Quick hello and quick question.

[Bitsleftover]

Hi there,
Thanks for accepting me into the fold.
I'm a clapped out old rocker from Cheshire in England. I've got a selection of guitars of varied price points and I love them all.
My most recent addition is a gorgeous G-400 1965 Reissue with a Maestro Trem.
I bought it blind off eBay for a bargain and didn't really know what to expect from it.
It arrived and it feels absolutely fantastic. The neck fits my hand like a glove. Perfect size, perfect profile. I expected to have to dress the frets, but no, set the action where I like it and no buzz, rattle or anything.
I'll probably replace the pups for something a little less hot, but that's a personal taste thing.
There's only one thing I really want to change...and that, in my long winded way, brings me onto my question...
I've seen it asked a few times on here before but haven't been able to find a definitive answer.
Does anyone know where I can find a full face 'batwing' pickguard to fit my guitar? The only place I've found is in the US and the cost of the guard plus pnp will probably come to the same as I spent on the guitar.
Alternatively, does anyone have a template for one? The links I've found here don't work. I've just had one attempt at making one but it hasn't turned out well and I don't have any more material left.
Thanks for any help you can give me and I look forward to chatting with you all.
Cheers
Mick

 

[Scootermuppet]

Hi Mick, welcome to the forum!

I've been trying to source a pickguard for my '89 G-310, but have drawn a blank, you might have more success with with finding one to fit a G-400.

There are a few places I over here that make custom pickguards, but they aren't usually cheap, was quoted 'from £36' for one for the 310 - here's a link:

http://www.jacksinstrumentservices.com/custom-scratchplate-cutting.html

I've come to the conclusion I'm going to have to make my own too, will be documenting it on here, so if any of the info I dig up is useful feel free to use it. I do have a PDF of a Gibson batwing to use as a starting point, let me know if you'd like a copy.

Have tried a couple of later 310 pickguards, but they are slightly different, so will have to be a custom one fitted to my guitar.

Good luck with your search

Bob

 

[Bitsleftover]

Thanks bob, I've got a gibson special template which I used as a starting point. I think I just rushed it for the simple reason it was just so bloody cold in my garage. I'll have another go. I may even be able to salvage this one. I thought since Epiphone made the1966 reissue with the full face guard that one would be available by now but obviously not. There's a 66RI going on eBay for £130 at the minute. I considered buying it just to clone its guard then putting it back on the bay, but my Mrs will kill me if I come home with yet another guitar! Haha

 

[Scootermuppet]

I bought '99 310 Epi for the same reason! Was gonna swap the guard, but it's a slightly different layout to the '89 and I don't want to drill more holes - so will set it up and move it on. Even tried a later one - found an '08 loaded body on ebay - but still not quite the same...

Have stripped that to sell the bits, should cover the cost and have a few spares left over

I'd better get started on making a guard, can't see lots of people needing a template for an old Epi SG, but will offer it to anyone who wants it.

Hope you can salvage the first one! Could I ask where you got the blank for the guard from?

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Bitsleftover]

I've been racking my brains and I just can't remember! I'll dig through my emails today and try to find the order. It was leftover 4 ply BWBW from a Chibson P90 SG I bought in a moment of madness. The guitar it's self is great, but the guard was horrendously bad with the pickup alignment all wonky and everything. I've had my money worth out of the sheet though. I did a 50s Gibson shape guard for an Epi 335 pro with one of the offcuts. I'll get back to you later today when I order some more,

 

[Scootermuppet]

Thanks! Will hold off ordering til I hear from you.

Have to work out the best way to cut it out too, don't have access to any power tools at the minute....

