Darron's Laser Engraved Wood Pick guard report (big pictures + samples)

[ambulancevoice]

i received the laser engraved wooden pick guard from Darron today, installed it in my strat
here is darrons photo of it

comments
well, it sounds damn good, my strat sounds more resonant, more... pretty, more alive
i think the fact that its wood makes all the difference, also, unlike the plastic guard, i can barely see the scratches from strumming
i bet other woods like ash, maple (quilted!!!), ebony, maybe something a little exotic, like purpleheart wood add its own nuances
i just a bunch of new parts and ill have a damn good strat with the perfect pickguard

problems/suggestions
some of the screw holes where not in same place as mine, so i had to make new holes
the pot holes are a bit to big, i could probably fit a 1/4" jack in them
plus there are no holes for the little tabs (so i had to break them off)
it kinda smells funny (although thats not really important)
needs shielding (although i cant hear the difference between my old pick guard, which has "shielding" apparently)
i might add it myself

and now pictures and sounds!!!!
ok, on this sample, its just the guitar, with my chorus pedal and eq on on the bridge pickup (with the tone up a little, at like 6) into garage band (with di box amp simulation on too)
after that, its on to a metal sound, with compression (sustain full, compression full), chorus, and eq, with the mid/bridge pickup and tone rolled off into garage band, with amp simulation (drive) and more amp sim (di box amp sim)
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/ambulancevoice/cherrytest_m4a.html

second sample has drums, with the same metal sound from before (and i think a little reverb)
i did the drums with my fingers (not programmed)
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/ambulancevoice/cherreysong_m4a.html

i dont have an mp3 converter so there m4a files

PICTURESS PIUCUTUERE PCIUTUREU!!!
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/ambulancevoice/100_1135.JPG.html
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/ambulancevoice/100_1136.JPG.html
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/ambulancevoice/100_1137.JPG.html

[darron]

Hey! Thanks so much for getting this info out there. I'm glad to hear that it made it out to you alright. I forgot about it for a while. Quicktime's having a bit of trouble with the m4a files so I'll have to go through all of my players to find something that they work in. I was actually more interested in the cosmetics more than sound, but I do like the idea more than a plastic guard, especially since the soft wood would make a better connection with the guitar body. I'd be interested to see how it holds up for scratch testing in the future with more use.

Have to say, not sure that it suits your guitar, but if you are doing a natural finish like you said then it should look a lot nicer. Let me know if you do and I can make you a cover for the truss rod.


As for things not matching.... What I originally did was go to Billy Hyde and bought an official Fender strat plate (made in mexico). Got ripped off ridiculously and paid $40. It was made by a router and actually had a really rough edge and even a chip in on spot, but I knew I wasn't actually going to use it. Then I scanned it up and traced a vector outline by hand. Placed up against each other the holes and shape look perfect with the original I have, so if things are wrong then maybe there are different styles of plates out there and that could make my life hard if I wanted to sell these? I'm not that much of a Fender person myself, so I don't have a strat, but I installed one on my friend's 70's Jap strat with a perfect match-up except for one hole being a little bit miss-placed.

If anyone has more info on that, that would be great?


What did you mean by 'little tabs'?


If you would like to collaborate with me, then I'd be happy to make another one up for free and send that out to you ambulancevoice. You could even do your own design. If you could fit your original plate on a scanner and make me an image then I could better see what needs to be done.


I'll get shielding sorted out too (:



Again, thanks!


Darron

[ConanB]

I think that guitar looks perfect!
The white/black with the contrasting guard is something I'd love to get my hands on.

[ACS]

Hey Alex, that looks amazing mate.  Well done.  Your design?

Darron - that laser engraver produces some stunning work dude.  What sort of fees would you charge to get bits and pieces done?  (I'm in Melbourne, so delivery's not an issue).  Do you just take a design from a pic and go from there?

Too cool

Aidan

[darron]

ACS, if you can shed some light on the issue with mismatched pot hole sizes and stuff then i'm sure that we could work something out. being a prototype then maybe if you just  covered my cost in material and posting (or pickup from dandenong) then that would be cool?

if you're any good with imaging software then i can send you a vector copy of the outline and you can fill it up with whatever artwork you want. i can also process and do a very decent job of photos if you are interested in putting a wooded photo on your guitar? (:


definitely something that i should get around to selling one day instead of giving them away (:

where exactly are you from? i get around a bit so i might even be able to drop it off.

[ambulancevoice]

the little tabs on the side of the pots
they hold the pot stationary when mounted, so if the pot comes loose, they dont rotate in the hole

usually you just snap them off

and i actually kinda like the black white natural thing too, but i am going to make the guitar all natural, i do think it would look better also
at the moment though, im focusing on getting strings

well, ive been playing this thing alot, ive done alot so far, strumming, shredding, noise guitar, i even deliberately strummed so the pick would contact the guard, and i cant see a single scratch! seriously

i actually wouldnt worry to much about the unmatched screw holes, it was easy just to bore out new ones, and it holds on just fine, and it fits perfectly too
but some people are not so big on boring more holes in there guitars, so it was just a suggestion
i like the thickness too, makes it seem alot stronger
and its not flimsy at all
i would honestly prefer to use a wood guard over a plastic one any day


id love to collaborate, and being a graphic designer, id love to do my own design too
truss rod cover?? well, strats dont have them
besides, i need a new neck, cause i know i shouldnt be able to hear the truss rod rattle inside the neck

and yeah, you definitely (after some more trial runs, maybe with a telecaster or something, or a bass???) should try and sell them

[ACS]

ACS, if you can shed some light on the issue with mismatched pot hole sizes and stuff then i'm sure that we could work something out. being a prototype then maybe if you just  covered my cost in material and posting (or pickup from dandenong) then that would be cool?

if you're any good with imaging software then i can send you a vector copy of the outline and you can fill it up with whatever artwork you want. i can also process and do a very decent job of photos if you are interested in putting a wooded photo on your guitar? (:


definitely something that i should get around to selling one day instead of giving them away (:

where exactly are you from? i get around a bit so i might even be able to drop it off.

