A Clockwork Guitar, the Steampunk Stratocaster
I have a Fender US Highway One series Stratocaster, which is a half decent guitar, but looks just like a million other Strats. I had been planning to replace the pick guard with a black mother of pearl guard but my experiments in electrolytic etching made me think I'd like to try something a bit more unique. Thus the Steampunk Strat was born.
I started by scanning the pick guard and printing out a bunch of copies that I could sketch on until I got the image that I wanted.
Next I carefully traced an outline of the pick guard and begun to draw my image. The concept was to make the pick guard look like a brass clock escapement with gears, cogs and a flywheel.
![scanning the pick guard](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb210283.jpg)
![drawing the escapement for the clockwork guitar](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb220284.jpg)
![google images escapement](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb220286.jpg)
![paper mockup of steampunk stratocaster](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb230293.jpg)
Next step was to cut the brass and to iron a laser printed reverse image on it. See my article on Electrolytic Etching for the details of that process.
![brass pick guard blank](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb250297.jpg)
Into the copper sulfate bath, I made a nice cathode grid and a new plate holder out of brazing rod for this project.
![etching clockwork guitar pick guard](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb260313.jpg)
![cathode and anode for the etching tank](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb260314.jpg)
Mysterious energies etch away the copper and zinc components of the brass. I love that blue!
![blue cogs of mystery](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb260329.jpg)
The etched pick guard was cleaned up with steel wool, drilled and the pickup holes cut out. Then painted with 2 coats of Krylon Ultra Flat Black.
![etched fender pickguard](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb260331.jpg)
![flat black pick guard](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb260342.jpg)
After the paint dried overnight I sanded away the high spots, polished it a little with some more steel wool and gave it a couple of coats of lacquer.
![sanding pick guard](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pb280370.jpg)
![The Clockwork Steampunk Stratocaster Guitar](http://www.steampunkworkshop.com/wp-content/uploads/pc010420.jpg)
The finished Clockwork Steampunk Stratocaster !
Could I use your final pic as part of a band logo? If so, can I get a high resolution file?
Thanks
Daryn
Hi Daryn,
Since that guitar was sold to a friend for one of his band projects, I don’t think it would be fair of me to allow that, also I don’t have any hi-res images from that era, sorry!
Jake.
Hey, Jake, very cool pick guard! Looks like a business venture just waiting to happen!