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2017 J45 pickguard replacement suggestions?


jjrpilot

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I love this guitar but I'm not a fan of the how thick "flubber" the pickguard is. Do you all have any suggestions for a tortoise shell like, THIN pickguard that I could replace it with?

 

I've looked around but most of the replacements advertise them as being "thick."

 

Thanks for any suggestions!

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That shouldn't be a difficult guard to get. There are NOS Ebay dealers at 15 bucks or so, then, as Sal said, Taylor's got a very nice product, but you'll pony up $75. I think I'm having him make a period correct one for my old Guild M20. I like the way he bevels and polishes his, and though not too thick, I dislike the paper thin ones typical of replacement guards.

 

 

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I say live with it and have an "original" condition guitar...

 

To do that for the long run, all you have to do is keep that original guard, and pass it on to the next owner with the guitar. Changing a pickguard is a reversible process involving no real modification of the guitar, particularly if the footprint of the new guard is identical to that of the original. You aren't going to de-value the guitar with this change.

 

When you change out any original parts, keep them and pass them on with the guitar. Other classic examples are swapping out tuners, saddles, nuts, and bridgepins, provided they require no real modifications.

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Ill post a picture tonight. It actually was in a SJ200 guitar and case I bought new back in 1994 . Back before flubber was introduced its a standard guard. Not the bateing style. Paper still on the back .

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okay, maybe I missed something...

 

Can someone explain to me what the word 'flubber" means

as used on this forum?

 

I have a 2018 J-45 AG that was made in January 2018, just before

the doo doo hit the froo froo. I am very fond of my new J-45, and

have had no problems with it. Walnut back and sides, Walnut bridge,

Walnut fretboard... it's a unique instrument.

 

I replaced my grover tuners with a set of Waverly keys, not because

there was anything wrong with the grovers, but because the Waverleys

were onsale at StewMac, and I wanted the ebony buttons.

 

My J-45 has a p/g which does not resemble an older J-45 p/g, but

that has not been an issue with me. I would need to be persuaded that

there was something seriously wrong with my p/g before I would

consider a change.

 

So tell me...

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I talked with my luthier today and he mentioned that he can make an actual celluloid tortoise shell pick guard for me.

 

Many of the replacements were “flubberlike” as well. He also mentioned that the thick flubber guard prob has a small effect on the tone as well. So I think later this summer I may have him make me a thin celluloid replacement.

 

Does anyone know if the pick guards used on the early J45’s were thick or thin???

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Dave, go collect your measuring implements.

 

Bear in mind, those celluloid pickguards could shrink a bit with time, sometimes resulting in the infamous pickguard crack, where the 'guard gets smaller, and would pull the grain of the top open.

 

. . . they can also sink into the grain of the top, as has done here on the ol' '49 LG-2:

 

xJyMN5K.jpg

 

Who knows what that flubber will look like in 70 years.

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Dave, go collect your measuring implements.

 

Bear in mind, those celluloid pickguards could shrink a bit with time, sometimes resulting in the infamous pickguard crack, where the 'guard gets smaller, and would pull the grain of the top open.

 

. . . they can also sink into the grain of the top, as has done here on the ol' '49 LG-2:

 

xJyMN5K.jpg

 

Who knows what that flubber will look like in 70 years.

 

 

The top of this 42/43 J45 measured .129" thick near this area of the pickguard which is original.

I zero'd out the verniers and measured the pickguard at .0275"

 

 

IMG_5414_zpsstqxt5u4.jpg

 

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Unless you glue a replacement directly to the unfinished area of the top which was how it was done with original Gibsons, there shouldn't be a potential pickguard crack issue. If the guard is applied over the finish, shrinkage will tend to lift the guard without wood damage.

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The top of this 42/43 J45 measured .129" thick near this area of the pickguard which is original.

I zero'd out the verniers and measured the pickguard at .0275"

 

 

 

That's about .7mm for our metric friends.

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Unless you glue a replacement directly to the unfinished area of the top which was how it was done with original Gibsons, there shouldn't be a potential pickguard crack issue. If the guard is applied over the finish, shrinkage will tend to lift the guard without wood damage.

 

Yes, I'd wondered before if in the case of the old guitars, the tendency for the pickguard to turn into a potato chip was due to the nature of aging celluloid, and with modern Gibsons, especially Hummingbird models, 'guards were more likely to lift at the outer "points" due adhesion issues, and how a guitar top expands/contracts slightly with weather conditions. Just maybe, the rubbery nature of the flubberguard was an effort to address a couple of potential issues.

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Yes, I'd wondered before if in the case of the old guitars, the tendency for the pickguard to turn into a potato chip was due to the nature of aging celluloid, and with modern Gibsons, especially Hummingbird models, 'guards were more likely to lift at the outer "points" due adhesion issues, and how a guitar top expands/contracts slightly with weather conditions. Just maybe, the rubbery nature of the flubberguard was an effort to address a couple of potential issues.

 

I doubt the "flubber" guard was an attempt to address any potential issues. As mentioned, if the guard is applied over the finished the top the chance of any damage is really reduced. I went through two flubber guards on my J45 Standard and both started peeling off pretty fast. They plain sucked and have no regrets replacing them with a pick guard used on the new J45 Vintage models.

 

Placing the pickguard onto the bare wood then applying the finish over the top is definitely an issue with Martins, evidenced by the famous "B-string crack" that often happens once that pickguard starts to shrink and pulls on the wood, sometimes cracking the top right near the B string or even bowing the top. The pickguard on my '75 D-28 was shrinking and peeling up and I had a shop replaced it. They carefully removed it, then applied lacquer over the bare wood underneath and made it flush with the surrounding lacquer, then placed the new pickguard over that. Luckily my guitar wasn't damaged from the shrinking pickguard, but many have been.

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