veritasleather Report post Posted September 21, 2016 Hey guys! I need some options and opinions on what to use as a stiffener/backing for some Tele style guitar pick guards. My customer wants me to make him a sample and I want to use the right type of backing to prevent shrinkage (if any) and of course to stiffen the leather? Do I even need a backing? is there just a finishing technic I can use? My customer wants a batch of these...so I better make it right the first time, know what I mean? thanks for your time! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 I haven't done it, but if were to do it..... I would laminate the leather to a pick guard and maybe just use longer screws. If that's too tall in relationship to the strings a piece of Formica could be substituted. .02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted September 21, 2016 Huh, something I actually know about... My husband builds guitars. Normally they are made of plastic. But I know some are bakelite. He buys from is a company called Stewart MacDonald... Here is a link: Pick guard materials They are pretty thin, I would think any really thin yet rigid material would work. I can ask him tomorrow, when he is back from work, if just a piece of leather by itself would work. I can't remember if these cover up electronics or not. Well, he will know! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
veritasleather Report post Posted September 21, 2016 20 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said: I haven't done it, but if were to do it..... I would laminate the leather to a pick guard and maybe just use longer screws. If that's too tall in relationship to the strings a piece of Formica could be substituted. .02 4 minutes ago, HorsehairBraider said: Huh, something I actually know about... My husband builds guitars. Normally they are made of plastic. But I know some are bakelite. He buys from is a company called Stewart MacDonald... Here is a link: Pick guard materials They are pretty thin, I would think any really thin yet rigid material would work. I can ask him tomorrow, when he is back from work, if just a piece of leather by itself would work. I can't remember if these cover up electronics or not. Well, he will know! Yeah bikermutt07 and HorsehairBraider, I thought about that, but it would be too tall. He gave me a .090 inch max height in total which is about 3/32nds and roughly around 6 oz. leather. I would like to keep the leather the thickest possible and backing be the thinner. Maybe if I find a cheap paper thin sticker type of pick guard? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 Well Formica is pretty thin. It comes in different thicknesses. Someone here posted a telecaster that had the entire body wrapped in leather. It was gorgeous. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
veritasleather Report post Posted September 21, 2016 36 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said: Well Formica is pretty thin. It comes in different thicknesses. Someone here posted a telecaster that had the entire body wrapped in leather. It was gorgeous. I totally missed the Formica part of your last post. Yes, looks like Formica might just work! I will have to go check some out, thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted September 21, 2016 Welcome. If you go that route, be careful. Formica can give some nasty cuts. You can use heavy shears to rough cut it. I would use a bench sander to finish it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) I've made several, and I have never used any stiffenters or backing. I have put some on with screws and some on with double side tape. I've built a lot of guitars, and I wouldn't want a thick pick guard with a thick backer and leather. If anything, I would just line the back with brown paper sack material or packing tape. Edited September 21, 2016 by Colt W Knight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted September 21, 2016 Another option would be to use copper foil tape as a backer, that way if can shield the electronics from things like 60 cycle hum from electronice devices/fluorescent bulbs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt S Report post Posted September 21, 2016 As CW Knight said, most pick guards are shielded from electrical noise. Why not kill two birds with one stone and cement the leather blank to some aluminium sheet? Doesn't need to be very thick to provide some additional stiffness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
veritasleather Report post Posted September 23, 2016 Ah yes! thanks for all the advise, I have some good options now to try. I am going to experiment with all of the above. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
veritasleather Report post Posted September 23, 2016 On September 21, 2016 at 1:04 PM, Colt W Knight said: I've made several, and I have never used any stiffenters or backing. I have put some on with screws and some on with double side tape. I've built a lot of guitars, and I wouldn't want a thick pick guard with a thick backer and leather. If anything, I would just line the back with brown paper sack material or packing tape. Since you have experience making leather pick guards with no backing, So far none have curled or lifted when left with no backing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted September 23, 2016 Nope Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
