Kelly octave mandolin pickguard?

[trevor]

I posted this in the equipment section but didn't get many responses.

I have a customer who wants to fit a pickguard to a Michael Kelly octave mandolin. Has anybody done this or got any ideas?

[mandroid]

Given the carved F style nature of that
DIY? Make the shape out of the plastic sheet for the typical Fender guitar.
I bought some from Stew Mac, a luthier /guitar makers supply on your side 'of the pond'
or cheap dollar is in your favor to import from Ohio.

glue [Duco]a strip of ebony on the edge 1/4" on one side,
and width of 3/8", x the length required.

2 small common nails join the wood strip under the pickguard plate and snug fitting holes drilled into the edge of the fingerboard.

if of narrower width, just that, is the common way that pick guards are fitted,
for wider surface then a rim support, a 3rd point to the rim, is made
i've fitted a Les Paul pickguard bracket
a small screw thru to the kerfed lining, is enough wood to hold indefinitely.
same bracket used in factory on my Gibson A 50 .

or if not inclined to DIY, sending an outline pattern to Cumberland acoustics and hiring them to do the rest, short of installation, would
get something polished tortisoid or black and custom binding, in the return post.
he has the machined hardware to fit the other style rim support bracket
that is fitted to a glued block underneath the pickguard, rather than the flat strip with a screw thru the pickguard.

the other fellow mentioned in the equipment posting makes his pickguards out of exotic hardwoods. See accessory classifieds listing.