Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 03:07 AM
Hey surf community. I am the biggest fan of those vintage 60's Jags, Jazzmasters, you name it. There's one thing that is missing on the new surf offset guitar these days and that's the tortoise shell. Its just not like it used to be with that fiery, smokey, smooth, vintage tortoiseshell look. Well I don't know about you guys, but for my new Jaguar and Jazzmaster, that got me searching to a dead end. So I thought I better pick up the slack and get started. This lead me to creating an almost perfect match to the original 60's celluloid tortoiseshell pickguards. So if you guys are looking for that replacement tortoiseshell pickguard or even just want a new cherry on top, then I can meet your tortoiseshell needs. Let me make you that dream tortoiseshell guard you once saw, or that style you have always wanted.
The coolest part about it is, I can make you your very own custom style and color tortoiseshell pickguard. You want a vintage red with a flame shooting across, you got it. You want a subtle 60's burgundy, not a problem. I have a website now at http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/. Let me make your dream tortoiseshell pickguard come true. Here are just a few of my pieces of art from recent customers who have trusted my pickguards on their one of a kind beauties.
image
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
Last edited: Feb 10, 2014 03:29:53
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WoodyJ
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1544
Bethlehem, GA
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 07:28 AM
Nicely done!
My biggest pet peeve with the tortoise PG's on modern Fender reissues and the Custom Shop guitars and basses has been the woefully inaccurate pickguard material they have been using since the '90's. They aren't even close to the various torts used on the '60's and early 70's Fenders, appearance-wise. What I'm seeing on your website looks much, much better.
Best wishes to you regarding your new enterprise. 
— Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)
The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2365
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 10:37 AM
If I sent you a Japanese pickguard, could you make me one off of that template?
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FlatRacer
Joined: Apr 07, 2008
Posts: 182
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 12:18 PM
I've been following your progress on the Offset Guitar forum. Welcome to SG101! I plan on building a matching Olympic White Jazzmaster and Jazz Bass set. I'll certainly be coming to you for the pick guards.
Eric
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Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 06:22 PM
Thanks guys for the comments and the push of confidence.
As far as making a Japanese pg, I would need to make a template yes and that gets quite expensive for me. Was it a CIJ Jag or something?
Also, I would love to open up the Jazz bass nice, but what is the most commonly used template for the Jazz bass? There seem to be so many variations of that.
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
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WoodyJ
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1544
Bethlehem, GA
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 07:01 PM
The American Vintage Reissue series (AVRI) pickguards and the Mexican (MIM) Classic '50's P-bass guards interchange perfectly with the vintage ones, at least on the ones I've tried:
1963 tort PG on a AVRI Jazzmaaster
AVRI tort PG on a 1968 P-bass
AVRI gold anodized PG on a 1957 P-bass
AVRI tort PG on a MIM Classic 50's P-bass
AVRI mint green PG on a MIA/MIM "California series" Strat
I'm pretty sure an AVRI Jazz Bass PG will interchange with a vintage one but I haven't done that swap.
American Standard and MIJ/CIJ pickguards will not interchange as the bolt patterns are slightly different, as are the profiles. American Standard PG's will interchange with the American Special series.
— Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)
The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)
Last edited: Feb 10, 2014 19:02:52
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Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 09:40 PM
Okay, good to know. Thank you.
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
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Big_Ryan
Joined: May 01, 2011
Posts: 578
San Diego
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Posted on Feb 10 2014 11:56 PM
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slingshotdragster
Joined: Jun 13, 2009
Posts: 75
Adelaide, South Australia
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Posted on Feb 11 2014 12:09 AM
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blackheartsfan
Joined: Jun 13, 2009
Posts: 274
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Posted on Feb 11 2014 06:38 PM
How about a Jagmaster pickguard cut for either two (2) Jaguar single coils or a GFS Lipstick single in the neck and a GFS Lipstick humbucker in the bridge? I can supply the stock Jagmaster pickguard for use as a template.
