Removing OEM pickguard without damage?

[LeDave]

Is this possible?

[YamahaGuy]

D

Originally Posted by LeDave

Is this possible?

yes. I've removed pick guards from a Yamaha AC3R and FGX5. The AC3R was easy to do, BUT I did it after owning the instrument for 3 or 4 years and it left a terrible tan line. The FGX5 was much harder to do, as the glue used left a sticky residue behind that took a lot of elbow grease to get off. I ended up slightly denting small spots on the top doing so, but no tan lines as I did it the first 6 months of owning it.

Go slow. Start at a tiny corner and lift small sections at a time. Some people apply heat. I never did.

I've heard horror stories of finish being ripped off with slivers of top wood.

Much easier on guitars with a polyurethane finish than nitro cellulose I imagine.

[YamahaGuy]

Pics of the AC3R and FGX5

[Nahil.R]

As pointed out the longer its been there, the more chance there will be some color variance.

1 method I have used successfully in the past is gently applying heat to the are with a hair dryer (careful not to overheat), then use some dental floss to slowly work your way underneath the guard.

Good luck!

Nahil.

[UncleJesse]

I removed a guard successfully with a hair dryer and guitar pick to get it started and it peeled right off an Eastman. Like Yamaha Guy said, the hard part was getting the residual glue off for me. I'm not sure what's safe on a poly finish like yours probably has. The Eastman had a nitro finish so I used lighter fluid and goo gone at various points to get it completely clean.

[Rodger Knox]

Originally Posted by Nahil.R

As pointed out the longer its been there, the more chance there will be some color variance.

1 method I have used successfully in the past is gently applying heat to the are with a hair dryer (careful not to overheat), then use some dental floss to slowly work your way underneath the guard.

Good luck!

Nahil.

Second the floss recommendation. A white vinyl eraser works really well for getting the residual adhesive off the top.

[bobio]

I would also recommend heat, just be careful about how much you heat it up. You don't want to soften the glue holding the braces on under the top.

My Recording King RO-127 didn't come with a pickguard, I added it right after I bought it 10 years ago.

I just pulled it off with a bit of heat from a hairdryer the other day.

Came off without any damage after having been there for 10 years. Really surprised the guitar doesn't have any tan lines after 10 years.

Would like to go with a clear pickguard. Something like a clear sticker rather than a hard pickguard.

Does anyone make something thin that will have minimal impact on the top, yet provide some protection?

I was even thinking of something like the 3M product used on the front of cars to protect the paint from chips.

20200816_144804836_iOS.jpg20200909_153946819_iOS.jpg

[Rodger Knox]

Here:
https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-ha...pickguard.html