Remove pick guard?

[plarson3]

I have a new Martin gpc 11e. Don’t love the pick guard, and in general prefer the look of these style guitars without them. Anyone have thoughts, concerns or tips on me removing it?

[zuzu]

I always remove mine but have never owned a Martin so don't know any particulars to look for with them. Generally, first, how long has it been exposed to daylight, direct or indirect? I take mine off when fresh out of the box because two that I left on for awhile (just a few weeks hanging on the wall) before removing the pick guard left a lighter spot where the pickguard had been, a "tan line" so to speak. One was barely noticeable but one was obvious, so there is that to consider. The other thing is how easy or difficult they come off, which you can't know until you do it. That info will decide whether you can simply put the same one back on if you decide to. I have found a wide degree of ease or difficulty in different makes and models, except one; if you go to take off a Yamaha pick guard, bring your lunch because you are in for a fight.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by plarson3

I have a new Martin gpc 11e. Don’t love the pick guard, and in general prefer the look of these style guitars without them. Anyone have thoughts, concerns or tips on me removing it?

Hi plarson3
First of all, Hello and welcome to the forum (see you just joined recently)…

I prefer pick guards for the protection. That way I can let anyone play my instruments, which as a long-time player, teacher and owner of better-than-usual instruments I WANT to do.

What chance do average players (and even seasoned vets) have to play high end instruments with their style?

Audiences don't care, and that area of the top is not being restricted appreciably by a pick guard so I prefer them. Two of mine wear transparent pick guards.

I've seen guitars where the guard is 'removed' and their look is unsettling because of the tan line, which are nearly impossible to remove. They draw unwanted attention.

[LAPlayer]

It's your guitar so only your preferences matter. You can remove them easily enough but if you are squeamish about doing it yourself any local guitar tech or luthier would likely do it for you for a couple of dollars. Like lj above, all of my guitars are custom shop or custom builds so want some top protection and I prefer clear pick-guards on most of my guitars. My D45 just looks great with it's guard so I leave it on. If you're going to remove it I would do so sooner rather than later. The good news is, if you decide you prefer it on, you can reinstall one at any time.

[Jdenkevitz]

Originally Posted by plarson3

I have a new Martin gpc 11e. Don’t love the pick guard, and in general prefer the look of these style guitars without them. Anyone have thoughts, concerns or tips on me removing it?

I prefer no pickguard. I removed the one on one of my Eastmans (e20D).

Anything that comes into contact with the top of the guitar has the capacity to inhibit resonance.

If I scuff up the guitar a bit due to no pickguard, that doesn't bother me.

Its not difficult to remove them. I use a hairdryer and took my time. Removing the glue residue took longer than removing the pickguard itself.

[RP]

Originally Posted by Jdenkevitz

...Its not difficult to remove them. I use a hairdryer and took my time. Removing the glue residue took longer than removing the pickguard itself.

The important thing is to take your time - don't rush it. Use the hair dryer along with some dental floss to get under the pick guard. Don't force the floss, but ease it under the ever softening adhesive. When the pick guard is removed, use naphtha (lighter fluid) to remove the adhesive...

[sabatini]

If you choose to remove the pick guard use a hair dryer, gently, to warm the pick guard and carefully lift an edge. Lift and warm slowly and it should come off. Go slow and easy so you don't remove any wood. Some people use dental floss slid between guitar and guard to aid removal.

Good luck.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by plarson3

I have a new Martin gpc 11e. Don’t love the pick guard, and in general prefer the look of these style guitars without them. Anyone have thoughts, concerns or tips on me removing it?

Use the Pick Guard Removal Instructions by Frank Ford at Frets.com.

Notice the "tan line" on the 5 month old Taylor that Frank says will "even out nicely as the guitar ages".

I mostly use .005" clear mylar guards as they are nearly invisable and protect the top from the inevitable damage that guitars will get without a guard. Frank Ford posted an excellent video on Youtube on how to make and install a clear guard.

You don't want to see what happened to my brand new 023c Lowden when my playing partner used it for ONE song. He plays with metal finger picks and the cedar top did NOT fare well.

[Rosette]

I removed the pickguard on my Yamaha FS5 using naphtha. I dipped a piece dental floss into the naphtha and worked the floss under the edge of the pickguard and kept flossing it back and forth until the edge started to pull up. Then used a q-tip dipped in naphtha once enough of the guard had come up.

I know the hairdryer method is often recommended here but I could not bring myself to blast the top with heat due to concerns the heat might affect the glue holding the bracing in place. Maybe that's an unnecessary worry, but I felt naphtha was the safer option.

I didn't have a tan line to worry about; I'm not sure you'd need to worry about that on a new guitar. I actually removed the pickguard on the guitar twice, first time when it was brand new because I disliked the standard pickguard, so I replaced it with a tortoise guard. Then a few years later I took that pickguard off, still no tan line.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by sabatini

If you choose to remove the pick guard use a hair dryer, gently, to warm the pick guard and carefully lift an edge. Lift and warm slowly and it should come off. Go slow and easy so you don't remove any wood. Some people use dental floss slid between guitar and guard to aid removal.

Good luck.

^This.

I used an old credit card as a wedge. Don't be in a rush.

[RP]

Originally Posted by TBman

^This.

I used an old credit card as a wedge. Don't be in a rush.

Be very careful using a credit card. I tried this once and due to my own carelessness and the thickness of the card, I made some light gauges in the wood...

[fregly]

A hair dryer (as above) and prying slowly worked for me. I have done a few guitars. Hard finish UV Poly probably does not need a guard, with my technique anyway. Softer finishes I will mark over time inevitably. This still looks better than the guard to my eyes.

[Wade Hampton]

Rosette wrote:

Originally Posted by Rosette

I know the hairdryer method is often recommended here but I could not bring myself to blast the top with heat due to concerns the heat might affect the glue holding the bracing in place. Maybe that's an unnecessary worry, but I felt naphtha was the safer option.

I have the same concern. I’ve removed several pickguards over the years, but resorted to using a hairdryer only once, on a particularly obstinate guard that wasn’t coming loose any other way. Even then, I used it for barely enough time to get the pickguard loose at the spot where it was hanging on.

Hairdryers get recommended blithely for this task on this forum, usually with no warning of the dangers of letting the hot air linger on the top for too long. Yet it’s a very real hazard, with the bracing easily loosened by excessive heat. As a rule, brace adhesion problems won’t manifest themselves for a few years, meaning that most people who damage their guitars with hairdryer heat don’t make the connection.

So if do you decide to remove a pickguard using a hairdryer, use it as cautiously and sparingly as possible.


Wade Hampton Miller

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by RP

Be very careful using a credit card. I tried this once and due to my own carelessness and the thickness of the card, I made some light gauges in the wood...

I used a "new old" creditcard the one time I did it and made very certain first that it didn't have any burrs. iFixit sell opening tools for phones that include a tool to pry them open; those would probably be a good choice ... but I think that as long as you really know what you're doing you could even use a (new!) glass top straper... . The goal is to help to glue to separate, so *if* you scrape it's against the part of the pickguard that you've worked up already. It's a bit like removing the skin from a piece of salmon without.

For protection ... how would the thin clear sheets sold be some guitar support makers do? Those mostly cling statically so they should come off real easy when you want to replace them

[RP]

Originally Posted by RJVB

...For protection ... how would the thin clear sheets sold be some guitar support makers do? Those mostly cling statically so they should come off real easy when you want to replace them

This is what I use for my Emeralds which don't come with any kind of pick guards...