Vintage acoustic pick guards applied with solvent - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T08:21:34Zhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/vintage-acoustic-pick-guards-applied-with-solvent?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A170282&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noFear not... I wish it no harm…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-06-23:2177249:Comment:1702822017-06-23T20:41:05.464ZChris Vallillohttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/ChrisVallillo
<p>Fear not... I wish it no harm! My lap top battery was about to die and I didn't proof read y post. I really don't hate it (though there have been a few moments where I thought about it!) </p>
<p>Fear not... I wish it no harm! My lap top battery was about to die and I didn't proof read y post. I really don't hate it (though there have been a few moments where I thought about it!) </p> >> I also gently hated…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-06-23:2177249:Comment:1701862017-06-23T20:37:19.880Zsteven gallagherhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/stevengallagher
<p><span>>> I also gently hated 2 boards and the pick guard itself and blamed them ...</span></p>
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<p><span>I fear for this poor guitar. :-)</span></p>
<p><span>>> I also gently hated 2 boards and the pick guard itself and blamed them ...</span></p>
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<p><span>I fear for this poor guitar. :-)</span></p> Based on previous posts, I we…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-06-23:2177249:Comment:1701852017-06-23T15:48:57.781ZChris Vallillohttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/ChrisVallillo
<p>Based on previous posts, I went ahead and gently heated the pick guard and was able loosen and remove it with no damage by sliding a painter's pallet knife underneath the pick guard and slowly working it off. I then lightly dampened the wood both inside and out and gently clamped the area flat overnight. What a tremendous difference! I also gently hated 2 boards and the pick guard itself and blamed them together with the pick guard between. This morning both the pickguard and the guitar…</p>
<p>Based on previous posts, I went ahead and gently heated the pick guard and was able loosen and remove it with no damage by sliding a painter's pallet knife underneath the pick guard and slowly working it off. I then lightly dampened the wood both inside and out and gently clamped the area flat overnight. What a tremendous difference! I also gently hated 2 boards and the pick guard itself and blamed them together with the pick guard between. This morning both the pickguard and the guitar top were almost completely flat. </p>
<p>Stu mac suggested the double adhesive stick sheets for re-application. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Of course, I'll seal the wood with shellac and I assume that I need to remove the old glue etc from the underside of the pick guard.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167763478?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2167763478?profile=original" width="640" class="align-full"/></a></p> Great discussion! I'm in the…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-06-22:2177249:Comment:1701782017-06-22T20:12:23.369ZChris Vallillohttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/ChrisVallillo
<p>Great discussion! I'm in the middle of a restoration on a 50's Gibson 160 E and am contemplating doing this very thing. There's a thread on that repair on Mandolin Cafe at this link if anyone is interested: <a href="https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?132558-Late-1950-s-Gibson-160-E" target="_blank">https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?132558-Late-1950-s-Gibson-160-E</a></p>
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<p>This guitar was horribly bellied behind the bridge and with the pick guard…</p>
<p>Great discussion! I'm in the middle of a restoration on a 50's Gibson 160 E and am contemplating doing this very thing. There's a thread on that repair on Mandolin Cafe at this link if anyone is interested: <a href="https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?132558-Late-1950-s-Gibson-160-E" target="_blank">https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?132558-Late-1950-s-Gibson-160-E</a></p>
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<p>This guitar was horribly bellied behind the bridge and with the pick guard warped in a deep concave depression. I have gently heated and clamped the pickguard and removed about 1/2 the warpage, but really need to take it off to flatten this section out properly. My plan was to gently apply heat with a hair dryer before pulling it off. The very outer edges are loose, but most of the pick guard is still strongly attached. Assuming I can get it off, it sounds from an earlier post as if the pick guard may relax and go back to flat on it's own. If not, could I gently apply heat and clamp it? </p>
<p>One other oddity I noticed. One of the top braces (ladder braced, 5 across the top) came completely loose and appears to have a radiuses bottom. The bottom of the brace is quite curved, while the top of the brace remains flat. This suggests to me that the top might have been radiuses on purpose. Can anyone shed any light on this? Thanks!</p>
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<p></p> Paul, a hair dryer on high ma…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-26:2177249:Comment:1693632017-05-26T23:17:45.757Zonewenthttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/onewent
<p>Paul, a hair dryer on high makes the guard nice and flexy. I've never had any serious spruce loss on the old guards I've pulled from Martins and Gibsons. ..I'll consider myself lucky. Tom</p>
<p>Paul, a hair dryer on high makes the guard nice and flexy. I've never had any serious spruce loss on the old guards I've pulled from Martins and Gibsons. ..I'll consider myself lucky. Tom</p> The finish ridge left from pi…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-24:2177249:Comment:1692622017-05-24T18:07:06.814ZPaul Breenhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/PaulBreen
