

[coolhandjjl]

Thanks for all the replies. The pics all look stunning!

[johnallg]

Todd, you have unlimited patience. Very nice.

[teb]

Actually, I don't - but when I get an idea in my twisted brain of how I want something to look, there is no stopping me. It also helps that when I was in college, I worked for a sculptor. We made big, solid, transparent resin castings that might weigh up to 200 lbs or so. We polished the outsides like big lenses, wet-sanding them by hand. They sat on big circular bases that we cut out of 3/4" thick plexiglass at a 45 degree angle with a saber saw, following a bead of motor oil to cool the blade. Then we had to polish those cut edges, again by hand. By comparison, polishing the edges of a dinky little pickguard is a piece of cake. We decided that the sculptor of the future should have a huge, over-developed right arm. My employer later got tired and took up painting instead.