Removing Pickguard From Taylor Blacktop

[ejko]

I’d like to remove the pickguard from my Taylor AD-11e Blacktop. I asked Taylor if it is OK to use naphtha to remove any leftover adhesive. They surprisingly said they don’t know if Naptha will damage the blacktop finish.

Anyone here know if naptha can be used on this finish?

[nikpearson]

Taylor use a durable but thin UV-cured finish in their instruments so I’d be extremely surprised if naphtha would cause any damage. It certainly hasn’t when I’ve used it to clean up other Taylor instruments. Just to be sure you could try it in an inconspicuous place such as the back of the headstock or even under a tuner.

Naphtha is just about the best solvent for removing adhesive residue from surfaces and not just in the guitar world. Water, ethanol, and isopropanol simply don’t work on most adhesives; and the latter two dissolve shellac which naphtha won’t. White spirits and acetone will also work but are harsher. I will only use acetone as a last resort as it can dissolve some plastics and nitrocellulose.

One good trick when removing pickguards is to use dental tape to pull along the adhesive using a sawing motion. It is soft but strong and doesn’t damage even delicate finishes. You can then clean up the remaining residue. Gentle heat can help soften the glue but you have to be careful applying heat to soundboards. I’ve found it’s not usually necessary any way so this risk can be avoided.