Loar LH-600-VS Pickguard information

[sconnors]

I recently purchased a new Loar LH-600 archtop and love it. I also purchased a pickguard from 1929 pickguards for the Loar. My question is this: Is there a certain measurement from the body which the pickguard should be mounted. I'm trying to get an idea whether it should be flush with the frets or lower and if lower how much lower?
Any help or pictures anyone has would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Scott

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by sconnors

I recently purchased a new Loar LH-600 archtop and love it. I also purchased a pickguard from 1929 pickguards for the Loar. My question is this: Is there a certain measurement from the body which the pickguard should be mounted. I'm trying to get an idea whether it should be flush with the frets or lower and if lower how much lower?
Any help or pictures anyone has would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Scott

Hi Scott,
Here's a closeup of my 1930 Gibson L-5 pick guard as it relates to the neck binding, etc.



Definitely lower than the fret wire in any case.

HE

[sconnors]

Thank you!! This is very helpful!! Any chance you could post a pic of the other end of the pickguard and how high it is off the body?
Much appreciated if you could.
Scott

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by sconnors

Thank you!! This is very helpful!! Any chance you could post a pic of the other end of the pickguard and how high it is off the body?
Much appreciated if you could.
Scott

Scott,
I’ll do that in a bit, but it’s out of your hands, actually.

Whatever the fingerboard line/angle is will dictate everything else, or at least it should.

HE

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

Whatever the fingerboard line/angle is will dictate everything else, or at least it should.

Doesn't that depend on how the upper part is fixed (along the fretboard or through the top) and whether the bottom end is held up via a bracket?

As far as I'm concerned the main criteria for height-off-the-top are
- is there space for any controls or cables hung from the fingerrest
- does it get in the way of your fingers or pick
- how much do you accept to let it cover the treble f-hole. The latter can be related to height off the top if the bracket is angled (AFAIK it usually is).

I always wonder how many people actually need one of these as a pick *guard, given how high the strings typically are off the centre of the top, and how the top "falls away" from your picking motion the further you go off-centre!

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by RJVB

Doesn't that depend on how the upper part is fixed (along the fretboard or through the top) and whether the bottom end is held up via a bracket?

As far as I'm concerned the main criteria for height-off-the-top are
- is there space for any controls or cables hung from the fingerrest
- does it get in the way of your fingers or pick
- how much do you accept to let it cover the treble f-hole. The latter can be related to height off the top if the bracket is angled (AFAIK it usually is).

I always wonder how many people actually need one of these as a pick *guard, given how high the strings typically are off the centre of the top, and how the top "falls away" from your picking motion the further you go off-centre!

The best way to mount this style of pick guard is through the top near the fingerboard extension and a bracket.

The 'covering' of the lower F hole, aside from visual, is sonically meaningless.

A long time ago I had a volume & tone control plus a TRS 1/4" jack mounted on the pick guard, along with a suspended Fishman-Crown GLM-200 microphone. The second input of the jack connected to a Fishman SBT that was stuck to the top near the bridge.

It was a great sounding system, played through various split system preamps including Rane AP-13 and a Fishman pocket blender.

Here's the original pick guard, which decided to self destruct as they are wont to do. Notice all the filled in holes near where the rot set in. They're from whatever work Louis Baumann (aka Lou Bernie) the original owner did with magnetic pickups. I filled them with a Mohawk Shellac Stick.



Best,
Howard Emerson

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by sconnors

Thank you!! This is very helpful!! Any chance you could post a pic of the other end of the pickguard and how high it is off the body?
Much appreciated if you could.
Scott

Here you go!



And here's a full shot:



HE

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

The 'covering' of the lower F hole, aside from visual, is sonically meaningless.

I'm not convinced, rather (maybe too) convinced of the opposite, but it's not the topic at hand.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by RJVB

I always wonder how many people actually need one of these as a pick *guard, given how high the strings typically are off the centre of the top, and how the top "falls away" from your picking motion the further you go off-centre!

It is really a finger rest rather than a pick guard. I have one on my 5th Avenue and I use it constantly as a finger rest while playing.

[sconnors]

Thank you! Much appreciated!

[sconnors]

Thank you I was able to get mine installed
Can’t figure out how to post a pic so it shows up here?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/200002184@N07/53506558016

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by sconnors

Thank you I was able to get mine installed
Can’t figure out how to post a pic so it shows up here?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/200002184@N07/53506558016

Any particular reason you had the top of it extend past the body near the neck joint, instead of even/flush?

HE

[sconnors]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

Any particular reason you had the top of it extend past the body near the neck joint, instead of even/flush?



HE

I think that was just the camera angle. Here is a shot straight on. Still can figure out how to get pics to who here?

https://flic.kr/p/2pwdehR

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by sconnors

I think that was just the camera angle. Here is a shot straight on. Still can figure out how to get pics to who here?

https://flic.kr/p/2pwdehR

Yes, it clearly was the camera angle!

Nice!

H