Fully hollow and carved Les Paul

WezV

wood is one option, but I don't want to add too much weight for a sturdy one, or have to bind a thinner one to prevent chips.   i actually made the guard template out of an off cut of top, so could do a sycamore one really easily by taking a slice off the template

i'm still to decide on knobs, standard amber gibson style is my backup

ICBM

guitargeek62 said:

With that in mind, how about ebony/rosewood to match the bridge? It'll keep the wood theme going and minimise plastics throughout - maybe use the same for the knobs too?

Wooden pickguards and knobs - and pickup surrounds - are an abomination. 1970s furniture guitar accessories.



I think the guard is perfect as it is. It just needs a pair of old bakelite knobs to go with it.




(I still think it needs the triple diamond tailpiece too! )

Jez6345789

Looking really nice build 
As for the guard may be try gold/silver/bronze foil against it see if it pushed the light back a bit more or just black card to see what it would look like black painted. I don't like it as it is but worth the experiment.

WezV

ICBM said:

(I still think it needs the triple diamond tailpiece too! )

Look at this old Cromwell archtop


its not too far off the aesthetic I have in my head (simplified gibson), and the tailpiece is similar to the Duesenberg one.   We will see what i actually prefer once the part turns up

Roland

To my eye the beige areas of the pick guard don’t go with the yellow of the body, and the cloudy pattern on the guard doesn’t go with the more precise patterning of the neck and body grains. Changing just one of these would make a big difference. @Jez6345789 ’s metal foil idea might be a solution, otherwise a different pick guard. Maybe a clear one?

WezV

Roland said:

To my eye the beige areas of the pick guard don’t go with the yellow of the body, and the cloudy pattern on the guard doesn’t go with the more precise patterning of the neck and body grains. Changing just one of these would make a big difference. @Jez6345789 ’s metal foil idea might be a solution, otherwise a different pick guard. Maybe a clear one?

thanks for the more detailed feedback on what isn't working for some

I suggested foil originally as it is what was done on a lot of older guards, usually why they look too bright.

I went for medium tort on this one and part of me is wondering if the darker version would be better.  Ideally i would want a  bit more red, but not too much red  


worth remembering  the guards do often clash a bit on this style

TTony

Roland said:

To my eye the beige areas of the pick guard don’t go with the yellow of the body, and the cloudy pattern on the guard doesn’t go with the more precise patterning of the neck and body grains. 

That might be it.

The colours on your finish and pickguard are not hugely different to those on the Cromwell archtop.    On the Cromwell, it all matches OK.  But the Cromwell's pickguard pattern is much more defined and precise. 

Perhaps it's just the cloudy pattern that's "off" on yours?

WezV

i don't think the material is translucent enough for the backing to make much difference



it takes actual light it change it





but it is kinda porous so i might look into tinting it a little

PhilKing

I think it actually looks like it is shades of brown mixed in a milky beige rather than the amber that you see on the Cromwell guard.   Is it also a bit thicker than the one on the Cromwell, which is why is isn't so translucent?

WezV

Yeah, definitely... Just seeing if I can tint the other guard I made.

Winny_Pooh

Can you spray some thinned out red or yellow lacquer over the gaurd? Then some clear on top.

Jalapeno

WezV said:

couldnt resist a mockup


below the "binding" will all be tinted with tobacco brown, thne its onto clear

Rudddy Marvellous !!!!!!!!!

WezV

Winny_Pooh said:

Can you spray some thinned out red or yellow lacquer over the gaurd? Then some clear on top.

i definitely can, just need to consider how it might wear

WezV

i have a couple of other options coming.  I will make a guard out of each and see what i prefer

this


https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/554592754/3mm-w204-blown-and-dark-brown-marble?ref=shop_home_active_24&frs=1

and this



https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/240113210/3mm-w308-dark-brown-white-and-drown?ref=shop_home_active_25&frs=1&crt=1


will see how the sheets look when they arrive and put this decision off for now

WezV

The Duesenberg tailpiece just arrived, and it's great quality so will definitely be used on this.   I will get a pic at some point on the guitar, but it's just had a coat of paint round it's back

PeteC

Have you definitely ruled out black (de-glossed).  I think it would look classic and 
would be my preference if I was having this custom made myself. 

The second of the two sheet materials seems to echo the colours in the fretboard better but looks very similar in tone to the existing guard you tried.  

Tricky - the guitar looks fantastic whatever you go with tbh.  

WezV

Tbh I got these as I was interested in the material.   Might use it for this, might not.   It's a lot cheaper than luthier supply places so worth a punt to see what it's like

Black just seems so plain, but I might knock one up at some point

enjo

Would the surface buff to a higher grade? If it was more reflective the darker areas would look darker. In the images above the surface looks to be more of a sheen rather than a shine but it may be the light.

WezV

Whatever I use will look hand buffed.... I'm not after super shiny.

Roland

WezV said:

i have a couple of other options coming.  I will make a guard out of each and see what i prefer ..

That one looks interesting.