Designing some Pickguards (and new guitar)

[taylornutt]

I have been collecting various pickguards for a while now. Some are butchered guards that other Shortscalers replaced and didn't want anymore.

So I got out some card stock and started tracing.

Started with these: Cyclone II, Jag-stang, and MIJ Jaguar


I took a butchered Cyclone II pickguard and tryed to return it to stock. Anyone know the spacing between the 3 AVRI pickups? I thought about one inch looked right.


I was inspired by the Jagstang 2.0 by punkacc9, but I wanted to approach it from a Cyclone II perspective. I wanted the 3 AVRI pickups, but move the 3 pickup switches to the rhythm circuit so I could get rid Jaguar plate.


I started with the same Cyclone II guard but removed the Jaguar pickup selector plate. I then placed the Jaguar guard on top to work in the chrome plate for the rhythm circuit of the Jaguar.
I finally used Jag-stang pickguard to fit the Mustang tremolo and shape the lower horn. I just remembered the Jag-stang pickguard is not shaped the same way on the lower horn so I will have to retweek it back when I get home tonight.
Please forgive the quick Photoshop job, I just wanted to show what the pickguard woulld look like on the guitar. It needs some smoothing on the top.



I had also received an original butchered Fender XII guard and a I made a tracing from it as well, minus the humbucker hole.

[Addam]

Have you got a router table?
If you have, make a spacer and use a bit with a bearing running on the edge of the pickguard to make an MDF copy.
Easy, and quicker than using tracings.

[cooter]

"Ooh-ooh-ooooh!" I need this to hang on my fridge and to make a template of.

[Awstin]

"Ooh-ooh-ooooh!" I need this to hang on my fridge and to make a template of.

Lol. Do you have a template of one of these bodies man?

[Awstin]

That photoshop you did looks really awesome. I like it with the mint green. You don't think the cyclone 2 (jaguar style) pickup selector may be nice to have though? I think it would fill out the chrome nicely.

[taylornutt]

"Ooh-ooh-ooooh!" I need this to hang on my fridge and to make a template of.

It's on a standard 8.5 x 11 card stock. I could scan and send to you.

[taylornutt]

"Ooh-ooh-ooooh!" I need this to hang on my fridge and to make a template of.

Lol. Do you have a template of one of these bodies man?

Unfortunately not. I got the pickguard from DNGR8 and he resurrected a butchered Fender XII. He was going to send me a template but I think he got busy. Unfortunately, you can't build one with the original bridges since they are not produced.

[taylornutt]

That photoshop you did looks really awesome. I like it with the mint green. You don't think the cyclone 2 (jaguar style) pickup selector may be nice to have though? I think it would fill out the chrome nicely.

When you compare the placement of the Jaguar pickup selector on the Jaguar and the Cyclone II, the placement on the Cyclone II is visually and functionally awkward. They basically didn't want to make the plate smaller and stuck it in where it would fit. If they could have moved the one of the outside pickguard mounting screw over a bit to the left and added one more to the right, they could have slid the whole plate over a bit more towards the lower horn. I still prefer the 3 switches over a 5 way strat switch. You can tell whoever designed the Cyclone II really loved Jaguars, because normally you would have seen the 5 way strat switch on a 3 pickup guitar and they put the switch plate in there despite it's awkward placement.

I just kinda liked the idea of re-purposing the rhythm circuit plate similar to the Johnny Marr Jaguar. I love all the mods on that guitar and how well they were thought out. Since your Jag-stang 2.0 body has the full Jaguar upper horn, I liked the idea of using the rhythm circuit plate for the 3 pickup switches to add more chrome since removing the pickup switch plate would result in a loss of chrome. Overall net gain in chrome and more Jaguar look.

I also considered just placing each pickup switch above each pickup Mustang style or just cutting holes for the pickup switches directly under the pickguard closer to the lower horn.

[taylornutt]

I cut out the Jag-stang 2.0 template I got from Cooterfinger and added my new pickguard tracing and sketched the rhythm circuit plate using my Jazzmaster pickguard and referencing my AVRI Jaguar for switch placement. The roller sliders on a Jaguar are closer together than a Jazzmaster.

I need to extend my pickguard to match with Cooterfinger's original design, which will give more room for the bridge pickup. I might shift the pickups just slightly together. I am really thinking this will be my next project after my Jazzmaster.

Concept


Template tracings

[Awstin]

Another 2.0! This is awesome name it "2.5" haha

[taylornutt]

Another 2.0! This is awesome name it "2.5" haha

It starts with the Jag-stang 2.0 body. Maybe it could be Cyclone III or Cyclo-stang?

[Awstin]

Another 2.0! This is awesome name it "2.5" haha

It starts with the Jag-stang 2.0 body. Maybe it could be Cyclone III or Cyclo-stang?

Psyduck?

[Awstin]

Any more progress on this?

[taylornutt]

Not really. I am still trying to get money and time to finish this:



I don't dare start another project until I finish this one. Still want to attempt it. It would also be fun with a Bronco Trem.