Gibson J45 conversion.

[Len Biglin]

Hi everyone , I have been asked to do a lefty conversion on a J45 , I think i'll fill and re-cut the slot and make a bone nut , and saddle . The guard is a nice thick tortoise shell with rolled edge , would I warm it and peel (its brand new) or consider leaving it ? Is there a supplier of lefty guards ? Also your thoughts on tone with RH braces ? Thanks 

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

That pick guard may be pretty, but it is doing nothing for the sound. If it would come off cleanly, I'd get rid of it. Think James Taylor vs. country "bling". I see a couple of pedestrian LH pick guards out there, and you could probably find something nice. I'll bet that Gibson PG is thick enough to flip it over and bevel the opposite side, but maybe not.

Also, don't forget you'll need to move the volume control etc.

As far as tone goes, It would be a good experiment to see if there is a tone change on a flipped guitar. A good experiment for someone besides me.

[Len Biglin]

Thanks Joshua , I will let you all know how the sound goes .

[Kerry Krishna]

I hope you have not yet tried to get the pick guard off, because heating it, will likely not do it. Frank has a photoessay of it if I remember. It takes sometimes over 1/2 hour. You get Naptha (lighter fluid) and first peal back the sharp corner of the guard, then dribble in a few drops of naphtha, peal it back a tiny bit after about two min, do the same thing again and again. DO NOT use tools to speed this up, as you will wreck the pick guard and damage the top.

 Be aware also, that is entirely possible that, if you get impatient and start reading on the guard to get it off, you could crack the top! Good luck!  And by the way, I would just clean off all the glue on the back, take the guard over to a sander to get that rolled lip off, and reglue it , or, even better yet, leave it off entirely...