 

[Bitsleftover]

I got a large A5 sheet from dangleberrymusic on ebay for about £13 but they dont seem to be selling it any more. Vansonguitars do an A4 BWB sheet for about a tenner so Ill probably go with that.
The ones Ive done in the past I just cut out with a copin saw and smoothed with a hand file. I put the 45 degree bevel on the edge by using a stanley knife blade as a scrapper. They all come out really well except this last one. Its the pickup cut outs that I find the hardest part to make look professional. The plastic is so soft that it only takes one or two strokes of a file to take too much material away and the straight edge of a covered pickup really shows up any inperfections. Uncovered Pickups might not be as unforgiving, or they may be even harder?
Where abouts on muppet island are you Bob? Id be happy to cut you a guard in return for a tracing of your 66Reissue Batwing ;-)

 

[DrBGood]

I bought '99 310 Epi for the same reason! Was gonna swap the guard, but it's a slightly different layout to the '89 and I don't want to drill more holes - so will set it up and move it on. Even tried a later one - found an '08 loaded body on ebay - but still not quite the same...

Have stripped that to sell the bits, should cover the cost and have a few spares left over

Wow ... did you think about swapping everything, pickguard, neck, electronics from your '89 to the '99 body. You then get the playability of the '89 you like with a nice batwing. I am sure there musn't be that big a difference between both bodies, that it'll make the new hybrid play/sound bad.

 

[Scootermuppet]

Hadn't thought of that DrB.... Interesting....

And I'm in the Midlands Mick, thanks for the offer! That was the way I'd imagine cutting the pickguard too, so might have a go myself!

The batwing from the 66 reissue is a Gibson look-a-like, as it has the holes for the bridge posts, if that's the sort you're after, I'd gladly trace it for you?

Bob

 

[Bitsleftover]

Thanks Bob, but i just had a bit of a brain fart.
I looked up the stock photo of the 66RI G-400 from the Epi website, saved the image, then zoomed in till it was the right size displayed on a 32" monitor. (Double checked size against a spare pickup) Then I traced it from that. Turns out it doesnt fit. The poker chip around the switch is half covered. Ill use this template to base my own design around though.
Thanks for your help. Ill get ordering some more material now.

 

[jjudas]

Yep. A G310 batwing PG doesn't fit a G400. I've seen several G400 owners go on this quest. I have the small angel wing PG on my G400. I prefer the batwing, but the angel wing is just fine. I think the only way to go is to have one custom made for the G400 65 RI w/ vibrola.

 

[dub-setter]

hi mick


maybe u can use the one from the epi site
as a template and mark the holes by yourself
by measuring the sizes/distance for knobs pick ups.. etc
and drill the holes also by yourself...

some gibson pickguards fit the older g400 sometimes, what i heard.. but thats
like finding the needle in a haystack...


wonder also why there are so less epi pickguards
on sale here (europe/continent)

 

[Raiyn]

https://www.greasygroove.com/thesgroom.php

On my side of the pond, but what're ya gonna do?

 

[dub-setter]

.. noice...

 

[Raiyn]

.. noice...

I try, sometimes the patience of others, but I try.

 

[dub-setter]

yap..

epis are made in china..
but most of the pickguard seller are in the U.S.
(well, most of the buyers as well)

seems they forgot about the "european modder market"...

 

[Raiyn]

yap..

epis are made in china..
but most of the pickguard seller are in the U.S.
(well, most of the buyers as well)

seems they forgot about the "european modder market"...

Well, one modder to another: whatever I can do to help, just ask.

 

[Scootermuppet]

Same here, always happy to help.

Have been looking at second hand scroll saws on ebay, could make cutting my own pickguard a hell of a lot faster!

Then stick it back on ebay again after - unless anyone else in the UK or Europe wants a custom guard cutting? (Postage would probably kill it for the States, but you guys seem well served already...)

 

[Raiyn]

Postage would probably kill it for the States, but you guys seem well served already.....

The last time I bought from the U.K., my postage was nearly the price of the item. I should mention, they shipped it by rowboat.

 

[Scootermuppet]

The last time I bought from the U.K., my postage was nearly the price of the item. I should mention, they shipped it by rowboat.

Aahhh, you went for the Express service then