Friday, February 26, 2016

Update . . . again

Well people I'm still working on it . . . . . the manufacture of the blank for the pick guard is driving me up the wall . . . and that's just the design for the material . . . .

I think I have if figured now though . . . here is the current manufacturing process (subject to changes at any time for any reason)

1. Cut a sheet of 1/16 (or so) aluminium to the design of the guard (under the strings and up) - update: looks like it'll be more like 1/64 . . . and only a "rough cut" for the outline
2. Key / scruff the whole thing to give the epoxy something to hold on to - update: sand it (40-80 grit) to remove the oxide layer and clean with acetone . . . test epoxy and gorilla glue
3. Cut the holes for the controls
   - current thinking is 2 4 position rotaries (3 pole) for pickup selection (rail, both par, both series, P90 on the Duncan P Rails) in the top cavity - update: interchange 2 & 3
 4. Glue on 1/16 exotic wood (Wenge / Red heart / Yellow heart linear mozaic) - update: drill holes as appropriate first.
 5. Cut wood to aluminium sheet
 6. Finish and install

And then put a 'regular' pick guard over the bottom cavity which will contain . . .

  - Oak/Grigsby 4 position (2 pole) switch in the bottom horn for switching neck, parallel, both, series
   - tone & volume in the usual places . . .
   - which leaves me 1 position (she has a les Paul style side jack) . . . either a 2nd tone (so individual neck and bridge tones) or . . . something else. I've been playing with the idea of a capacitor switch & phase switch in that position but have come to no firm conclusion yet . . . probably will have to make a scratch guard and j... just do it . . . (with apologies to Nike).

Here is a sample of the current front runner pickguard material for the bottom

71ogBGMAVjL._SL1000_.jpg

I'll have to get it to decide if it 'works' though . . . . . . .