Need advice for a leather pick guard mount
Posted: February 22nd, 2016, 12:51 pm
Okay, this is a bit out of my scope of knowledge, but I've been trying to gather info online and I know there are very knowledgeable luthiers here that might have suggestions.
The pick guard on my '75 Tele bass pretty much disintegrated a year ago, so I ordered a replacement through WD. I've always considered putting a real cowhide pick guard on this bass, however, and ended up buying a cow skin off eBay. It is not a rigid, sturdy piece of leather, however, as is typical of leather pick guards one may encounter, and the Tele bass requires that the humbucker pickup mount to the pick guard. So I can't cut the leather to shape and simply use it alone, as it's not sturdy enough to hold the PUP, I'd have to cut it to shape and somehow mount it to the WD pick guard.
Aside from having no experience whatsoever in cutting leather, how would you suggest I do this? Is there some leather adhesive or something that will bond it to the pick guard? Should I cut the leather larger than the pick guard to allow for it to wrap under and around the pick guard, or cut it to actual pickguard size and just glue it to the face? Or, taking the easy/lazy route, does anyone know someone who might be able to do this kind of work if I send them the components?
The pick guard on my '75 Tele bass pretty much disintegrated a year ago, so I ordered a replacement through WD. I've always considered putting a real cowhide pick guard on this bass, however, and ended up buying a cow skin off eBay. It is not a rigid, sturdy piece of leather, however, as is typical of leather pick guards one may encounter, and the Tele bass requires that the humbucker pickup mount to the pick guard. So I can't cut the leather to shape and simply use it alone, as it's not sturdy enough to hold the PUP, I'd have to cut it to shape and somehow mount it to the WD pick guard.
Aside from having no experience whatsoever in cutting leather, how would you suggest I do this? Is there some leather adhesive or something that will bond it to the pick guard? Should I cut the leather larger than the pick guard to allow for it to wrap under and around the pick guard, or cut it to actual pickguard size and just glue it to the face? Or, taking the easy/lazy route, does anyone know someone who might be able to do this kind of work if I send them the components?