jjrpilot Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 Taylor Mullins Holter Pickguards. Here he is on reverb if you want to reach out. Takes about a week. https://reverb.com/shop/taylors-gear-locker-9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 I replaced the “flubber” pickguard with the OEM pickguard Gibson uses on he J45 Vintage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted March 13, 2019 Share Posted March 13, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMELEYE Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 Another vote for Taylor Mullins. I had him make me a dark celluloid one to replace the flubber on my '16 J-45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvi Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 I say live with it and have an "original" condition guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 I have a New unused one for a 45. And not the flubber crap one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrpilot Posted March 14, 2019 Author Share Posted March 14, 2019 I have a New unused one for a 45. And not the flubber crap one. Do you happen to have a pic of it? How much would you want for it? Thanks all for the recommendations! I'll definitely look into those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted March 14, 2019 Share Posted March 14, 2019 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 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 I'm a fan of tiger guards and really like this one from Terrapin...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 I'm a fan of tiger guards and really like this one from Terrapin...... I purchased a tortoise J-45 pickguard from Terrapin a few years back for my LG2-AE. Great color & look - really like it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Mustard Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 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... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrpilot Posted March 23, 2019 Author Share Posted March 23, 2019 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??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 Does anyone know if the pick guards used on the early J45’s were thick or thin??? They were fairly thin. Certainly not thick like flubber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 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: Who knows what that flubber will look like in 70 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 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: 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" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbpark Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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