Buc McMaster Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 The 3M double sided stuff is the way to go.......it WILL STICK......seriously stick! Be very accurate when you lay it back down on the guitar. I peeled one side of the 3m sheet and stuck it to the pick guard, nice and smooth, no air bubbles. Then it's pretty easy to go around the outside with a NEW, VERY SHARP razor blade, cutting the 3M sheet to shape. Right to the edge of the guard as it will not show on the edge due to its' thickness. Don't use glue......that's what was there originally and you see how that worked out....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Dave F said: Floss sounds better than scrapping carefully and I'll definitely will try that if I ever need to. The only ones I've done have been falling off and didn't take much effort. I recall gettin' a bit overheated while removing my TV Bird-guard. The procedure takes time and one have to go with care - no speeding up. The trap is to feel you are on the right track and then impatiently saw'n'press too hard. Sometimes think luck helped me succeed without stealing/peeling a tiny flake off the burst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALD323 Posted September 2, 2021 Share Posted September 2, 2021 (edited) 17 hours ago, Gabor said: Sincere thanks again. You fellow warriors have been so helpful. I live in Sydney Australia and contacted Bozeman direct about this problem, and also their local distributor to seek advice. Guess what they both have in common? No response at all and it remains so quiet on the home front! Given that we all spend a lot of money on these instruments, and I only learnt how common a problem it is, you would think they should be more forthcoming. All i wanted was a local luthier who i could get to fix this, as the ones I have contacted have all shied away from it! At the end of this process, i may well write to their CEO and let him know how 'helpful' their people are! Nevertheless, all your feedback has given me more confidence to try to fix it myself - but ever so slowly and step by step! So two final questions regarding de-flexing and then reattachment. 1/ After the deflexing process using a blow dryer (very carefully), will I leave the pickguard on the shelf for a while just to be sure the flexing has gone. If so, how long would you recommend? 2/ In relation to re-attaching the de-flexed pickguard, I have read some of you have used a very thin 3M double sided tape which would require me to trace the pickguard shape on it and then cut it out. If I use this method, how far in from the edge of the pickguard should I cut the 3M sheet to ensure it cannot be seen? I also assume this product is clear so it wont be seen from any angle above? I am also assuming I can buy it here in Sydney which i will check on. 3/ Alternatively, if I try to glue it back, can anyone advise the recommended glue to do this, and perhaps how much glue to put o on? Do you use a small brush and put it on all of the pickguard our perhaps just inside the outer dimensions of the pickguard. Also I assume no glue to be initially put on the guitar - only on the back of the pickguard. Thank you so much everyone. I am so very grateful. 1/ After de-flexing you may let the pickguard set on a flat counter top for at least a few hours, maybe a day at most. If it was properly de-flexed the first time, it will not re-curl. But if you see that any corner or portion of the pick guard has not completely de-flexed...including any bow in the middle or the edges of the pick guard, simply repeat the heat process again, .."Remember not to over heat or melt the pick guard" because that CAn happen...get it JUST hot enough...watching closely.. that the flex begins to release. You wil know when it is hot enough because you will SEE with your eyes guard begining to relax flat on the kitchen counter. You may need to bob the hair dryer back and forth, over and over, in and out, several times till it achieves the heat needed for de-flex....It will lie flat very quickly once it has achieved enough heat to do that. 2/ Use the double sided tape only to install the new pick guard...do NOT use glue. The double sided 3M tape was designed for this purpose. You will now carefully trace the shape of the (now flattened) hummingbird pickguard onto the double sided tape panel..which must be large enough to allow for the lage bird guard...so order the larger sheets of 3M tape as the smaller ones may not cover the large bird guard. 3M souble sided tape comes in two or more sizes..get the larger one. 3/ Once again do not use glue of any sort on your nitro finish hummingbird, because while naptha and 3M tape will NEVER destroy the finish...glue definatey could. Good luck...you can do this! its almost fun! I've doe it to at least 5 other guitars as well as my Hummingbird, when I wanted to fix or change a pickguard! Edited September 2, 2021 by ALD323 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docr Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 Have replaced th curling pickguard (which has already been re-fixed by a luthier) by a new pickguard bought at mv custom guitars, Greece. Quite comfortable for people living in the EU. 160€ - so not cheap, delivery time 6 weeks after order as I have ordered at the beginning of summer holidays, arrived carefully packed, very good quality, nice colors and engraving. For my feeling it is rather thick, but maybe this is "historically correct". Have fixed the new pickguard on my 2018 Hummingbird and everything is fine - and I hope it will stay fine. I have cleaned the original "flubby" pcikguard which opposed to all efforts to flatten it and will keep it with my guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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