Cool man, I'm just down in Bonbeach, so I'm not too far from you at all - but I work in Mt Waverley and usually rehearse in Yarraville if either of those would be easier...

I don't have a strat or similar, so I'm not much use to you there, but would be keen to look at getting something similar done for my Flying V perhaps...  or at the very least I need to finally get around to getting a truss rod cover sorted for my custom (that I finished over two years ago  )

Do you have a gallery anywhere of the stuff you've done so far?  I remember the pic of your macbook a month or two back - that was stunning...

[darron]

id love to collaborate, and being a graphic designer, id love to do my own design too
truss rod cover?? well, strats dont have them
besides, i need a new neck, cause i know i shouldnt be able to hear the truss rod rattle inside the neck

and yeah, you definitely (after some more trial runs, maybe with a telecaster or something, or a bass???) should try and sell them

awesome! here's a link to the vector outline: http://www.dazatronyx.com/forums_etc/stratplate.eps

if you are going to use rasters, then keep them at 600 dpi as that's what i will do the final export at

i did a music man plate for a friend with a caracal lynx on it:



he actually didn't like the thickness and thought that it prevented him from doing some of his slap-bass sorta twangy stuff.

hmm.. i was thinking of non-fender strats for the truss rod cover, so thanks for reminding me.

if you've got a tele cover then i'd love to get a scan of that as i'm pretty sure they are all the same, but just in humbucker or single. karl from a local band called kisschasy asked me to make him one but i haven't gotten around to scanning his plate yet, so that could be a time-saver.

i know what you mean about the pots now. i could engrave those holes in in the future. i've never seen a strat with those sort of pots i think, but i've only looked a one actual fender strat i think.

Do you have a gallery anywhere of the stuff you've done so far?  I remember the pic of your macbook a month or two back - that was stunning...

just up the road (:

thanks for the kind words. i'm trying to make a site, but haven't had time recently. http://www.dazatronyx.com/laser/

the dog tags are a really cool thing that i actually enjoy making. makes for some cool band merch. if you know anyone who wants some reasonably priced... i want to start a new trend!

again, if I can get a scan up then that would be cool. i've got an a3 scanner too.

[ambulancevoice]

no i dont have a tele pick guard (although i will be needing one in the future)
found this though

and this

[ItZaLLgOOd]

I love that Tele Ambulance.  Makes me want to finish/ unfinish mine. 

[darron]

very cool!

i'm a vegetarian, but i guess something wrapped in leather with a similar image lasered in would look really cool. the image would burn in.

i'll save that tele image. i'd rather making my own instead of copying a copy, but it would be a fantastic reference to over lay it on the top. some of those edges aren't as smooth as they could be, like in the top-right.


makes room for excellent project.

[ConanB]

and i actually kinda like the black white natural thing too, but i am going to make the guitar all natural, i do think it would look better also

Nooooooo! 

Hehe ah well each to their own. Personally I love the look of your guitar as it is. Sure beats my plain ol black pair.
Maybe I should look into scoring a second-hand babe from somewhere and making it look personalized.

[John Lyons]

Darron
That look really nice!!
Is that Cherry wood?


john

[darron]

Darron
That look really nice!!
Is that Cherry wood?


john

Hey there John.

The wood I used was from this site - click on wood sheets and there's a cherry one there. Almost the majority of the wood is burnt with image, making it a bit darker.

Like I said in the pictures thread. I'm looking into getting some new solid woods of a greater variety, but it's very difficult considering the dimensions of the scratch plate. You're a bit of a wood expert, any tips?

[John Lyons]

Veneers are usually pretty thin and not thick enough for a pickguard.
You probably need to find a place that will sell variable thicknesses.
What is the site address you meant to link to?

thanks

john

[darron]

Veneers are usually pretty thin and not thick enough for a pickguard.
You probably need to find a place that will sell variable thicknesses.
What is the site address you meant to link to?

thanks

john

of crap. yes, i did forget to put the link in. sorry: http://www.laserworx.net.au/

[darron]

hey ambulancevoice! how's it going?

just thought i'd do a little followup on this. did you ever end up taking your guitar back to wood? i don't think the scratchplate really suited the guitar as it was.

i am mostly just curious to know how it held up? what were the sratches (if any) like compared to how an acrylic one would be?

thanks

darron

[Kearns892]

Very nice, excellent work Darron

[darron]

Very nice, excellent work Darron

Thanks Kearns (:

I have made more since.

I wonder if anyone knows where i can get some large adhesive aluminium foil for the back? i can only get rolls 100mm wide.

[jakehop]

Hey Darron, long time no see.

Have you thought about using a thin veneer, glued to a plate of aluminium or another, stronger, metal? I think that would double as less wood used, and a stronger product.

Just my 2 cents.

Kind regards, Jake