Tele Special Pickguard design

[Mor Paul]

So, for my upcoming tele, I decided I didn't want the regular tele pickguard on it. I also didn't want the hybrid guard. I like the LP Special 'guard, though.
So, I made some mockups, with the first being this:

I was unhappy with the top, so I made some changes.

I'm thinking that looks okay, so I made a full size drawing of it, with the correct dimensions. 200 pixels per inch. Proper bridge cut and humbucker ring cut, as well as control plate cutout.
It's massive, though (9956x6565px)
http://max.efuclan.com/pics/pickguardfullscale.png

Any opinions or suggestions?

 

[-CB-]

I like it... mostly.  How about instead of curving the top of the pickguard back, putting the rounded end of the 72 thinline pg there?

 

[-CB-]

Nah, forget that.... yours is perfect as it is.  Good job!~

 

[Mor Paul]

Thanks, CB  :icon_thumright:

I can make a quick mockup of how it would look with the curve.
Oh, and for those of you who don't have the LP Special guard in your minds,

 

[jay4321]

Suggestion A: Postpone the pickguard order until you see it finished.

Suggestion B: Flatten out the areas not near the body edges.

Random observation: Loud pickguard takes the eye away from the cool finish.

 

[Mor Paul]

Suggestion B: Flatten out the areas not near the body edges.

Can you explain this a bit more?

 

[-CB-]

Not sure on that last one either?~?~?!?

 

[AprioriMark]

I like that a lot, except for the curve near the horn.  I'm not seeing what line that's following exactly, nor am I seeing a new interesting line.  I'm not entirely sure what I'd do differently, but I don't think I'd stick with that random curve.

-Mark

 

[JaySwear]

i love CB's suggestion. i think the top of the '72 pickguard would match well with the rest of the guard already and would add to the rounded styling.

 

[jay4321]

Suggestion B: Flatten out the areas not near the body edges.

Can you explain this a bit more?

 

[Mor Paul]

The curve at the top is just how the LP Special does it, unless you're talking about the top-left in the first few pictures. I got rid of the hook.

I've had it similar to that last picture, Jay, but it just didn't seem right to me.

 

[tfarny]

You're clever! 1, the little hook around the top edge of the pickup is overkill, needs to go. 2) you need to leave a bit of space around the control rout, because the control plate needs a bit of room. You want that control plate flush against the wood.
3) This will only work in black, parchment, or similar simple color. Don't use the alien zebra patterns. Bad things will happen, chicks won't dig it.  :icon_jokercolor:

 

[Mor Paul]

You're clever! 1, the little hook around the top edge of the pickup is overkill, needs to go. 2) you need to leave a bit of space around the control rout, because the control plate needs a bit of room. You want that control plate flush against the wood.
3) This will only work in black, parchment, or similar simple color. Don't use the alien zebra patterns. Bad things will happen, chicks won't dig it.  :icon_jokercolor:

Hey, Tim, if at all possible, check the last link in the OP.
All that stuff is already done  :icon_thumright:

and with the little flair at the upper horn:

 

[jay4321]

What I really want to do with that is photoshop the control cavity out and and rear rout the body, and put a maple carved top on it. Then the pickguard would work flawlessly imo

 

[AprioriMark]

The curve at the top is just how the LP Special does it, unless you're talking about the top-left in the first few pictures. I got rid of the hook.

I've had it similar to that last picture, Jay, but it just didn't seem right to me.

In the case of the LP Special, the top of the pickup helps create the line of the pickguard.  Are you using a mounting ring that would line up with the top of your mock-up?

-Mark

 

[Schlieren]

My first revision here:

That diagonal line sort of clutters up a bunch of graceful curves if it meets a 90 degree and then goes straight down to the longitudinal straight edge, I think it'd look even sharper if it started higher on the body, such that it intersects the neck pickup and where it "meets" the longitudinal straight edge is in front of the neck, MAYBE even right where the pickguard ENDS.  Hmm... lemme see if I can :effort: it out of myself.

 

[Schlieren]

Hmm... actually I think I like my first version better.  Probably be best if the diagonal angle were more acute, such that that line didn't meet the longitudinal straight line of the pickguard right AT the neck pickup, nor in front of the neck pickup (which just looks like too much pickguard material IMHO, and going away from the tidier look for which you're striving...

 

[DangerousR6]

Hmm... actually I think I like my first version better.  Probably be best if the diagonal angle were more acute, such that that line didn't meet the longitudinal straight line of the pickguard right AT the neck pickup, nor in front of the neck pickup (which just looks like too much pickguard material IMHO, and going away from the tidier look for which you're striving...

I think that looks much better....Good job.. :icon_thumright:

 

[Schlieren]

O.K. here it is with a steeper diagonal.  Maybe a little goofy-lookin'?  At that point it makes it look like that little nub should just be removed, and a straight line pickguard instead

 

[Schlieren]

aaand I'm done  :toothy11:

I think I like the first one of the versions I did the best tbh