TV Jones Tele Pickguard

[ispunk]

I'm new here but not new to putting guitars together using Warmoth necks and parts. I want to have a  Telecaster pickguard made with a cutout for a TV Jones Classic. I don't want to just use a regular humbucker route but to have it look like the pic below without the mounting holes. The pickguard builder on the website doesn't allow for the TV Jones. Anyone ever order one like that or know if Warmoth can do it?

 

[dNA]

I don't know the answer, but I will tell you what most people would say:
Ask Warmoth first. Their customer service is great, and you're probably going to get a faster, more direct and accurate answer than you would by asking here.

 

[NLD09]

They said no to me, but that was over a year and a half ago.

 

[dNA]

any confidence in cuttin it yourself?

 

[nexrex]

Yep, ask Warmoth, they now sell TV Jones Pickups, so it would be great if they did this. They could then save the program for later use.

 

[Patrick from Davis]

They don't use programs to cut their pickguards, they use templates.  If you are using one of there bodies, the LaCabronita bodies are built to have TV Jones pickups in them, so I'd guess that they do have it, or will.  However, if they do not have the template, Terrapin guitars uses a programed laser cutter and can probably make you one.  I am going to end up using Terrapin guitars to make a custom guard that Warmoth doesn't have a template for.  You just have to make sure that the guard fits the Warmoth body.  Not all bodies are equal.
Patrick

 

[Kostas]

I just bought a pickup from the TV Jones site and they also sell templates.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

TV Jones also has a special Tele Bridge that is cut to house their pickups in their traditional size without modification.  It looks very nice and I think if you were to use their pickups in your tele, it would look very nice.

https://tvjones.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=02-011-0100

 

[Kostas]

This is what I ordered from their site, a pickup, bridge & template. I think the bridge must be a Gotoh like the ones Warmoth sells but routed for TV Jones pickups. It's expensive though, they sell it at twice the price than Warmoth.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Dang nice lookin though!

 

[leo12.]

Ispunk is it just the pickguard you are looking for?
You said you are use to putting Warmoth parts together.
Warmoth body builder do not show Tv jones pickup for neck position, but a call to Warmoth will verify if its possible.
So if you get a tele style body wiht that rout in neck pickup possition just get a Warmoth Esquire pickguard screw
it to the body measure as mid point of rout remove pickguard support pickguard on scrap drill a hole a 1/2"
return pickguard to body (no neck fitted) tape pickguard get a laminate trimmer with a 1/4" bearing at bottom Template cutter
and rout it in place Tv jones looks like a snug fit from what i have seen.  :glasses9:

 

[ispunk]

Thanks for all the replies. I figured I would just have to call Warmoth in the end to see if they would do it. I thought I'd give it a shot on here to see if anyone knew the answer. There's no way I feel confident enough to cut a pickguard myself. I'll just end up wasting money and a pickguard.

 

[dNA]

Thanks for all the replies. I figured I would just have to call Warmoth in the end to see if they would do it. I thought I'd give it a shot on here to see if anyone knew the answer. There's no way I feel confident enough to cut a pickguard myself. I'll just end up wasting money and a pickguard.

Would use a router with a guided bit work or would a router just eat up the pickguard? I feel like that'd be an incredibly easy job if it worked

 

[Cagey]

Thanks for all the replies. I figured I would just have to call Warmoth in the end to see if they would do it. I thought I'd give it a shot on here to see if anyone knew the answer. There's no way I feel confident enough to cut a pickguard myself. I'll just end up wasting money and a pickguard.

Would use a router with a guided bit work or would a router just eat up the pickguard? I feel like that'd be an incredibly easy job if it worked

That's the way it's normally done. Actually, there's no easier or better way to do it. But, it requires a template and a router with the proper bit(s) and some experience with working plastic using those tools. If you haven't ruined several guards/covers already, you don't want to start on a showpiece.

 

[dNA]

That's the way it's normally done. Actually, there's no easier or better way to do it. But, it requires a template and a router with the proper bit(s) and some experience with working plastic using those tools. If you haven't ruined several guards/covers already, you don't want to start on a showpiece.

I was actually imagining you would just use the body as the template. you just screw the uncut pickguard on without the pickup route, make a safely centered starting hole and then put the router bit through, using the body as a guide

 

[Cagey]

If the cavity is exactly the same dimensions you want the pickguard to be, that could work.

I did that with a Strat pickguard I didn't like once. Screwed it on, then used a flush trim bit to cut out all the pickup and control cavities as well as the wire routing channels. Now, I can tape that to the back of a pickguard I want to wire, and I can see where all the channels and clearances are so the wiring can be routed properly. When I'm done, the wired 'guard drops right on the Strat body without any fidgeting around trying to get wires to avoid being pinched between the 'guard and the body.

 

[bagman67]

In those cases where the pickup rout is the same shape as the pickup cover, I'd think you'd be good to go (think P90 or a no-ears Filtertron).