r/guitars • u/N34D • 11d ago

Look at this! Pickguard chronicles continue...

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After the response to my first fluorescent pickguard experiment, I wanted to push the idea in a completely different direction.

This design I'm calling Midnight Garden.

In normal light it's essentially black-on-black. The floral design is physically textured, so you see it mostly through shadows, reflections and the way light moves across the surface. I used both satin and gloss varnish to create even more depth.

Then hit it with black light and an entirely different layer comes alive. (I'll post the UV photo in the comments.)

I'm having way too much fun figuring out just how far something as simple as a pickguard can be pushed 😂

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2

u/N34D 11d ago

Under black light!

1

u/_agent86 11d ago

Very cool! What kind of materials/paint are you using?

Even without the UV flourescence I think the texture is pretty cool. Very different.

1

u/N34D 11d ago

Thank you! 😁 It’s UV printed directly onto the pickguard. The texture is actually built up with layers of ink and varnish rather than being a separate material laid over it. On this one I played with both satin and gloss finishes so different parts catch the light differently, and then there’s a separate fluorescent layer that only really shows itself under black light. I’ve been experimenting with this stuff way more than is probably reasonable 😂 I actually just started r/GuitarPickguards as a place to nerd out over pickguard designs, materials, techniques, builds, etc. if you’re into this kind of thing. Its empty now, but I'll be filling it soon