Pickguards

[simso]

Asking and thinking out load, weve just started into manufacturing via cnc "pickguards", does anyone have a grasp on trade marks.

Currently Im only offering replacment of your pickguard, so example the customer needs to give me theres and I will duplicate it

Those out there at the moment offering replacement pickguards, Im wondering how they do it, example a person wants a fender p-bass pickguard, is the replacment there making endorsed by fender. To this end, what about the guitar drawings from places like stewmac and so forth, are they paying fender and everyone else money for proprietry rights.

As I said Im just asking as this is beyond my minds capability, but ive got to start somewhere

[woodrat]

Hi Steve, are you asking whether a shape could be a trademark?...I believe that Martin had recently Trademarked the shape of their headstock.

John

[simso]

pretty much yes, and then if it could, how are others currently doing it

[Allen]

I just make them and don't worry about it.

[jeffhigh]

As far as I am aware, fender has the shape of their headstocks trademarked, those offering exact replacement necks such as warmoth and allparts pay a licensing fee to fender to do so. Others chose to alter the shape slightly. Gibson has the shape of the top of its headstock similarly protected.

I have never heard of a similar restriction on pickguards, really doubt you have any worries, just be careful how you use the model names

[Mark McLean]

Hi Steve
It would be great to have a local producer of replacement pickguards. I don't know what rules apply but some overseas makers offer designs to replicate lots of brands, including out of production ones (eg this mob - http://www.terrapinguitars.com). I am sure they are not paying for use of the shapes. If you use a phrase like "in the style of..." or something you will probably avoid any trouble - at least until your international sales get so huge that you threaten the profits of Fender or Gibson. Then they might come after you.
cheers
Mark

[willcall]

Hi, are you doing timber pickguards or plastic?
There is a fella at Maleny in Qld. who is doing timber ones
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Guitar-Scrat ... 3cbd6f9584

Sounds good though.


Will

[simso]

Thanks guys, weve geared up for all types of plastic pick guards, we could also make wood ones, but plastic is the standard, Ive only got base colours at the moment and am sourcing the intricate flashy stuff at the moment.

Ill book myself in with a legal begal next week and find out the full story, but it looks promising

[Tod Gilding]

Hi Steve, are you doing those clear Pickguards in the Martin Style.

[simso]

Whatevers needed. Im doing our firstcnc machine run tommorrow, Have 13 to do, but still got to work out feeds speeds types of cutters etc for the cnc machine, so Im probbaly going to melt a few pickguards, throw a few, destroy a few cutters etc

[simso]

This is how the laser scanner is bringing them in, then Ive got to smooth the lines out with computer programs and reverse engineer it.

[MBP]

Sounds good simso.

What sort of money would you be after for a wooden one (tele) if customer supplied wood. I realise you arnt doing wooden ones yet, just after a rough price.

[simso]

So, 30 minutes later of hand drawing vectors it now looks like this ready for a machine to be able to use.

Tommorrow I can do a pencil run and compare, and if it works then machine out the first pickguard

One down 12 to go.

Cost is an unknown at the moment, I used to charge for hand make pickguards 45-90 dependant on how difficult it was. Once these are drawn up and proof run, then its a max 10 minute job, but to get to that first magic point for each pickguard is a good hour or two of computer work.

[Ormsby Guitars]

Cost is an unknown at the moment, I used to charge for hand make pickguards 45-90 dependant on how difficult it was.

Insane. Im $120 minimum plus double the cost of the materials.

Is your laser scanner a hand held unit, or part of the CNC? More details please!!

[simso]

Perry, Ive spoken to you before mate, your welcome to pop in and say hello. I have the utmost repsect for your work and do hold you in high regard as a guitar manufacturer. We are not manufacturers just repairers and even though in the repair business we are propbably regarded as competitors, I dont view it that way.

The laser scanner is a cnc motorised unit, the cnc router is an 8 tool unit. An example, it could copy any design guitar you have and import the shape 3d, then we could reverse engineer it and punch it out by the hundreds to thousands on the router. However this is not what we want for our business model. But it should give you an idea of its capabilities

Steve

[simso]

A bit of an unfruitful day,

I had to machine up a sprung loaded pen holder for the cnc, so that way I can see what the job will look like on a piece of A3 paper. For sizing and correctness etc..Heres the little blighter, you wouldnt believe how long it took to make it. The top winds out from the bottom, which encloses a pen, with an inner spring which allows up to 3mm down pressure. This whole piece goes into a er32 collet which then gets fitted into one of the quick change tool holders

Lucky I did make it up, the porcess through three programs scanner / vectoriser / cnc software manages to shrink the job by a couple of mm, so got to stretch the job before I can cut it

[Ormsby Guitars]

Perry, Ive spoken to you before mate, your welcome to pop in and say hello. I have the utmost repsect for your work and do hold you in high regard as a guitar manufacturer. We are not manufacturers just repairers and even though in the repair business we are propbably regarded as competitors, I dont view it that way.

Hey Steve, there is more than enough work in Perth for everyone, so no competition here Ive dropped from 40 odd repairs a week to a limit of no more than 10. With Harry retiring earlier this year, it's meant a lot of people need somewhere else to go. Someone's gotta take up that slack! But, your pickguard prices are too cheap, thats what I was saying. Ive never had someone not go ahead with a $120 + 2x materials quote. What would a plumber charge for the same hourly rate (without the machinery)?

[simso]

Cool, 45-90 was the ball park range, stores supply me the pick guard material so no cost there on my behalf. If someone wanted a custom truss rod cover or a pick guard for an acoustic thats in the 45 range, 90 range is things like the fenders etc like this one shown in this scenario.

Ideally my end goal is to be able to source / supply / shape the materials to custom make pick guards for the 45-55 range.

Harry is still working for zenith, and a couple of others, but yes hes pretty well retired, the industry however wont let him retire.

[willcall]

I'm interested in some pickguards similar to a tele thinline.

Annodised gold, black and white versions.

Are you making these?

Cheers, Will

[Kim]

Harry is still working for zenith, and a couple of others, but yes hes pretty well retired, the industry however wont let him retire.

Steve/Perry

Would you guys be referring to Harry Baker, formerly Freo Fret Services before moving to Karragullen to become Fret Services??

Just ask because I like Harry, he inspired my investigation of the guitar but sadly I have not seen him for a good number of years....I am figuring it is probably him because he has been in the game for such a long time.

Cheers

Kim

[simso]

Yes kim, harry is a very good friend and I hold him in high regard. Harry has officially retired from working for music stores, I spoke to him on the phone about 3 weeks ago when he made it official, he and the missus are going on there first holiday in 15 years or so. So wont be back until late jan - feb

He still intends to do some work but only as a side line gig when he returns.

Will.. Yes I can look into these for you, but at the moment, we dont have time to scratch ourselves, (in excess of about 300 instruments in for repair at the moment - end of school year) maybe late jan early feb after school restarts the chaotic schedule may slow down.