Recreating The Hello Kitty Squier?

[Trann]

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM06/Co...ty-Guitars.html

This seems like it would be a neat project, for a gimmick guitar to go on with and it up with.

I'd probably build it with a soloist style body like the one here:

http://www.vai.com/Machines/guitarpages/guitar063.html

The pickguard seems to be the main issue. I'd prefer to make one or have one made; I don't want to pay $200 for a guitar I'll never use except for the pickguard. Is it possible for a company like Pickguard Paradise to build a pickguard based on a photo? I'd put an Edge on it no doubt, so I'd have to cut away some additional section of the pickguard.

I have a JEM777 template that I'd use for most of the routes, but I'd do the body outline and tremolo "thru" hole with a Soloist body template. For a neck I'd probably buy a Wizard II to put on it; I fear the idea of building a neck, attempting to attain Ibanez quality. Does anyone have any ideas or advice to help me figure out a good plan for making this guitar?

[Mattia]

If I were Pickguard Paradise, I wouldn't even consider going there, for one simple reason: copyright violation. I also can't really see it working on an Ibanez-style superstrat.

[sumphead]

I have thought long and hard about themed guitar builds and I think the idea is very interesting. I would suggest coming up with your own theme. Someone somewhere did a "herbie-castor" about a year ago i think and that started the fire for me. Some other ideas I have come up with that are hello-kitty-esque were like the crow from the old black crowes logos, or just a custom head on the PG.

If your are newer and not ready to tackle a neck just yet (Im in that boat too) I would use a bolt on neck from MM, warmoth, etc. As for your pickgaurd design, draw out or print out your design to size, transfer the pic onto some MDF, 1/2" should be fine. Cut out the shape with a band/jig saw, sand edges, double side-duct tape your MDF cutout to a piece of acrylic and flush trim route. Paint as desired. A few other tips would be to use a colored acrylic for a base color and paint over with opaque colors, or use clear acrylic and paint the underside to prevent scratching. Also I would recommend using a chamfering bit and angle the sides of the acrylic before separating it from the MDF template, it's just easier that way. Also for the acrylic, I recommend looking in the yellow pages for a local plastics distributor they usually have scrap bins with cut-offs for pennies on the dollar.

HTH,

R-

[WezV]

With a clear scratchplate you can put any picture you want underneath to give the effect you want, very cheap and easy and it can be quite effective too.