Custom Pickguard

redman1401

I did a search and didn't find any relevant threads so figured i'd ask. Is there anyone still here that could make a left handed red tort pickguard for a 69 reissue stang? I decided to put my black super distortion back in my mustang and with the brown tort, its just too dark. Most custom places i've seen charge a ridiculous up charge for it to be left handed so i figured i'd ask here. I do remember some people around here did make them before but i've been away for awhile.

HNB

redman1401 said:
I did a search and didn't find any relevant threads so figured i'd ask. Is there anyone still here that could make a left handed red tort pickguard for a 69 reissue stang? I decided to put my black super distortion back in my mustang and with the brown tort, its just too dark. Most custom places i've seen charge a ridiculous up charge for it to be left handed so i figured i'd ask here. I do remember some people around here did make them before but i've been away for awhile.

I would use pickguardian.com. Tony there does awesome work and has great red tortoise material. He would just need a tracing/drawing of what you would need. Here is a picture of the tort guard he made for me.

IMG_1892 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

redman1401

Only issue i have is that i'm expecting there to be an upcharge since i need it left handed.

as you can see, the dark brown tort kind of hides the black humbucker...kind of annoying.

HNB

redman1401 said:
Only issue i have is that i'm expecting there to be an upcharge since i need it left handed.

as you can see, the dark brown tort kind of hides the black humbucker...kind of annoying.

Hard to say if Tony upcharges for lefty. All it means is turning the template upside down....

redman1401

HNB said:
Hard to say if Tony upcharges for lefty. All it means is turning the template upside down....

i agree, but places like chandler and whatnot charge like a 10% upcharge, rediculous, anyway i sent them an email for a quote so we'll see.

HNB

redman1401 said:
i agree, but places like chandler and whatnot charge like a 10% upcharge, rediculous, anyway i sent them an email for a quote so we'll see.

On a $40 guard, that is just $4 more for a lefty. If it is custom, I don't think that much is too bad.

redman1401

HNB said:
On a $40 guard, that is just $4 more for a lefty. If it is custom, I don't think that much is too bad.

except for its like 70 for the material from one place, plus the 10% upcharge, plus shipping and all that, ended up coming to around 80-90 bucks

HNB

redman1401 said:
except for its like 70 for the material from one place, plus the 10% upcharge, plus shipping and all that, ended up coming to around 80-90 bucks

I paid over $100 for the guard above. It was expensive material, custom shape, and then shipping. Worth it to me to have a stunning pickguard. Cheaper pickguards look cheap to me. If I bother to get something custom and more pricey, I want it to look like the money I put in to it. 😀

redman1401

HNB said:
I paid over $100 for the guard above. It was expensive material, custom shape, and then shipping. Worth it to me to have a stunning pickguard. Cheaper pickguards look cheap to me. If I bother to get something custom and more pricey, I want it to look like the money I put in to it. 😀

thats all well and good and i agree, cheap stuff does look cheap, just a matter of being able to afford it with everything else.

redman1401

HNB said:
I paid over $100 for the guard above. It was expensive material, custom shape, and then shipping. Worth it to me to have a stunning pickguard. Cheaper pickguards look cheap to me. If I bother to get something custom and more pricey, I want it to look like the money I put in to it. 😀

thats all well and good and i agree, cheap stuff does look cheap, just a matter of being able to afford it with everything else.

HNB

Yup, but if you put a bunch of cash in to a nice guitar, why throw a cheap guard on it? Just my opinion though. 😀

redman1401

HNB said:
Yup, but if you put a bunch of cash in to a nice guitar, why throw a cheap guard on it? Just my opinion though. 😀

eh i've had the stang for ages so its not a huge deal, my jagstang though does need a new pickguard as well, the old fender pearloid issue of it peeling, but i can get one for like 40 bucks on ebay. specially have to keep some money aside because i'm planning on building my girlfriend a custom guitar for christmas, which may end up being a mustang.

redman1401

HNB said:
I paid over $100 for the guard above. It was expensive material, custom shape, and then shipping. Worth it to me to have a stunning pickguard. Cheaper pickguards look cheap to me. If I bother to get something custom and more pricey, I want it to look like the money I put in to it. 😀

How long did it take for him to make the guard for you. he gave me a decent quote so i'm curious as to how long once he gets the trace to have it done.

HNB

redman1401 said:
How long did it take for him to make the guard for you. he gave me a decent quote so i'm curious as to how long once he gets the trace to have it done.

It took a few weeks. Mine was a custom guard so he had to make a template for it. He gives regular updates and is good on replying to emails.

redman1401

HNB said:
It took a few weeks. Mine was a custom guard so he had to make a template for it. He gives regular updates and is good on replying to emails.

And how did you get him the trace, were you able to scan it or did you have to mail it? Sorry for all the questions, i'd just like to know these things so i know how fast i can get my mustang back into working order.

HNB

redman1401 said:
And how did you get him the trace, were you able to scan it or did you have to mail it? Sorry for all the questions, i'd just like to know these things so i know how fast i can get my mustang back into working order.

I photocopied the blacktop pickguard and also photocopied a guard with humbuckers. I taped the humbucker parts cut out on to the blacktop one. Then I cut off where the plates covered and then photocopied that and mailed it to Tony.

DSC01845 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

IMAG0632 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

redman1401

I did a hand drawn trace since my pickguard still had the holes from the single coil since my tech couldn't use the originals on it for the humbucker. what tort was yours, the 60s or the modern tort?

HNB

redman1401 said:
I did a hand drawn trace since my pickguard still had the holes from the single coil since my tech couldn't use the originals on it for the humbucker. what tort was yours, the 60s or the modern tort?

He offers real nitro tort on PVC mint, black, mint. When you email him, just make sure you say you want the red nitro tort vs brown tort and the real nitro stuff. 😀 He will know what you are talking about.

redman1401

HNB said:
He offers real nitro tort on PVC mint, black, mint. When you email him, just make sure you say you want the red nitro tort vs brown tort and the real nitro stuff. 😀 He will know what you are talking about.

i did say red tort, and he sent samples of 60s tort and modern fender tort, which is why i asked.

HNB

redman1401 said:
i did say red tort, and he sent samples of 60s tort and modern fender tort, which is why i asked.

Modern Fender tort is brown. Ask him for Red nitro tort. He will know what you mean, that is all I had to say. 😀