wood pickguards?
 

I've just finished an OM with cutaway. It's all wood - bindings, rosette, and purflings. I was messing around with a Gibson L00 pick guard template for another project, and found that the outline of the pick guard matches the guitar lines perfectly. I hadn't planned on putting a guard on it, but I really like how the lines match. So I was thinking about maybe doing a very thin one, perhaps RW or Walnut. ( the purfing and rosette have Walnut in them)..I am wondering though, since the business end of a pickguard is to protect the finish from the pick, would it make sense to treat the wood guard with a hard coating like epoxy before mounting it?

Perhaps take a page from Taylor's book? Their new 800s use wooden pickgaurds that look very sleek.


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I seal any wood pickguards that I make.

Pay close attention to grain orientation when cutting the shape out, can really ruin a good looking pickguard if you have it on an odd angle

Steve

Rosewood would blend in well, the fretboard and bridge are rosewood, along w/ the back and sides. I was also thinking about a piece of figured Walnut. Either would look nice I think. But still, a hard topcoat would be a plus I think.

I think wood pickguards are a nice touch. I always laminated a veneer of wood to black plastic and then mounted it but just finished it as usual. I suppose some sort of poly for wood floors could be pretty tough stuff.

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Putting a finish on a pickguard to protect the pickguard that is protecting the finish that is protecting the top... what protects the finish on the pickguard?

Had an Alvarez-Yairi DY-74C that had a pick guard in rosewood to match the back. Very attractive combination.

i have a friend with a new taylor with a wood guard. i don't like it but i keep my thoughts to myself.

Am interested in making wood PGs as OP. Worried about splitting later as the wood dries out. Is laminating to plastic a preventative? I've also cut PGs out of old laminated wood guitar backs but I have some solid wood I would like to use.

That was my philosophy behind it. The woods I have used for pickguards are burls and they are all cracked to pieces so they would have to be laminated to something. Plastic is acoustically dead and won't shrink and swell like wood when glued to the top. So whether that idea has any merit to it or not I don't know but it's what I do, just in case.

In either case always glue a pickguard to the finished top, not directly to bare wood.

That's what a pickguardguard is for!

Exactly. What's the logic for using a wood pickguard other than looks? It's certainly not functional. In fact, if anything it's anti-functional.

BTW I also put clear plastic on the top of my wooden pickguards. That acts as a 'finish' and protects the wood. Of course a wooden guard is just for looks but it will protect the spruce too

While I get the reference, and understand the logic behind saying this, I do disagree. A pickguard of any material will help protect the guitar top. Yes, perhaps a wood pickguard will crack, or get roughed up by the pick. But, any sort of pickguard is easier to replace than a top with a gouge in it from too many wild pick strums. ( Think Will Nelson's guitar here). I would much rather replace a pickguard than try to repair a damaged top.

What type of adhesive would be used with a wooden pickguard that would make it possible to remove it later without damaging the top?

A wooden pickguard seems like adding another brace to me - a brace that could affect tone and timbre in negative ways.