pickguard or no pickguard, which do you like

[pagedr]

I like pickguards on guitars 99% of the time, but in this case I think it looks good both ways. Might even slightly prefer no pickguard, which is obviously rare.

[rmp]

personally, I prefer with no P/G.. nice guitar!

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Guitartanzon

I think I am probably getting this

https://reverb.com/item/364843-kling...acoustic-clear

its a removable clear pickguard

Do NOT put a clear removable pickguard on that guitar. It has a nitrocellulose lacquer finish on it, and every clear removable pickguard I’ve ever seen is made of vinyl. Nitrocellulose finishes placed in direct contact with vinyl creates a nasty chemical reaction.

If you rigorously remove the pickguard every single time when you’ve finished playing, then you might be able to prevent that chemical meltdown. But it only takes forgetting to do that ONCE: if you leave the pickguard on and put the guitar away in its case for a few days you can end up with permanent, irreversible damage.

Stewart-MacDonald sells a clear pickguard that is nitrocellulose finish friendly for under $10. If you want a clear pickguard, get one of those. It won’t melt the finish.

The reason I happen to know what the finish is on that guitar is that I have the exact same model, and I called and spoke with the guy who’s the guitar product specialist at Eastman’s US headquarters. I had assumed it had a polyester finish of some kind, but no, it’s nitro.

So don’t disfigure your guitar by putting a vinyl pickguard on it.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Guitartanzon]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Do NOT put a clear removable pickguard on that guitar. It has a nitrocellulose lacquer finish on it, and every clear removable pickguard I’ve ever seen is made of vinyl. Nitrocellulose finishes placed in direct contact with vinyl creates a nasty chemical reaction.

If you rigorously remove the pickguard every single time when you’ve finished playing, then you might be able to prevent that chemical meltdown. But it only takes forgetting to do that ONCE: if you leave the pickguard on and put the guitar away in its case for a few days you can end up with permanent, irreversible damage.

Stewart-MacDonald sells a clear pickguard that is nitrocellulose finish friendly for under $10. If you want a clear pickguard, get one of those. It won’t melt the finish.

The reason I happen to know what the finish is on that guitar is that I have the exact same model, and I called and spoke with the guy who’s the guitar product specialist at Eastman’s US headquarters. I had assumed it had a polyester finish of some kind, but no, it’s nitro.

So don’t disfigure your guitar by putting a vinyl pickguard on it.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

Thanks!
appreciate that advice....

[erhino41]

I think the firestripe looks good. Personally on that guitar I like a pick guard better than none. Just my opinion though.

[davidd]

With PG. Dreads, especially slope shoulders look naked without them IMO.

[skyblue314]

Originally Posted by Steel and wood

I might be one of the few that likes the pickguard version and pickguards in general on guitars even if they serve no purpose for me.

I'm with you. The guitars used by the folk groups I followed in the 60s and 70s usually had pickguards mounted, so a guitar without one just looks naked to me...unless it's a classical or flamenco guitar, in which case a pickguard would look out of place.

[4-string]

I like pickguards, even though I rarely do any flatpicking at all. [emoji4]

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by erhino41

I think the firestripe looks good. Personally on that guitar I like a pick guard better than none. Just my opinion though.

Mine also - far be it from me to disagree with someone else's wife (I daren't even disagree with mine!)

I think that pickguards are a good idea, not necessarily from pick damage (unless you keep missing the strings) but from your fingers when you play.

I never hit the pickguards on my guitars but they still sustain scratches which I can only assume come from my trailing fingers.

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by Guitartanzon

pickguard or no pickguard, which do you like

No pickguard always looks best, to me.

[Marshall]

Originally Posted by Guitartanzon

I got a used eastman e1ss , but it came without a pickguard.

I can get the oem firestrip style
pickguard for 35 bucks, but my wife says she likes it as is. She says the firestripe is too busy looking on the toned colored top. I should get a clear pickguard or a black tear drop if I have to get one at all.

what do you guys think?

Not to be contrary since you already made your decision. But I LOVE the firestripe pickguard. I bought an E1SS this summer. It had the firestripe pickguard. I think that's part of why I bought it. Its part of the aesthetic. The original Gibson J35s (the precursor to it all) had the firestripe guards.

[llew]

That's a push for me. I like it either way?

[Guitartanzon]

Actually, the firestripe pickguard was in the case pocket, brand new...never placed on the guitar, but I still like the look without...after laying it on guitar.
However the firestripe j35 style pickguard looked (really good) on my tinted top fs 800....ha , instead of that yamaha pickguard, have something to ponder....

[MinTac]

I feel that dreads just don't look right without a pickguard. Plus that firestripe one looks pretty nifty IMO.

[Westy]

Originally Posted by Guitartanzon

I got a used eastman e1ss , but it came without a pickguard.

what do you guys think?

My only regret with my Eastman E20d was putting a teardrop pickguard on it because I thought I should have one, should have left it off.

5 years later I can't take it off as the top is slowly ageing/darkening and there will be a shadow from the guard if I remove it that will probably always be there.