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Step 15Make the Pick Guard
This part is also tricky, and will be different for each guitar depending on its shape. The pick guard in this case is less used to protect the guitar from errant picks, and more to protect and hide the electronics underneath! It can be made from whatever material you wish; metal, plastic, carbon fiber...
I studied the design of pick guards used on other Gibson Explorer guitars (and its many clones) and came up with something that I think is pretty close to the original, while adding extra coverage for the electronics. It needed to extend between the sensor and laser blocks to hide the channels, and over to the controls as well. I suppose this covers a lot of the shiny blue paint. If I make another guitar like this one, I'll try harder to cut channels under the surface of the wood, so that I can separate the pieces.
This part was done almost entirely by hand. I traced the outline of the guitar body on a piece of paper, then drew a pattern for the pick guard freehand. I went through three revisions of drawing a pattern, cutting it out, laying it on the guitar, and making note of adjustments to make. When I was satisfied with the design, I transferred it to a sheet of 1.6mm thick aluminum sheet, and cut out the pattern on a band saw. I finished the rough edges and got the fit around the blocks perfect using a belt sander.
I used Illustrator to plan out the spacing of the control knobs. I printed out the pattern and laid it on top of the cavity where the controls would be, with tape facing sticky-side up. When the pick guard was laid on top, the pattern transferred into the exact correct position on the underside of the pick guard. It was then an easy matter of drilling out the holes for the controls on a drill press.
Finish the pick guard by drilling screw holes all around the edge for mounting. I used flat-head #3 1/2" screws, so I countersunk the holes as well. You don't need that many screws, maybe one in every corner and then every three or four inches.
You will also need to make a new mounting plate that holds the power cord and the 1/4" jack. This one's much easier to make; just measure the appropriate spacing for the jacks and cut a plate to match.
Depending on what material you used to make the pick guard, you may want (or need) to polish it. I used increasingly fine grades of automotive sandpaper to polish the aluminum. I also decided to etch the knob labels, a laser caution label and my signature onto the aluminum using electrolytic etching, as described in my Valvelitzer Trifecta Instructable. This step is optional (and only possible if you use a metal pick guard!)
I studied the design of pick guards used on other Gibson Explorer guitars (and its many clones) and came up with something that I think is pretty close to the original, while adding extra coverage for the electronics. It needed to extend between the sensor and laser blocks to hide the channels, and over to the controls as well. I suppose this covers a lot of the shiny blue paint. If I make another guitar like this one, I'll try harder to cut channels under the surface of the wood, so that I can separate the pieces.
This part was done almost entirely by hand. I traced the outline of the guitar body on a piece of paper, then drew a pattern for the pick guard freehand. I went through three revisions of drawing a pattern, cutting it out, laying it on the guitar, and making note of adjustments to make. When I was satisfied with the design, I transferred it to a sheet of 1.6mm thick aluminum sheet, and cut out the pattern on a band saw. I finished the rough edges and got the fit around the blocks perfect using a belt sander.
I used Illustrator to plan out the spacing of the control knobs. I printed out the pattern and laid it on top of the cavity where the controls would be, with tape facing sticky-side up. When the pick guard was laid on top, the pattern transferred into the exact correct position on the underside of the pick guard. It was then an easy matter of drilling out the holes for the controls on a drill press.
Finish the pick guard by drilling screw holes all around the edge for mounting. I used flat-head #3 1/2" screws, so I countersunk the holes as well. You don't need that many screws, maybe one in every corner and then every three or four inches.
You will also need to make a new mounting plate that holds the power cord and the 1/4" jack. This one's much easier to make; just measure the appropriate spacing for the jacks and cut a plate to match.
Depending on what material you used to make the pick guard, you may want (or need) to polish it. I used increasingly fine grades of automotive sandpaper to polish the aluminum. I also decided to etch the knob labels, a laser caution label and my signature onto the aluminum using electrolytic etching, as described in my Valvelitzer Trifecta Instructable. This step is optional (and only possible if you use a metal pick guard!)
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