<p>The finish ridge left from pick guard removal will be leveled down some what. I'll mask around the pick guard foot print leaving a small margin of original finish exposed with the some what leveled finish ridge. I'll be spraying lacquer for the infill and will come back with an airbrush to spray Butyl Cellosolve around the edges where the old finish and new meet. This will melt the new lacquer into the old finish. I have to do a nice job with the finish edges, the pick guard will be slightly…</p>
<p>The finish ridge left from pick guard removal will be leveled down some what. I'll mask around the pick guard foot print leaving a small margin of original finish exposed with the some what leveled finish ridge. I'll be spraying lacquer for the infill and will come back with an airbrush to spray Butyl Cellosolve around the edges where the old finish and new meet. This will melt the new lacquer into the old finish. I have to do a nice job with the finish edges, the pick guard will be slightly smaller now that it is removed. They will get leveled and buffed before applying the salvaged pick guard with double stick film.</p> I coat the raw wood with a th…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-24:2177249:Comment:1692592017-05-24T15:33:39.683ZRobbie Collinshttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RobbieCollins
<p>I coat the raw wood with a thick cut of shellac to build to the surrounding area.</p>
<p>I coat the raw wood with a thick cut of shellac to build to the surrounding area.</p> Thankfully, an old pickguard…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-23:2177249:Comment:1694012017-05-23T18:59:05.116ZChristopher Parkerhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/ChristopherParker
<p>Thankfully, an old pickguard will usually come off clean without much fuss, but sometimes they're stubborn.</p>
<p>When replacing an old pickguard that had been finished over, you're left with a pit that the new oversized pickguard needs to sit on top of, which in practice can look pretty bad. IME the best solution is to use a high solids sanding sealer to build up the surface to the level of the surrounding finish. My preference is Pratt & Lambert Alkyd sanding sealer. Builds fast and…</p>
<p>Thankfully, an old pickguard will usually come off clean without much fuss, but sometimes they're stubborn.</p>
<p>When replacing an old pickguard that had been finished over, you're left with a pit that the new oversized pickguard needs to sit on top of, which in practice can look pretty bad. IME the best solution is to use a high solids sanding sealer to build up the surface to the level of the surrounding finish. My preference is Pratt & Lambert Alkyd sanding sealer. Builds fast and sands easily and quickly, and also prevents future damage that could result from adhering the pickguard directly to bare wood.</p> Thanks for the comments.
I p…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-23:2177249:Comment:1693962017-05-23T15:42:04.277ZPaul Breenhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/PaulBreen
<p>Thanks for the comments.</p>
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<p>I pretty much knew that there is no Silver bullet solution, as is true with most things dealing with instrument repair. I also talked myself out of doing anything rash (Acetone), which is a conversation I have with myself anytime I hit a frustration wall and am tempted to walk the line of processes that are risky. I was hoping though that there may be a subtle refinement or a cleverly shaped tool or any number of things which may not have occurred to…</p>
<p>Thanks for the comments.</p>
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<p>I pretty much knew that there is no Silver bullet solution, as is true with most things dealing with instrument repair. I also talked myself out of doing anything rash (Acetone), which is a conversation I have with myself anytime I hit a frustration wall and am tempted to walk the line of processes that are risky. I was hoping though that there may be a subtle refinement or a cleverly shaped tool or any number of things which may not have occurred to me.</p>
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<p>One lesson I can take away from this particular job, is the realization that careful observation of the grain character can at least be an indicator of how well pick guard removal may go for you on a particular instrument. This instrument, in addition to the undulating nature of the run-out, also had wide soft grain. I think this may be a worst case scenario for clean pick guard removal. A top with tight grain that will reflect light well to reveal grain direction and a consistent run out, will likely be the best scenario for clean removal. That doesn't help me get clean removal on the bad ones but would at least be a clue for what you may be getting you're self into.</p>
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<p>I do have one trick to offer. The pick guards applied with Acetone are finished after they are applied. Gibson's especially, can have thick finish around the edges of the pick guard and that needs to be cut before the pick guard can be removed. A sharp X-Acto blade can still chip out old lacquer. The linked hot knife from Micro Mark does a great job with this part of the project. At least one thing went well.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.micromark.com/Hot-Knife-Soldering-Iron" target="_blank">http://www.micromark.com/Hot-Knife-Soldering-Iron</a></p> I agree - that's the deal - c…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2017-05-23:2177249:Comment:1693502017-05-23T14:30:29.825ZFrank Fordhttps://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/FrankFord
<p>I agree - that's the deal - celluloid can be unpredictable stuff, and any addition of acetone, cellosolve or other celluloid solvent is certain to increase it's decomposition with time, not to mention the danger of creating a serious immediate mess.</p>
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<p>Careful working underneath is what we count on, and sometimes big-ish flakes of spruce get pulled up, and obviously need to be glued back in place. </p>
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<p>I agree - that's the deal - celluloid can be unpredictable stuff, and any addition of acetone, cellosolve or other celluloid solvent is certain to increase it's decomposition with time, not to mention the danger of creating a serious immediate mess.</p>
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<p>Careful working underneath is what we count on, and sometimes big-ish flakes of spruce get pulled up, and obviously need to be glued back in place. </p>
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