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Noel
Joined: Mar 15, 2011
Posts: 8528
Back in Piitsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I grew up.
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Posted on Feb 11 2014 08:38 PM
Just gorgeous. They must look spectacular in person.
— This is Noel. Reverb's at maximum an' I'm givin' 'er all she's got.
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Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 12 2014 01:09 AM
I cant really do customs just yet, but I can always cut the perimeter and not cut any pu holes for one of the templates that I do.
Making a template for a custom guard is quite expensive for me at this point. Unless I was getting a bunch of requests for a specific guard I cant really afford to make a 1 off style or a non requested style. Being that I am still just a one man army so far I am limited to what I can and cant do.
On the other hand, a guy wants me to make him a Electric XII which is the first time I have had this request. He offered to pay for the template and I will send him his brand new Spitfire XII as well as send him the template he paid for. That's the best I can do at this point for how small my business is. For example for the Jazzmaster line, I had hundreds lined up right away. I knew the template would pay itself off right away and I was able to open that line rather quickly. Hope that explains things better. I am not opposed to making you anything, I just need help funding the template process and I would have to charge you or at the least split the cost.
I am trying to narrow down the PBass, Mustang, and Jbass guards as well. I know there is a lot of demand for all of those.
Oh and just to share, I finally got to make one for my JM. Check it out.
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
Last edited: Feb 12, 2014 01:14:12
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EJ
Joined: May 05, 2012
Posts: 351
Virginia Beach
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Posted on Feb 12 2014 10:40 AM
Outstanding! Beautiful work.I've found my Birthday present for sure now.I hope you have a busy year.
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pavlovsdog
Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
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Posted on Feb 12 2014 01:57 PM
Do AVRI pickguards fit on partscasters made with bodies from USCG, Warmoth, Guitarmill etc?
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MPoppitt
Joined: Apr 23, 2006
Posts: 133
Austin TEXAS!
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Posted on Feb 12 2014 02:15 PM
These look awesome! Now I just need a jag....
— 
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Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 12 2014 04:02 PM
pavlovsdog wrote:
Do AVRI pickguards fit on partscasters made with bodies from USCG, Warmoth, Guitarmill etc?
Good question. Let me know too.
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
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Thunderbolt
Joined: Sep 03, 2008
Posts: 27
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Posted on Feb 20 2014 09:58 AM
Looks really fantastic on those sunburst models.
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Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 20 2014 02:43 PM
Thanks. You should see it in person.
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
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archimedes
Joined: Dec 10, 2006
Posts: 104
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Posted on Feb 20 2014 09:38 PM
AVRI and vintage style guards will fit on USACG and GuitarMill but probably not Warmoth. Their jazzmaster body, for example, is closer to a japanese Fender body. I have seen Spitfire's guards on some of Dan Strain's guitars in person and they are the real deal. Totally vintage in every aspect. No other tortoise shell out there comes anywhere close to this stuff. I actually have the same question as slingshotdragster... Will you be selling sheets of the material?
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Spitfire7
Joined: Aug 25, 2009
Posts: 24
California
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Posted on Feb 21 2014 02:15 AM
archimedes wrote:
AVRI and vintage style guards will fit on USACG and GuitarMill but probably not Warmoth. Their jazzmaster body, for example, is closer to a japanese Fender body. I have seen Spitfire's guards on some of Dan Strain's guitars in person and they are the real deal. Totally vintage in every aspect. No other tortoise shell out there comes anywhere close to this stuff. I actually have the same question as slingshotdragster... Will you be selling sheets of the material?
Thanks for saying that, thats really nice of you. I probably wont be doing sheets since I am still a small operation. Maybe sometime in the future. I am beginning to do custom designs for some customers though. I would be open to that in the future when I can build a large company with the right resources.
— Spitfire: The Best In Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguards
http://spitfiretortoiseshellpickguards.wordpress.com/
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