Protecting a Hummingbirds pickguard with nitros spray?

[jellyrohl]

Has anyone tried using nitros lacquer on a hummingbird pickguard to keep the design from being rubbed off or damaged? Is there a reason Gibson doesn’t do this already with their painted pickguards?
 

It’s pretty easy to get good lacquer, and I have access to the spray equipment one would need to create a fine and consistent spray, as opposed to using an aerosol can. Even with a fine and consistent spray, would you still need to sand the lacquer smooth? (Aerosol canned lacquer often requires sanding from what I’ve read)
 

I realize this is sort of a vanity thing, but I have my hummingbird arriving tomorrow and I’d like to keep the bird design as long as possible. It’s a very visually appealing aspect of the guitar to me.

 

Thank you!

Edited September 18, 2023 by jellyrohl
Better spelling

[62burst]

Rumor has it that when designing the original pick guard, Hartford Snyder had spec'ed for Panzer paint to be used for coloring his design, but that just might be an acoustic urban legend. Lacquer is quite fickle- you can clean the pickguard glue off of a guitar's top when replacing the 'guard, but I wouldn't risk it not attacking the paint on modern Hummingbird graphics.  I also wanted to keep fingers from wearing off the design, so I purchased some clear static cling pickguard material off of eBay. Worked fine. 'Wasn't too critical about getting the air bubbles out. . . as a matter of fact, I kinda liked the mosaic pattern that resulted. I lifted the clear film after a few months to make sure it wasn't attacking the paint. All good. It wasn't pulled off until I sold the guitar a few years later- no damage, and the new owner got a pristine-looking pickguard on their new 'Bird. 

 

screen capture from a Bozeman tour that was posted on YouTube:

 

Congrats on the incoming Hummingbird- post a pic!

 

[jellyrohl]

Awesome, thanks for the insight! I’ve read about those clear pickguard films, but was unsure of them. I’ll have to try and find one online. I’ll post a pic once it arrives!

[jellyrohl]

I’m guessing something like this would work after being cut to size?

https://a.co/d/bjZwciR

[E-minor7]

5 hours ago, jellyrohl said:

Has anyone tried using nitros lacquer on a hummingbird pickguard to keep the design from being rubbed off or damaged? Is there a reason Gibson doesn’t do this already with their painted pickguards?
 

It’s pretty easy to get good lacquer, and I have access to the spray equipment one would need to create a fine and consistent spray, as opposed to using an aerosol can. Even with a fine and consistent spray, would you still need to sand the lacquer smooth? (Aerosol canned lacquer often requires sanding from what I’ve read)
 

I realize this is sort of a vanity thing, but I have my hummingbird arriving tomorrow and I’d like to keep the bird design as long as possible. It’s a very visually appealing aspect of the guitar to me.

 

Thank you!

Have to say I just let the flora-fauna be. A natural fade looks good to me (rhyme there).

Here's a 7 year old 13 pages long thread that touches a bit of everything - including the German panzer paint myth in post 11. 
 

 

1 hour ago, 62burst said:

Rumor has it that when designing the original pick guard, Hartford Snyder had spec'ed for Panzer paint to be used for coloring his design, but that just might be an acoustic urban legend. Lacquer is quite fickle- you can clean the pickguard glue off of a guitar's top when replacing the 'guard, but I wouldn't risk it not attacking the paint on modern Hummingbird graphics.  I also wanted to keep fingers from wearing off the design, so I purchased some clear static cling pickguard material off of eBay. Worked fine. 'Wasn't too critical about getting the air bubbles out. . . as a matter of fact, I kinda liked the mosaic pattern that resulted. I lifted the clear film after a few months to make sure it wasn't attacking the paint. All good. It wasn't pulled off until I sold the guitar a few years later- no damage, and the new owner got a pristine-looking pickguard on their new 'Bird. 

Do you have pictures of this 'film', Burst. . 

[62burst]

1 hour ago, E-minor7 said:

Do you have pictures of this 'film', Burst. . 

Sorry, but after searching videos and photos, doesn't look like there's a photo of the static cling guard over the Bird graphics. I do know that I'd played many a jam with it, and it's presence was never noticed by any of the (other) guitar geeks.

[rct]

Pickguard pickguard.

rct

[Murph]

I'd wear it out.

Like everything else I've ever had.

If you want to conserve it, take it off.

[rct]

Pickguardguard.

rct