"Screwless" pickguards

[Paul]

honestly that is the best idea i have ever seen over seven years of collecting that is the best idea i have seen.

why hasn't gibson thought of this? because you aren't working for them........so what are you waiting for get down there and get a deal going you could make a fair bit of cash if you patent the idea right away other people may have done the same thing but they may not have taken out a patent.

other than that good job i would do the same but the holes are already in my guitar but if i ever get a les paul or any guitar without a pick guard I'm gonna have to get you to make me one of those.

[Bobby_Lee]

Originally Posted by Paul

honestly that is the best idea i have ever seen over seven years of collecting that is the best idea i have seen.

why hasn't gibson thought of this? because you aren't working for them........so what are you waiting for get down there and get a deal going you could make a fair bit of cash if you patent the idea right away other people may have done the same thing but they may not have taken out a patent.

other than that good job i would do the same but the holes are already in my guitar but if i ever get a les paul or any guitar without a pick guard I'm gonna have to get you to make me one of those.

Thanks Paul!! I am planning on moving to Tennessee in the next year or so.....................
I did do a patent search and as far as I can ascertain, There has not been anything even remotely like this patented.
Again, thanks for the props!!!

[Bobby_Lee]

Originally Posted by Tristram

Bobby Lee
I am from the LPF too. I think you have a great product here. I am interested for myself, the issue is: I have a Custom Shop Class5 LP. And from my understanding, a standard pickguard won't fit. The measurement between pickups is slightly different I believe. Do you have anything for the Class5 ??

The other thing I am wondering is... if they only attach from the pickup screw, is that the only place where they touch the guitar. Meaning, do they touch the nitro surface at any point for support or are the pickup screw enough to keep the up off the top of the guitar ??

BTW my last name is Lee too (no relation, I'm sure).

Hiya Tristam
I know I emailed you, but for other folks that might be interested. I am working on the Custom "screwless" pickguard. They do only contact the pickup ring and nowhere on the body. Even wailing on it, I can't make it touch the body. They do have some flex, but for the most part are quite firm..
Bobby Lee is my nickname (Bobby (Robert, Bob, Rob, etc.) is my real first name) But back when I used to gig out some of my bandmates started calling me Bobby Lee after Alvin Lee of Ten Years After fame. They said I sounded alot like him (I wish) I has stuck with me since then.

[Curlymaple]

Got my pick guard from Bobby a couple of days ago for my 04 standard ltd and very satisfied with the quality and ease of installation (no drilling) and best of all it looks pretty darn good. Thanks, Booby Lee for your brilliant idea. Best of luck, Dave

[WBPickups]

Originally Posted by Curlymaple

Got my pick guard from Bobby a couple of days ago for my 04 standard ltd and very satisfied with the quality and ease of installation (no drilling) and best of all it looks pretty darn good. Thanks, Booby Lee for your brilliant idea. Best of luck, Dave

I am looking forward to seeing them myself.. You have any pic of them on your guitar yet?

[WildeStarr]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Lee

Hello all. Some of you know me already from the LPF and have already seen my pickguards and may already have one or two. A little background first. I've been working with plastics for many years as a fabricator. I used to make acrylic grips for high end paintball guns. It seemed like a no brainer for me to do this. The whole pickguard thing started while I was trying to decide whether or not to drill into the top of my Faded to mount the stocker. I really didn't want to do that, but I still wanted the protection of a pickguard. Plastic fab + plastic pickguard= I started with a piece of 3mm clear acrylic and after some measurements and a sketch went to the Bridgeport milling machine and made the first one. I formed (line bent) The pickguard to resemble the lines of the stock guard. I removed the pickup ring screws and mounted the pickguard to the pickup rings and it fit perfectly and looked great. Aha this is great. After some initial spamming at the LPF ( Some of you probably read that whole post) I decided to take it up a notch and write a CNC program and rout them. They turn out great. I still have to form them by hand and flame polish them but it is now at least feasible to make them easy enough to make it worth it to sell. The first few I made I back painted. What that means is I spray painted the back side of the pickguard after all the operations were done with whatever color I wanted. It gives a nice deep look to it. I now also have a solid cream color and black as well as the clear either as is or painted. I also can sandblast logos/names, etc. And before the year is out, I will have a laser engraver I can use that will enable me to engrave high detail. So far these don't fit Customs (different spacing) and there are some issues with taller Historic rings. Here are some pics. The first pic is the same as my avatar.

Wow, very nice!

[Bobby_Lee]

Thanks again Dave!
Will here's a pic of Daves Std Ltd with a clear screwless pickguard. Some like the clear some don't. It does look like you almost have no pickguard at all. Best of all.....No Holes!!
Hey WildeStarr, Thanks!

[MIDNIGHT]

have you worked out that site for your pickguards yet bobby?

[WildeStarr]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Lee

Thanks again Dave!
Will here's a pic of Daves Std Ltd with a clear screwless pickguard. Some like the clear some don't. It does look like you almost have no pickguard at all. Best of all.....No Holes!!
Hey WildeStarr, Thanks!

