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#16
10-20-2021, 06:43 PM
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Pickguard effect on tone
Every time I see this type of post I bring up the Everly Brothers Gibson pickguard absolutely having an impact on tone and just get roasted. Not this time. I bet Wade remembers [emoji481]
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#17
10-20-2021, 06:47 PM
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Quote:
I've removed a TON of pick guards (talking thick tortoise ones) and have found a perceptible difference more than half of the time. But according to a couple builders I know, I have dog ears 
__________________
"One small heart, and a great big soul that's driving"
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#18
10-20-2021, 07:23 PM
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This question is near and dear to my heart.
I have always liked guitars, both acoustic and electric with no pickguard. Electrics with no pickguard, means no swimming pool routing. AKA more wood. More wood more sound. So when it came to buying acoustics. Most of the time, I would lean toward guitars with no pickguard. FF to 2008 when a Gibson J-185e landed in my lap. Loved the way it played. Had the Aura Pro pickup system. Sounded great plugged in. It also had that big flame looking pickguard. The one that was like a huge piece of thick gum type material. One day I opened the case. And one of the points on the back of the guard had curled up. I started peeling, slowly. The whole thing came off. Left the top pretty much clean. With a bit of work got it fully clean. Being I was a autobody painter my whole life I knew how to reapply adhesive to these types of parts. And fully intended to replace it. Then I tuned it up and started to strum. The sound exploded. Better tone, more volume, I couldn't stop playing it. Had a bit of a tan line, where the pickguard was. But I wasn't about to put a muffler back on my guitar. When it was finally starting to breath. Would be like tying a bandanna around Shania's face and saying get out there on stage and break a leg. You got it. Not gonna happen. Will it make a difference on all guitars? That I couldn't say. But on this particular J-185, it sure did.
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#19
10-21-2021, 09:28 AM
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In my opinion, removing a pickguard has to make a difference in sound. That said, I removed the pickguard from an OM-28 that I had and could not hear a difference.
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=================================== '07 Gibson J-45 '68 Reissue (Fuller's) '18 Martin 00-18 '18 Martin GP-28E '65 Epiphone Zenith archtop
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#20
10-21-2021, 11:58 AM
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It depends on the guitar and the pickguard.
If it's a lightly built, super responsive guitar that starts resonating if you look at it and you paste thick, dual classic country-western giant batwing pickguards inlaid with multiple 3D scenes from, "Riders of the Purple Sage" to the top, yes, it's going to make a difference. But an average guitar with an average pickguard, probably not, unless you have the hearing of an Airedale Terrier.
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#21
10-22-2021, 10:12 AM
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Quote:
__________________
Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#22
10-22-2021, 10:16 AM
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I think it's interesting that when when I've seen folks here disputing how much difference (if any) the back, sides, and fretboard wood makes to tone this comes up. I'd say we're likely in "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" territory with this argument!
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#23
10-22-2021, 03:52 PM
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Pickguard effect on tone
Quote:
As far as I know, it's down to a material difference. LMI sells it as a pickguard blank, but I think it's a generic type of self adhesive plastic that comes extremely thin. I ordered it because I like the look of no scratchplate and to add as little stiffness to the top as possible, which this material is excellent for. It's basically as flexible as a thick sheet of paper, but retains pretty good hardness. The only issue is that the edge has a slight burr from cutting out with scissors, which is hard to knock off due to the thinness. I have a very faint outline where it has attracted some dirt, although it goes away with a good cleaning.
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#24
10-22-2021, 04:28 PM
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If you can build double top guitars, why not make a wood pickguard with a layer of egg crate Nomex or whatever that stuff is underneath it? Not directly glued to the top, but like they do with double top guitars, only smaller and pickguard shaped.
I'll have to think about that. The idea might be grounds for some tinkering, but the idea just came to me so I'll have to think it over before I start experimenting. That often saves me a lot of work when I start seeing the error of my ways before picking up any tools. And I don't know anything about double top guitars. I only know about the traditional types.
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