adding a pick guard

[adibranch]

Hi all, my second question of the day

I've got a seagull Excursion with no pick guard, but as i'm still learning i find i hit the body quite a lot when playing, and it sounds awful. I was thinking of adding a pick guard but it needs to be clear as the seagull has the burn stamped writing around the sound hole.

Are the removable ones any good (the peel off ones)?

[Jcamp]

I believe that they do make some that you can take off later that will not leave any residue Personally I would not put any on it. Some folks say it messes with the sound so say it doesn’t. To me it’s better to learn to play without one. I’ve had my Alvarez md 90 for over 15 years now and it has never had one on it and still looks good. Ur finger nails r more likely to do the damage than the pick.
It’s worth stating that I’m one of those ppl that like a guitar to look aged (just not beat to death)

[stringjunky]

Try and keep your trailing fingers from touching the sound board when you strum. it's your nails from them that does most of the scratching.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by stringjunky2

Try and keep your trailing fingers from touching the sound board when you strum. it's your nails from them that does most of the scratching.

never thought of that! I always keep my fretting hand nails super short, but sometime leave the other hand longer. Best to keep them both short!

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by JackB1

never thought of that! I always keep my fretting hand nails super short, but sometime leave the other hand longer. Best to keep them both short!

As a finger picker 75% of the time, I need right hand nails -- but not on the pinky that anchors on the top. That one is kept short.

[stringjunky]

Originally Posted by JackB1

never thought of that! I always keep my fretting hand nails super short, but sometime leave the other hand longer. Best to keep them both short!

Someone mentioned that's how Willie Nelson got his guitar like it is, that's how I found out.

[guitar george]

Try to improve your technique so that you do not hit any part of the guitar with the pick or your fingers.

As a guitar ages, the wood will change color somewhat and removing a pick guard is likely going to leave an impression on the top.

[Earl49]

I have two higher end Taylor guitars (615ce and koa GS-K) that do not have pick guards at all. Over several years of playing, including strumming and flat picking, they don't have a single mark on the top [knock on wood]. My technique is such that I don't need the PG, but I do get worried if someone else asks to try my guitar.

The couple of times that I've removed old peeling pick guards, there were definite tan lines that could not be easily remedied. I ended up putting new ones back on to cover the spot.

[Mr. Jelly]

I have installed, taken off and installed pick guards over tan lines. It's easy but you need to be patient and attentive when you do it.

A pick guard will not deaden the sound of hitting a guitar though if that is what you are trying to do.

[Wade Hampton]

Adibranch, I'm not going to tell you to improve your technique so that you don't need a pickguard! Instead, to answer your actual question, what I'd recommend you do is look at the pickguards at this link on Stewart-MacDonald's website:

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_...0aAkYVEALw_wcB

The clear pickguard pictured costs $3.92, and will not cause a chemical reaction with your guitar's finish. Many of the clear pickguards on the market are made of vinyl, which does horrible things when brought into contact with nitrocellulose lacquer finishes like those used by Martin and Gibson.

I don't think Seagulls are finished in nitrocellulose, but it's nice to know that this clear material won't react with your guitar's finish. It's non-reactive.

I've never used one of these clear pickguards - I don't care for clear pickguards, frankly - but I have bought a couple of the tortoiseshell plastic pickguard shown on the same page and put them on guitars. They're made from the same material and are excellent pickguards, especially given their reasonable price tag.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Earl49

I have two higher end Taylor guitars (615ce and koa GS-K) that do not have pick guards at all. Over several years of playing, including strumming and flat picking, they don't have a single mark on the top [knock on wood]. My technique is such that I don't need the PG, but I do get worried if someone else asks to try my guitar.

Earl, Alice asked me to help her pick out a pickguard design for those pickguardless guitars of yours, a design that really says: "EARL!!"

This is the design we decided upon:

˙˙˙

We're not going with that name on the fretboard, though; we both thought

"BIG BAD EARL"

would be more appropriate.

Hope this helps!


whm

[lowrider]

I have a Martin OM pick-guard that I'm going to put on my Seagull Concert size. The radius for the rosette matches the Seagull rosette perfectly.

[Earl49]

Wade, since I have been studying tai-chi seriously for the last nine years, a yin/yang pattern covering even more of the sound board would be more appropriate.

BTW, Alice's new Emerald carbon fiber guitar does not have a pick guard either. It would be borderline criminal to cover up that lovely figured bubinga.
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=503593

[Wade Hampton]

Alice's new guitar obviously needs a curlicue pickguard like the one in the photo. I'm sure that once she gets over her resistance to the idea she'll (eventually) agree....


whm

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Earl49

I have two higher end Taylor guitars (615ce and koa GS-K) that do not have pick guards at all. Over several years of playing, including strumming and flat picking, they don't have a single mark on the top [knock on wood]. My technique is such that I don't need the PG, but I do get worried if someone else asks to try my guitar.

Yep. My newest guitar has a single scratch. A buddy put it there for me. He just wanted to feel what it felt like to play a high-end guitar.

Lesson learned.