Strange Discoloration on Tortoise Pickguard

[Jeff Perkins]

So I've removed a pickguard, very carefully, from the '67 SJ Deluxe most of you have seen my other post on. Most of it came off just fine, but in a couple of spots I got this strange discoloration. You can see the light brown spots in the picture. What would be the best way to fix the color on that? A new pickguard is out of the question unless I can find someone to make it for me, but the customer doesn't want to pay for that. Gibson wants an exhorbanent price for a replacement. Any suggestions on what might fix it?

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

Hi Jeff, Glad to see that pickguard came off without too much of a fight. Here's an article by Dan Erlewine about coloring a pickguard. Your's probably lost color from the solvent/adhesive or outgassing (by any chance were the frets over the body really discolored?).

 

You should be able to put some color back on the underside of the pickguard. This is preferable to even an exact replacement, and don't expect that expensive Gibson part to be exact.

 

http://www.stewmac.com/tsarchive/ts0088.html

 

Joshua

[Jeff Perkins]

Unfortunately that method doesn't work by coloring the underneath. That was my first thought and I already tried that. I've tried what I would consider to be the "usual" common sense methods. I was hoping someone would know of a chemical I could use to restore the color....

[Jeff Perkins]

The frets are not discolored over the body either...

[Jeff Perkins]

I spoke wrong. Actually, the frets are discolored, but what I meant was that they weren't discolored in any way that wasn't to be expected from a guitar that old.

[Paul Verticchio]

Jeff,

 

The first photo in your original post definitely indicates out-gassing effects on the frets.

Personally, I'd recommend replacing the pickguard.  It's only going to get worse....MUCH worse.

Just order a thin tortoiseshell blank, use the original as a tracing template, cut it with a craft or utility knife and use the 3M pickguard adhesive tape to affix it to the guitar.  It's about a 1 hour job including smoothing & polishing the PG's edges.

 

Good luck

 

 

[Jeff Perkins]

I feel stupid on this one. Can you please explain the "out-gassing" effect?

[Chris Rochow]

Jeff,

Paul is right on the the money. It WILL just get worse. The problem is the old solvents used in manufacturing, keep 'evaporating' out.  After tracing and cutting the new one, lightly sand the sharp edges, and affix it to the sound board.

Explain this to your customer.... it's the only, and best way to do this task.  YOU are the repair tech, NOT your customer.

[Frank Ford]

I'm a bit late to this party, but what I see in the photo looks like finish delaminating from the pickguard.

 

It happens sometimes when the guard is flexed on removal, and it often occurs with intact guards, where the finish is crazed.

 

You can often leak under some cellosolve to readhere the finish, scrape all the finish off and polish the plastic, or drop fill and level the area with new lacquer.

[Jeff Perkins]

Do you or anyone know where to find cellosolve? I've seen it under a few different names. Which one would you use?

[Chris Rochow]

Here is where I get mine;

http://www.chemical-supermarket.com/product.php?productid=191

 

Be very careful... highly flamable!  (BOOM!)

[Frank Ford]

Lacquer retarder thinner is also a good bet, as is standard lacquer thinner.  I've used acetone successfully but it does evaporate pretty fast, so it might not soften everything out to the edges.  Often enough, I find myself flicking off the big chips, leaking some lacquer thinner under the open edges, and drop filling.

[Kerry Krishna]

How are you feeling Frank? How long is recovery going to be? So glad you are posting!