Are there any BassChatters who make Custom Scratchplates?

[Steve Browning]

13 hours ago, Sparky Mark said:

But do any of the above have a good tortoiseshell laminate? Other than the hugely expensive Spitfire they're mostly awful pepperoni looking pale immitations of the original 60s stuff.

Exactly my view. Even the most expensive custom shop basses are close to ruined by the awful scratchplates.

[Sparky Mark]

1 hour ago, three said:

Without wanting to derail the thread, Tinytone have a wide selection of materials including three (I think) versions of celluloid nitrate tort - essentially different base hues from red through to brown.  It's at the better end of the contemporary celluloid IMO and has a depth and richness that many lack - probably not quite as detailed and rich as some '60s tort but not bad.  I had a couple of control plates made - you can see one here - the depth of the plate implied that the surface was a little proud.  Tinytone suggested a bevel as this would reveal the upper white ply and this provides a nice border - not that it's really visible here.

 

 

That looks very much like the material used on Fender American Standards, which is/was pretty good. 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Sparky Mark

[three]

56 minutes ago, Sparky Mark said:

That looks very much like the material used on Fender American Standards, which is/was pretty good. 

I have the same Tinytone tort on a Wilcock - I'll try get a better image (with the bevelled edge) as soon as we get some light 

[three]

2 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

Exactly my view. Even the most expensive custom shop basses are close to ruined by the awful scratchplates.

I'd agree Steve - the tort on the Custom Shop basses is almost unbelievably awful.  I've had a couple and it's the first thing to go - I'm not sure how Fender CS can justify that junk 

[petecarlton]

On 04/12/2021 at 18:22, mr4stringz said:

earliplanz

I think that might be earlpilanz.

 

EDIT: just seen this has already been mentioned.

Edited December 9, 2021 by petecarlton
My answer had been pre-empted.

[Owno]

 I can highly recommend Glen at Axion Custom Works in Bury, Manchester. Beautiful pickguards!

[uk_lefty]

My band use www.gig.ink and they look great (band logo printed on Scratchplate) and I've just ordered some pickup surrounds like the Yamaha BB basses for my Bitsa, will report back on quality once I've received them.

[uk_lefty]

So gigink produced this pickup surround for me to cover up some bad routing. It's not a standard part so there was some creativity required from them and I got a printout template to check fit and measurements. I've not even fitted it properly, but look....

 

[NikNik]

On 04/12/2021 at 18:24, Paul S said:

 

I was just about to type the same

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/earlpilanz

 

He's done a couple for me.  Send off the original and he posts it back with the new one.  Not dear, either.

Nice!

[Dov65]

36 quid from earlpilanz 👇 sent original away on a Monday & received new guard the following Tuesday

[NikNik]

38 minutes ago, Dov65 said:

36 quid from earlpilanz 👇 sent original away on a Monday & received new guard the following Tuesday

Ordering stuff from him this weekend.

[Old Horse Murphy]

10 minutes ago, NikNik said:

Ordering stuff from him this weekend.

I contacted Brian on Monday, shipped the original pickguard to him on Tuesday as he didn't have a template for it (new Stingray 5 Special), he received it Wednesday and he emailed me today with a pic of the new pickguard which was posted this afternoon. 
 

Top service 👍

[MichaelDean]

24 minutes ago, NikNik said:

Ordering stuff from him this weekend.

The only thing that I might say is that I think he seems to treat it like a day job and responds Monday to Friday (which I think is fair enough!). When I started my enquiry, I messaged late on a Friday, didn't get a response till the Monday. But when I messaged him midweek, I got really quick responses to my messages every time.

[NikNik]

3 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

The only thing that I might say is that I think he seems to treat it like a day job and responds Monday to Friday (which I think is fair enough!). When I started my enquiry, I messaged late on a Friday, didn't get a response till the Monday. But when I messaged him midweek, I got really quick responses to my messages every time.

Already been in touch with him and firing off the old 'plates this weekend.

[thebrig]

Sounds like the place to go 👍

[Old Horse Murphy]

Just as a follow up, my new pickguard arrived today, less than a week after sending Brian (Earlpilanz) my original pickguard for him to use as a template. Quality is superb and it was a perfect fit. 
 

I'll certainly use him again without hesitation. 

[thebrig]

Just an update.

 

I decided to go with earlpilanz and Brian made me a lovely matt black pickguard for my Lakland P Bass.

 

I would highly recommend him for great service and communications, and it was less than half the price I paid TinyTone for a similar matt black pickguard for my Lakland PJ.

Edited March 6, 2022 by thebrig