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J-200 pickguard de-flubberized


BigKahune

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I've got a 2008 J-200.  It's in beautiful shape and I love it.  But I was never in love with the flubber pickguard - soft, thick and tends to curl up off the guitar top.  Over the years I never addressed it, I simply took it out, pressed down the pickguard edges and played the session.  I've seen a coupla remedies posted here, but never tried them.  Now that it's over 10 years old, the flubber's tendency to curl up is even more pronounced.  So, the other day, I took it off, applied some heat from a hair dryer and tried to get it to curl back the other way a bit.  I figured if it didn't work out I'd find for a replacement.  Well, the pickguard cracked.  But as I looked it over, there were two layers: a pickguard layer on the bottom and a soft clear layer on top.  Only the top clear layer was cracked.  The bottom layer was fine.  What's more, the two layers were separating.  So I warmed them up and peeled of the top clear layer, which broke up as I peeled it off.  But the botom layer was intact.  So I warmed it up and put back on my J-200 and presto - I've got a nice, thin, firm/harder, original looking pickard without that soft layer of flubber on it.   Seems that top flubber layer shrinks a bit after manufacture, forcing the two layers to curl up.  It's been a couple days and that bottom layer is staying nice and flat.  The guitar sound/tone might be a bit more lively but not so much that it stands out.  I never cared for the feel of that flubber pickguard, but the bottom layer, sitting there by itself, feels like a normal pickguard. I'm happy. 😎

<edit>  I should add:  I don't know how well this would work with newer pickguards.  My guitar is nearly 14 years old which might effect the ease at which the layers will separate.

De-flubberized pickguard

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Old, yellowed, flubber layer.

5uzZnot.jpg

Edited by BigKahune
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Many many posts and discussions about the flubber guards on J-200s and other Gibsons.  This is the first time I've heard of peeling off the top layer.  As you say it might not work the same on new models, but hopefully you have found a solution for your particular guitar.  I have a couple of newer Hummingbirds and have not had any curling pickguard issues as yet, but I will try to remember this solution should they develop.  And yours looks great now too 👍 

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I did exactly the same to my SJ200 when I fitted my Sunrise three years or so ago, I cut away a small section of the guard with a craft knife to fit the wing of the pickup level and in contact with the guitar's top rather than the pickguard...as I did so, I noticed the "Flubber" top layer was separating slightly from the printed base around where I had trimmed it. Curiosity naturally got the better of me, and I teased it up a little along the separation line. It slowly came entirely unstuck in my hand, leaving me clutching a thick layer of clear Flubber, whilst the thin printed plastic layer remained in place on the guitar.

I'll be damned if it didn't instantly sound better. A few years on and the thin plastic base is still in place, all decals and details 100% intact and it serves its purpose as a pickguard beautifully.

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13 hours ago, Jinder said:

I did exactly the same to my SJ200 when I fitted my Sunrise three years or so ago, I cut away a small section of the guard with a craft knife to fit the wing of the pickup level and in contact with the guitar's top rather than the pickguard...as I did so, I noticed the "Flubber" top layer was separating slightly from the printed base around where I had trimmed it. Curiosity naturally got the better of me, and I teased it up a little along the separation line. It slowly came entirely unstuck in my hand, leaving me clutching a thick layer of clear Flubber, whilst the thin printed plastic layer remained in place on the guitar.

I'll be damned if it didn't instantly sound better. A few years on and the thin plastic base is still in place, all decals and details 100% intact and it serves its purpose as a pickguard beautifully.

Jinder - Good to hear you had a similar experience that also worked out. 

I'd still like to caution folks that might try this solution that it's a bit risky - but here's two successful examples to refer to.

I guess there's a majority of buyers out their that like the fact that the Flubber protects the pickguard graphics.  I like it much better with just the bottom layer on the guitar - feel and sound wise it think it's better.  Wear is fine with me.  Cheers.  😎

 

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4 minutes ago, 62burst said:

Very cool addition to the knowledge base. But- I hope you didn't just put discard that flubber layer. . . there was still some SJ-200 shrubbery stuck to it.

Some or the graphics color came up with the flubber, but curiously, there was color left behind too.  I gave the underlayer a polish with Virtuoso and it looks great.

Sorry 62, I tossed the old flubber and 'shrubbery'.  And I was happy to be rid of it.  😎

 

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1 hour ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Yeah that will show those Martin guys what’s up.

Indeed, for just a moment, they can turn away from a current Technical Info section hot topic:  Whether or not Martin’s problem with loose binding has an effect on tone.

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1 hour ago, bobouz said:

Indeed, for just a moment, they can turn away from a current Technical Info section hot topic:  Whether or not Martin’s problem with loose binding has an effect on tone.

Ask them if Martin has pick guards that are as thick as my car windshield.

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3 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Ask them if Martin has pick guards that are as thick as my car windshield.

Sorry, but that boat won’t float.  I haven’t seen any recent acoustic guitar industry screw ups to compare with Martin’s binding & neck reset issues.  And it’s not that I don’t like Martin’s - they make good guitars, just like Gibson, Guild, Taylor, and others.  But the myth of Martin perfection needs to be debunked, and it would be especially nice to see them man up, take the high road, & formally acknowledge these problems.

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14 hours ago, Dave F said:

I love and have Martins but they're not immune to brain farts

 

 

 

 

Dave F.,

Agreed.

These three are seriously tasteless guitars, amd fall into the "What were they thinking?" category.

The first one looks like the result of a mating between a Gibson "Bird" guitar and a Martin D-41.

Luckily, the genetic disparity makes it sterile.

RBSinTo

Edited by RBSinTo
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13 hours ago, Dave F said:

I love and have Martins but they're not immune to brain farts

1P4A2308.jpg

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Oh yeah I’ve made fun of those horrid things. Martin is not perfect, but the s-hit you Gibson fan boys / girls snort to pretend your guitar are made by the hands of Angels is ridiculous.

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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You guys are really funny. First you post about flubber (what ever Gibson speak that is) on a pickguard on a GIBSON guitar. I guess it is extra pickguard that is not needed, but Gibson thinks you do, so they put it there any way because its tradition. So this is not a Martin issue. Then one person says to post it on a totally different guitar makers forum, probably just to be a wise a-ss. Then  we go back to the only 2 things that always come up neck resets and binding. How about look at Gibsons history and their problems as well. 

But I'm the a-ss hole here huh?

Edited by Sgt. Pepper
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 I'm aware Martin vs Gibson issues come up now and then, but it was not my intention to create a Martin bashing.  And, I have never sent a combative or hostile word at you.

I'm not into Gibson vs Martin issues, but I apologize Sgt. Pepper, for commenting on one of Martin's humerous top decorations - which I'm sure they intended to be humerous.

BTW, I love Martins.  I'm a Martin owner:  D-45,  00-15M,  J12-15.  I own guitars from Guild, Taylor, Yamaha, Takamine, Rainsong, Fender, Jackson, Rickenbacker. I'm interested in the sound and play of individual guitars, not which builder is the best or worst.

Life is short, buy the guitar.

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