Daveyl7 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm thinking about changing mine. If you have swapped yours what did you replace it with. Did you DIY, make your own, buy a pre-cut and place it yourself. Was the wood underneath the original faded much? How did it work out? Should I just leave well enough alone on this classic guitar? Thanks for your ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm thinking about changing mine. If you have swapped yours what did you replace it with. Did you DIY, make your own, buy a pre-cut and place it yourself. Was the wood underneath the original faded much? How did it work out? Should I just leave well enough alone on this classic guitar? Thanks for your ideas. Hi. I've owned 3 Masterbilts and love the pick guards on them...they are pure Epiphone and high quality pick guards on the Masterbilts. I wouldn't dream of changing the original masterbilt ..rich beautiful tortoise, with bevelled sides too! These are high quality pick guards on Masterbilts, not the cheaper stick on's found on some cheaper models...To me they are beautiful and quite perfect and very classic....and the pick guard shape is a true symbol of Epiphone. No other builder produces that exact same shape. However if you DO decide to do this..expect fully that there will be a tan line underneath, because they develop within months after it is made....and unless the new pick guard completely covers those tan lines from the original pick guard...those tan lines could likely stay there for years until they eventually fade out VERY SLOWLY. In my opinion, Epiphone is one of the greatest guitar makers in the world, I want my Epiphone to stay original..right down to the pic guard. I do not want it to look like a fake Gibson with a Gibson pick guard...I want it to look like an Epiphone because it is an Epiphone. The Epiphone pick guard is indeed classic...and it has been around since the beginning and patented for its original shape. I do also have a Gibson Hummingbird...but I do not love it any more than my Epiphones, so my Epiphones stay just as they are. But that is just me. Good luck on your decision! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fromnabulax Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I took mine off my DR500mce completely the day I bought it. There was no discoloration or difference or 'tan line' in the wood in any way once I removed the last of the glue residue with a touch of Old English on a soft dry rag. It's a beautiful guitar made with beautiful wood made all the more beautiful without the pickguard. And really, it actually is the same stick on material as used on the other Epi acoustics. I know because I removed those too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveyl7 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 I think I will just leave it be, this guitar does have a its own classic look and I don't need to fuss with it. I suppose I wanted to make it look unique and put my personal touch on it. Not thinking about making it appear to be a different brand in disguise. That was not my intent. I am a bit curious about the beveled edge statement from GuitarLight. My guitar is an 09 and it does not have a beveled edge. Curious about that. I really don't know much about the details of pickguards but to my eye it is just another plastic tortoise looking piece. I love the shape and size of it and it is set on top of my AJ500. That is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarLight Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I think I will just leave it be, this guitar does have a its own classic look and I don't need to fuss with it. I suppose I wanted to make it look unique and put my personal touch on it. Not thinking about making it appear to be a different brand in disguise. That was not my intent. I am a bit curious about the beveled edge statement from GuitarLight. My guitar is an 09 and it does not have a beveled edge. Curious about that. I really don't know much about the details of pickguards but to my eye it is just another plastic tortoise looking piece. I love the shape and size of it and it is set on top of my AJ500. That is awesome. Davey..Concerning those bevelled edges....on my 500M and 500R...as well as a DR500MCE ..if you look very closely at the very edges of the pick guard....they are slightly filed or bevelled at an angle, to that they are not sharp...as in when you brush your hand or fingers over them...but you do have to look very close. And I don't know if they are doing this any longer on the newer models. Most other pick guards are too thin to bevel...and edge bevelling is often found only on higher end guitars with a pick guard thick enough to do this.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strumbert Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I did. I put a Greven 45 style firestripe on my AJ-500M. No regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliffenstein Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 I did. I put a Greven 45 style firestripe on my AJ-500M. No regrets. Awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strumbert Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Sorry for the crappy photo. It looks much better than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveyl7 Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 Sorry for the crappy photo. It looks much better than that. That is a fine lookin guitar you have there. Are there any tan lines left after removing the original. Did you buy the part and place it yourself? Looks like you swapped the bridge pins too. Nice touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strumbert Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 1433989036[/url]' post='1666035']That is a fine lookin guitar you have there. Are there any tan lines left after removing the original. Did you buy the part and place it yourself? Looks like you swapped the bridge pins too. Nice touch. No tan line. I guess maybe because it was always in the case when not played. I ordered it online and replaced it myself. Yes, the pins are snakewood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveyl7 Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Take a look too classic to make a change. IMHO. https://goo.gl/photos/1Wjr4Wk6fgoKaoeP9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanstreak Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I took the guard off my DR-500M and put it on my AJ-500R. The AJ already had some tan lines from old stickers (I bought it that way from a guy for $200!) so I wasn't worried about the AJ. The DR - After the new guard, it's cut a bit off so I'll probably get a new one at some point - The AJ - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPS1976 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 nah...no change. I just play it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Hi. I've owned 3 Masterbilts and love the pick guards on them...they are pure Epiphone and high quality pick guards on the Masterbilts. I wouldn't dream of changing the original masterbilt ..rich beautiful tortoise, with bevelled sides too! These are high quality pick guards on Masterbilts, not the cheaper stick on's found on some cheaper models... Gotta agree with this. My AJ500M is staying stock (although I've highly modded my Epi electrics LOL)Then again, there are apples and oranges, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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