Pickguard for Carbon Guitar?
 

Has anyone here put a pick guard on their carbon guitar? I have been looking around and found a nice looking black ice pick guard that I am thinking about using on my Lucky 13. I wouldn't imagine it would affect the tone????
It's super thin adhesive backed. Jerry

Hi Jerry, I'm interested in finding an answer to this too. Would you provide a link to what you did find? One made of carbon fiber would be super thin and light, or was it just the look?

The Lucky 13s originally had pick guards, but Joe took them off the design as he thought the guitar was better without it. I have a 2013 version, but it doesn't have a pick guard.

No idea bout the one you have seen though.

I would think that applying anything to the top of a guitar will decrease its ability to vibrate to a greater or lesser extent. The smaller the top, it seems, the greater the "dampening" would be. Given that, when I had a Rainsong H1100N2, I put a pick guard on and thought it still sounded great. FWIW I was inclined to use a solid black pick guard not a patterned one because of the pattern of the guitar itself...

Here is the link to the one I am looking at it is carbon fiber and really thin...http://www.ebay.com/itm/320926212157...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Jerry

Jerry, it is up to you and your playing style. If you strum heavily and thrash the guitar, put one on. To some degree anything you put on the top will inhibit the vibration and tone. Whether it is perceptible, or a big deal, is up to you.

I prefer to NOT have pick guards at all, but I also don't bother to remove them if a guitar comes with it already. The exception is for koa tops - it is downright criminal to cover up a koa top. I put a thin clear vinyl pick guard on my WS-1000 years ago, and it barely has a mark on it. And most of those marks came from friends who were trying out the guitar (the real reason that I put it on). For the most part, my flat pick technique is well controlled and I do not really need a pick guard.

I bought one of those Alloy+Carbon pickguards for my Rainsong. I thought it looked pretty sharp, except that there was some fogging in the resin that was visible from certain angles.

Unfortunately, they come from Greece, and it's about a month-long wait (with customs), so I didn't try to return it.

Instead I got a custom-made one from here.

It's just gloss black, but it's a very nice pickguard, and I was able to choose my soundhole radius. I'd had to trim the first one to get it to fit properly.

I know the guitar doesn't really need one. But it just looked like something was missing until I put one on. I haven't noticed any difference in the sound.

Hope this helps.

Hi Earl ,Ya I don't absolutely need one just thought it would look good and I rest my third finger on the top when playing. Figured i would polish out a spot by the constant sliding on the top? very light and don't ever hit the face with a pick. Jerry

I'm a "pinkie planter" myself when fingerpicking. When flatpicking I rest the heel of my hand on the bridge, or just strum freely from the wrist and elbow.

Maybe just play the L13 for a while and see if you actually get a polished spot. Then think about covering it with a pick guard later - if the need actually arises. Late thought - isn't the top of the Lucky 13 gloss anyway? The neck is satin, but the rest of the body is glossy, IIRC. I just looked at the Blackbird web site, and cannot tell for sure if the top is glossy.

One more guitar sold this week, so I'm getting closer to pulling the trigger on an order. You got the one I was watching at Ted's place.

Yes the top is high gloss and the neck satin. Well Ted says he has another on order, he gets one and orders another as they take about 4 mo. to get....

I have used guards since I found brush marks on my first CF guitar--I sometimes tap, often brush, and sometimes I get a little enthusiastic.

I don't like thick guards and I don't like obscuring the guitar face. Stu-Mac has a super thin Mylar guard that I've now been using for years on all my guitars. It has an adhesive back and I used to sweat bullets worrying about what would happen if I had to take one off. And then one day I had to take one off because I laid it in wrong; warm washcloth , some gentle pulling, then clean any residual adhesive.

The nice thing about getting a guard in large sheets is that I've been able to shape the guard to suit my play.

There are also cling guards that go on and off with no problem; never tried one.

I've used the cling guards - easy and no adhesive issue.

My WS-3000 (bought used) came with a CF or CF-look guard on it. I haven't bothered to take it off.

http://i.imgur.com/FPI6amb.jpg?1

I have also used the clear cling guard without problem. I don't use it as a pick guard though, because as a finger picker I really have no need. Rather I use it kind of like a Pearce armrest, but just to keep the gloss top of my Chimaera from acquiring forearm oils on the top of the lower bout (which does easily wipe off anyhow with a microfiber cloth). I like that you can contour the cling guards to whatever shape you want.

I agree, the static cling is by far the best idea for any gloss guitar that does not have a pick guard. Easy, no issues!