Howard Klepper wrote:
Hutch, I would guess that the lack of a response is because no one knows what you are talking about. Back up, post a photo or a link to a photo.
I think he means the pickguard off of the Gibson Hummingbird acoustic Howard.
I just quickly Googled 'Making a Hummingbird pickguard' Hutch & it spits pages & pages of results back at you. I haven't waded through all of them & can't see any reference to making your own but who knows? Buried down in page ten may be something.
Many hits are forum posts (mainly from the Gibson site) but there may just be enough bits of information gleaned to piece together how it was done & have a go yourself. Perhaps you could try painting the design on then sealing with a clear Mylar layer over the face to stop it getting scratched off?
It sounds like the originals were moulded with the pattern in then the colours 'laid' into the lines but I could be totally wrong.Later "newer" ones have been computer printed on by the sounds of things.
Found this from one such forum post over at Harmony central which would make sense & back up my suspicions:
"I found this:
http://pickguards.us/pricegibacoustic.html
One thing to be aware of: Gibson Hummingbird pickguards have the artwork incised into the surface, and then the grooved lines are painted. On present-day Epi 'birds, the artwork is just painted on, and it wears off rather quickly if your hand or pick tends to contact the pickguard.
On my '73 Gibson 'bird, which I have played a lot through the years, the paint has worn away from some of the incised artwork, but up close you still see it because it's cut into the surface. I think this is a much better way to make a pickguard--before ordering from that link, you should find out which way they do it (if it matters to you)."
![[uncle]](./images/smilies/surrenderflagqv6.gif "Uncle")