I don't really like clear ones that much, they remind me of those clear guards that guys use on their flamenco guitars. The other ones, RULE.

[Bobby_Lee]

Originally Posted by WildeStarr

I don't really like clear ones that much, they remind me of those clear guards that guys use on their flamenco guitars. The other ones, RULE.

Yea, I know what ya mean.. The great thing about the clear ones, is that I can back paint them and then engrave, etch, sandblast, from the backside with logos, names, designs, etc. Kinda like the Zoso standard pickguard I did.

Now imagine that logo coming thru a ivory painted or even a black painted. I could even get crazy (alright, crazier) and run an LED on the back side and have the whole edge lit up Hey forget Ace Frehley, I'll have flames shooting out the edges.... Ok well maybe not.

[Bobby_Lee]

Originally Posted by midnightdreamer

have you worked out that site for your pickguards yet bobby?

Hiya Jason No, not yet. I'm afraid I'm inept when it comes to web building. I have in mind what I want, but not the skills Maybe someone on the mylespaul forums would want to make some $?

[WildeStarr]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Lee

Yea, I know what ya mean.. The great thing about the clear ones, is that I can back paint them and then engrave, etch, sandblast, from the backside with logos, names, designs, etc. Kinda like the Zoso standard pickguard I did.

Now imagine that logo coming thru a ivory painted or even a black painted. I could even get crazy (alright, crazier) and run an LED on the back side and have the whole edge lit up Hey forget Ace Frehley, I'll have flames shooting out the edges.... Ok well maybe not.

Thats very cool, I might have some work for you!

[Reddranger]

Hi Bobby,

I'd really like to get one of your cream pickguards. I tried emailing you, but I'm not sure if it reached you. Should I try again?

Thanks!

[ArchEtech]

This is so funny I just PM'd him I must have one.

I actually just today was thinking about how to do this EXACT thing while I was jogging, and thought it would be a great idea and maybe I could make a business out of it HAHA, I guess someone beat me to it - on the plus side he isn't charging $49 for the damn thing, and now I can just buy one!

[BOBBO]

I hate to be a nay sayer ! As a traditonalist I dont like the look of it !! I dont mind screwholes ... Screw holes are Old School !!! You think Jimmy Page gives a *F* if his LP has screw holes ????????

[MIDNIGHT]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Lee

Hiya Jason No, not yet. I'm afraid I'm inept when it comes to web building. I have in mind what I want, but not the skills Maybe someone on the mylespaul forums would want to make some $?

then make a thread about it asking if someone can do it.. im pretty sure there's someone out there

P.S. thanks for calling me by my real name.. .. nobody's ever done that yet here on MLP.. i think..

[loneguitar]

Nice ones BobbyLee, do you make them just for LPs, or will you do them for others as well, do you have price list?

[im_b0r3d_]

Hey great pickguards! Is it possible to make me a black pickguard with the Zoso symbol on it for my les paul studio? That would be great, and could you tell me the price? Thanks

[Bobby_Lee]

And again, thank you all.
bobbovisme...I agree, these aren't for everyone, especially the traditionalists. But then that's not who I was thinking of when I started. I tried to come up with a reasonable facsimile of the stock pickguard. It's pretty close. I do also make the stock Les Paul pickguards. And I can match part colors by back painting a clear. And by the way, I love some of your photos!
im_b0r3d_ Email me. I think we can come up with something. I have a couple of ideas.
Peace
Bobby

[BOBBO]

Originally Posted by Bobby_Lee

And again, thank you all.
bobbovisme...I agree, these aren't for everyone, especially the traditionalists. But then that's not who I was thinking of when I started. I tried to come up with a reasonable facsimile of the stock pickguard. It's pretty close. I do also make the stock Les Paul pickguards. And I can match part colors by back painting a clear. And by the way, I love some of your photos!
im_b0r3d_ Email me. I think we can come up with something. I have a couple of ideas.
Peace
Bobby

Bobby , Didn't mean to pee on anyone's cornflakes ! They look well crafted but I'm a purist !! .. Peace be with you young Jedi







Now that's a sweet pickguard , Look it's got growin stuff on it !! COOL ..

[Reddranger]

Well I just got mine in the mail (thank you Bobby Lee) and you can count me as a happy customer. I can understand the purist point of view. But in the end, I couldn't bring myself to drill holes. Plus, the guard that came stock with my LP was a flesh pink color I don't like.

Anyhow, for those still wondering...this is not a flimsy piece of plastic. It's as sturdy as the stock pickguard. Plus, Bobby includes a soft rubber foot for the underside of the guard for those worried about proper support.

The nice part of it all, is it allows one to have the pickguard on in a non-permanent way.

Thanks Bobby!

[Tristram]

Bobby_Lee
Still on standby for when you make your pickguard fit my Les Paul Class5. Very excited about it, so forgive me bugging you. I know you are busy and it's on the list somewhere.

When that time comes, please email me. i think you have my address from me emailing you about this weeks back. If you don't have it anymore, just PM me.

Thanks bro
(Ric Lee) not related