Using Magnets To Attach Pickguard Instead Of Screws

[MrMuckle]

I've seen guys using magnets to attach the control cavity cover to the guitar body, but has anyone tried this with a strat-style pickguard? Can you use small enough magnets that won't interfere with the magnets in the pickups? Just trying to go for a clean look and thought this might be the way to go. What do you guys think?

[Johnny Foreigner]

if you recessed the scratchplate that could work. if it's sitting above the face of the wood, like on a strat, I think there would be slippage.

[MrMuckle]

Ah, I didn't even think about slippage. Recessing it should work. Thanks

I'm worried about the magnets interferring with those in the pickups. I've heard you shouldn't lean your guitar against your amp because the amp's magnets will weaken your pickup magnets over time. However that magnet in your amp is considerably larger than what I'd be putting in the pickguard.

Edited October 2, 2010 by MrMuckle

[SwedishLuthier]

Small permanent magnets will not alter the magnets in you pickups. It is an altering magnetic field that is your enemy, as the magnetic field from your amps transformers or the magnetic field from some cordless screwdrivers (never do the EVH trick to induce noise into the pick via the magnetic field of a screw driver if you care about your pickups...).

Another way to do this is of cause to glue magnets to your pickguard (proud of the surface) and recess a bit of steel or another magnet into the body at a depth that equals the thickness of the magnet and the steel or second magnet. That way the cavity will hold the magnet glued to the pickguard and stop it from moving sideways. If you don't get it I'll have to draw it. I can't explain it better in words...

[MrMuckle]

Ah, an alternating magnetic field! I get it now. Thanks, Swede!

[THIRSTYGUMS]

use the little neodymium magnets, you can get them for peanuts on Ebay. Theyre really powerful. glue them into holes flush to the surface and mount them as far from thepickups as possible, this shOuld work a treat if you recess the guard. id really like to see this when its done!

[psw]

Magnets are cool and clever and an option...but with a surface pickguard like a strat as others have pointed out, so easy for there to be slippage....recessing, well that's tricky and a different look...

I was intending the magnet thing on my LP as an option, posted recently but wasn't put up for view (hmmm) but as an alternative, you could consider this...

Looks the same, and the recessing helps...but instead of magnets, I just used some double sided tape!

How often are you going to need to take the plate off...perhaps if there was a battery in there it might be ok, but that wouldn't work with a strat anyway unless you take the strings off!

Select a suitable tape (not too aggressive) and just stick it on with a few pieces as appropriate and not so close to the edge that you risk the finish. With an appropriate tape it can be simply peeled off, if the tape loses a bit of stick, just add bit more on replacing the guard.

Same look, less hassle, reversible, no cost, no slippage or risk...

Over thinking the magnets and pickups thing...perhaps need to get a better understanding of how these things work and such...their are magnetic fields all around us all the time

[ecnal]

The slippage would be an issue, but if you were to use magnets AND a few strategically-placed 'guide' rods that when the pickguard was in the correct place, would be flush with the top of it, well I think that would work just dandy.