Thanks Gibson!

[gibsonjunkie]

I wrote to Gibson Customer Service because, like others, the paint on the pick guard on my Hummingbird has worn off and I know the new ones are done differently (like a J-200) so it won't wear. They are sending me one to replace the worn one. Thanks Gibson!

[guitarstrummer]

Have you received the new one yet? Any trouble getting the old one off and installing the new one?

[Kai]

Be careful taking off the old pickguard! Old glue may stick to the finish and lift off parts of the top!

[John Lee Walker]

I watched my guitar tech change out a pickguard one time and he used a common hair dryer and a dental toothpick. The heat from the dryer softened the glue and the tiny pick allowed him to get under it to apply pressure as he used the hair dryer and and it came off clean as a whistle without a mar on the finish around it whatsoever. He told me he applied a very small amount of pressure on the dental pick to pry, and as the glue softened it came up basically on its own. Gotta have a gentle touch and patience:)

[guitarstrummer]

You also have to make sure you use very low heat with the hair dryer.

[TWilson]

John Lee and Mike are correct. I changed out the pickguard on my J-45 and used the hair dryer method. I did not use a dental pick but just kept moving the low heat around at the sharpest point of the teardrop guard. I could finally get my fingernail under it and then could grasp it between thumb and forefinger. Just keep steady, LIGHT pressure on it and keep the heat moving back and forth on the area that will be next to come loose. As John Lee said, it pretty much comes off by itself. I used Naptha and several old clean white cotten socks to ball up the adhesive. Keep putting a little Naptha on the sock and rubbing it around. After all the glue was off I had a nice shiny finish and a "tan line" that you had to look very closely to see. This was a moot point as I put on a larger tortoise batwing over it. The rest is history my friend. And Bob's your uncle!!

[guitarstrummer]

I never tried this method myself, but I've heard other people talk about using dental floss to work the pickguard up, after you get it started. They claim you can take a long piece and work it back and forth under the guard.

[Jinder]

Gibson just did the same with my SJ200 guard. What brilliant customer service!

[TheLiveSoundGuy]

Just keep steady' date=' LIGHT pressure on it and keep the heat moving back and forth on the area that will be next to come loose. As John Lee said, it pretty much comes off by itself. I used Naptha and several old clean white cotten socks to ball up the adhesive. Keep putting a little Naptha on the sock and rubbing it around. After all the glue was off I had a nice shiny finish and a "tan line" that you had to look very closely to see. The rest is history my friend. And Bob's your uncle!![/size']

 

+1

 

With the exception of the hair dryer, this is how I replaced the guard on my 07 Hummingbird.

I didn't need the hair dryer at all. Light steady pressure brought mine up.

 

NOTE the operative words here, SLOW, STEADY, and LIGHT pressure. Don't rush it.

[Taylor Player]

I never tried this method myself' date=' but I've heard other people talk about using dental floss to work the pickguard up, after you get it started. They claim you can take a long piece and work it back and forth under the guard. [/quote']

 

I have heard fishing line with the light heat can help. I would certainly not do it myself as I have a way of breaking things but the hair dryer works great for getting broken blades out of a hockey stick shaft for replacement and I can use all the pressure I want with that! ^_^

[Wild_Rose]

Gibson just did the same with my SJ200 guard. What brilliant customer service!

that is indeed fantastic!!!! ;)

[guitarstrummer]

I think Gibson CS generally keeps people pretty happy when they have problems. The thing to remember is that if you contact Bozeman directly, rather than their main CS number, you usually can get more direct service and answers to your acoustic questions.

[gibsonjunkie]

The new guard arrived yesterday. I am not in a hurry to change it out - I'll get to it one of these days. Thanks for all the advice on switching it out. It may be worth it for me to pay a luthier to do it, though. We'll see.

 

This one did have an adhesive back, BTW...