M
MatchBookNotes
New member
I was wondering does it matter what kind of metal you use? Is there anything exta involved like shielding or anything?
danw
cheap bastard
Most people I've seen use aluminum, but I've occasionally seen stainless steel (see here and here). I have a homemade one out of a regular steel welding sheet from lowes, but I wouldn't recommend it, as in the back of my mind I'm a little worried about it rusting. Sheet aluminum is just as available and easy to work with.
Shielding just has to be conductive, right? I would think a metal pickguard would serve the same function as a foil-backed plastic one, as long as it's attached to the rest of the shielding for the cavity.
Shielding just has to be conductive, right? I would think a metal pickguard would serve the same function as a foil-backed plastic one, as long as it's attached to the rest of the shielding for the cavity.
DrewPeterson7
Sage of the Order
I think you actually need to isolate the pickkguard from the electronics so as not to cause grounding issues, actually - I could have sworn I read about a few DIY jobs where guys ran into that.
W
Whale Bone
New member
You could make ground loops because the pots' cases (likely grounded) will be connected to the pickguard. The same can happen with foil shielding on the back of plastic pickguard. I'd try connecting the pickguard to the ground, and if there were a problem, isolating the pots with plastic washers from the pickguard.
Light
New member
Yup.
Nope.
Theoretically, yes, but in practice, no.
I've got an anodized aluminum pickguard on my Strat, and it works just fine. Of course, because I'm using hum-canceling pickups and all the wires inside are shielded, I didn't have to shield the guitar, but I've done these for others and the pickguard works just like any other conductor for the shielding.
Light
"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
G
ggunn
Crystal Flavolian
You can't really isolate it electrically, since the pot shells are grounded. For shielding, you wouldn't want to, anyway; the shield must be connected to instrument ground.
M
MatchBookNotes
New member
cool thanks for the clairty!
any ideas on a wholly metal guitar would be like? Could you have a metal neck with a fretboart attached somehow, what about a truss rod? or would it be best just to bolt on a wooden neck?
any ideas on a wholly metal guitar would be like? Could you have a metal neck with a fretboart attached somehow, what about a truss rod? or would it be best just to bolt on a wooden neck?
S
second skin
BEAT IT!
travis bean and some kramers used aluminum necks for a while.
also there's this guy. wood neck, metal bodies
i'm not aware of any that have been all metal.
JCH
El Nacho
Don't use any metal with magnetic properties. Putting any kind of metal in the magnetic field of the pickups is going to alter the tone to some extent. Anything that a magnet will stick to can really rob tone.
Bergeron All aluminum guitars I surfed across this a couple years ago..... I'd rather have a National. Or any resonator for that matter.
M
MatchBookNotes
New member
aluminium is a choice material then? i think maybe a metal semi-hollow electric might bea cool idea, i do know a fabricator.
JCH
El Nacho
That sounds like quite a project. Brass would be easier. It can be soldered together. Aluminum must be TIG welded.
M
MatchBookNotes
New member
hmmm... lots of possibilites. they should make a wang caster out of bronze. that's would be the ultimate guitar. shows you got true kahones.
S
stevieb
Just another guy, really.
I have an old Japanese bass, with an original, and heavy, chrome-plated pickguard. Wild!