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Hello everyone, I have been doing research, gathering materials and advice for the repair work I have talked myself into doing on my acoustic guitar, much to the help and feedback from OLF. I have attached a few photos (or at least I hope I have) of the damage…that I didn’t do!!! As always, I would appreciate any and all feedback from you guys and I would be glad to answer any questions asked. My questions here are…what is the best way to remove my pick guard? What is the best adhesive to put it back on? Initially I was going to work around it but know I’m having second thoughts. I really would prefer not removing the bridge…especially after reading (and viewing) Wes McMillian’s recent post. That kind of freaked me out there bro! I have been busy with music projects over the last couple of weeks (and everything else life throws at ya) and it looks like it’s only going to get busier…you know, when it rains it pours. I am anticipating getting to work on the guitar next month. Many thanks in advance.

B#
Floyd

Hello Floyd an welcome to the OLF. I assume we are looking at just a finish repair, no cracks or loose braces?

First you have to know what kind of finish it is. Do the Frank Ford acetone test to find out if you don't know what the finish is or can't get that information from the builder. http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/AcetoneFinishTest/acetonetest.html

If it's nitro you are in luck. It can be drop filled and the repair will not be very noticeable. http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/Lacquer/DropFill/dropfill.html

If it's a newer polyester or catalyzed finish repair will be harder. They can be drop filled with CA using a similar scraping technique but the repair will be more visible. With any drop filling you have to wait until the fill has shrunk as much as is reasonably possible otherwise your repair will become more noticeable with age. That's usually a few weeks.

Either of these two kinds of finishes can be repaired with Frank's methods without removing the bridge or pick guard but the repair won't be perfect.

The only way to make sure you won't see a repaired scratch that has gone to bare wood is to refinish the whole top. That's hard with the bridge on if you don't have much experience with finishing. If you do have finishing experience and equipment, it's not too bad. The pick guard will come off with a hair dryer and a little patience. Heat it until you can get one corner to come up. Then continue heating and peeling the pick guard up until it comes off. The glue residue can be removed with naptha and some elbow grease. Once you get the pick guard off you won't be able to use it again. A nitro finish can be removed with solvent but the newer finishes are best removed with sandpaper. Start with 100 grit and once you have bare wood work your way through the grits to 220. Then you have to finish it, level the finish and buff it.

As you can see this gets difficult and there's nothing to keep a future scratch from marring the surface again. Then you are back to square one. Most players accept the occasional scratch or ding as part of the guitar's musical journey. The drop fill repairs will make the scratch a lot less noticeable and aren't too hard to do. Then the future scratches will have a friend. If you really want to redo the whole top, then get a beater from a yard sale or pawn shop and practice.

Hope this helps.

_________________
Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
https://www.kenfranklinukulele.com

I'd drop fill finish that repair. It doesn't seem to serious.

I really like the 3M adhesive sheets for pick guards so long as it is a finished surface under the pick guard. IT's essentially a very strong double stick tape and it's really easy to use without much of a mess.

I can say with reasonably certainness that the damage is in both the wood and finish. While the damage to the wood and finish is only cosmetic and not structural. Drop filling will add finish to cover the wound but you will see the wound from now on as the wood fibers have been somewhat crushed. These could be mostly steamed out but would require sand the finish back around the wound and finish repair afterward. Like others have said it is near impossible to keep an instrument that is used on a regular basis scratch free. if mine I would consider it battle damage and move on.

Now on the pick guard this can be a touchy thing if not famillure with finish and instrument repair. It is real easy to peal off some finish when removing the pick guard if not carful. Also you will devalue the guitar more by successfully removing the pick guard than the scratch damage caused. I would leave it. it is part of the original product.

Michael gives very good advise. If it were mine, I'd also just leave it and call it beauty marks from being used.

I loaned my last guitar out (french polished shellac finish) and it came back with so many pick scratches (down to the wood too) that my jaw hit the floor when I opened the case. I can certainly repair it but I think I'll just call it loaners remorse and leave it as is.

Why do you feel you need to take the pick guard off if you're just going to put it back on?

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