Love my Bird - HATE the pickguard

[BluesBelly]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Sad as it must seem to most of you who’ve posted in this thread, I do believe that elasticman is going to shrug off all the guilt and shame that y’all are attempting to lay on his shoulders, and order the plain pickguard that he actually happens to want.

It’s a tragedy, no doubt, but - somehow - I suspect that you’ll manage to soldier on. You’ll be regretful, I’m sure, and filled with self-recrimination that you couldn’t sway him from his heretical impulses. Yet you need to remember that you tried your best, and it’s not your fault that he was led astray by evil counsel from the likes of me!

Here’s an important point that seems to have been missed by most on this thread: just because he puts a plain pickguard on his guitar, it doesn’t automatically follow that he’s going to throw away the original. E-man could and probably should save the original pickguard on the off chance that he ever decides to sell this guitar.

So it’s not the end of the world if he puts the pickguard he wants on the guitar, and it doesn’t even mean the end of that shabby and pitifully eroded Hummingbird pickguard.

Hope that makes this somewhat more palatable for those of you appalled that anyone could even contemplate swapping out a Hummingbird pickguard.


Wade Hampton Miller

Wade,
Simplistically put;
His instrument, his option.
I support this notion by saying; it’s your ride drive it like you want to and enjoy the scenery!
Put the original hubcaps back on when you sell. No harm. No Foul.

Blues.

[vintage40s]

Originally Posted by dodge

Here's my 1963 Bird...

OMG, I had the same guitar from '63 to '70 and do not have a good photo of it. Just a fuzzy overall, and a distance shot in a case with yellow lining. Thank you for this photo.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by elasticman

I'm the 3rd owner. I've only owned it for a month. I'm actually pretty reserved with my strumming

That sheds some slight on the mystery of the disappearing bird. One of the previous owners may have anchored his pinky on the pickguard, even while strumming. I do this, mostly because it's how I was taught to flatpick. But it would explain how the hummingbird was erased even though there aren't a lot of pick scratches.

No guilt or shame, regardless, about replacing it with something plain. But I still think the original pickguard is cool, rather than cheesy. A well-played guitar. But by all means make it a guitar you're happy with. (And save the original hubcaps.)

[elasticman]

I'm leaning towards getting a Gibson replacement (with the bird). The reason I described it as cheesy-looking is NOT to disparage that classic design, but was my reaction to the WAY it wore off. Sort of just rubbed off, like a temporary tattoo!

To me, it ain't mojo unless it comes with scratches and scuffs, and looks played in. In my guitar's case, it just looks fake.

Turns out the previous owner (who did NOT wear off the bird) has a Gibby replacement he will sell me. So I'm thinking I'll go that route.

The worst part about the wear on mine is that really the ONLY thing that rubbed off is the hummingbird itself!

[gmel555]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Sad as it must seem to most of you who’ve posted in this thread, I do believe that elasticman is going to shrug off all the guilt and shame that y’all are attempting to lay on his shoulders, and order the plain pickguard that he actually happens to want.

It’s a tragedy, no doubt, but - somehow - I suspect that you’ll manage to soldier on. You’ll be regretful, I’m sure, and filled with self-recrimination that you couldn’t sway him from his heretical impulses. Yet you need to remember that you tried your best, and it’s not your fault that he was led astray by evil counsel from the likes of me!

Here’s an important point that seems to have been missed by most on this thread: just because he puts a plain pickguard on his guitar, it doesn’t automatically follow that he’s going to throw away the original. E-man could and probably should save the original pickguard on the off chance that he ever decides to sell this guitar.

So it’s not the end of the world if he puts the pickguard he wants on the guitar, and it doesn’t even mean the end of that shabby and pitifully eroded Hummingbird pickguard.

Hope that makes this somewhat more palatable for those of you appalled that anyone could even contemplate swapping out a Hummingbird pickguard.

Wade Hampton Miller

Wade: As many others do, I find your posts among the most informative and well reasoned of any on AGF; but man, I think you're being a bit harsh on those of us who think a Hummingbird looks "right" with a Hummingbird PG. I don't think anyone was trying to "shame him" into not changing it. His post asked for an opinion and we gave it. His original post suggested -to me anyway- that it wasn't the pickguard design itself, but that it was wearing so quickly that dismayed him. I for one thought that meant he liked the design, but perhaps I got that wrong.

Anyway, to the OP, no shaming was intended what-so-ever, at least by this respondent, and if it came off that way I apologize. As I said at the end of my first post: "Best of luck with whatever your decision is." With the emphasis sincerely being on "your(s)". You obviously should pick the option best for you!

And Wade, please keep educating us -as I know you will. It enriches the AGF.

[tomopoole]

I’m guessing your fingers anchor in that spot? Either way, as others say - Mojo

[LeftyKev]

Originally Posted by brencat

As usual, Bruce wins the AGF for the day!

No. just another right hander, trying to be funny, when us lefties have heard this nonsense a gazillion times ..

[mdshax]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Sad as it must seem to most of you who’ve posted in this thread, I do believe that elasticman is going to shrug off all the guilt and shame that y’all are attempting to lay on his shoulders, and order the plain pickguard that he actually happens to want.



It’s a tragedy, no doubt, but - somehow - I suspect that you’ll manage to soldier on. You’ll be regretful, I’m sure, and filled with self-recrimination that you couldn’t sway him from his heretical impulses. Yet you need to remember that you tried your best, and it’s not your fault that he was led astray by evil counsel from the likes of me!



Here’s an important point that seems to have been missed by most on this thread: just because he puts a plain pickguard on his guitar, it doesn’t automatically follow that he’s going to throw away the original. E-man could and probably should save the original pickguard on the off chance that he ever decides to sell this guitar.



So it’s not the end of the world if he puts the pickguard he wants on the guitar, and it doesn’t even mean the end of that shabby and pitifully eroded Hummingbird pickguard.



Hope that makes this somewhat more palatable for those of you appalled that anyone could even contemplate swapping out a Hummingbird pickguard.





Wade Hampton Miller

Well, Wade, it looks like elasticman is going to keep the bird guard after all . . . but lest you think your efforts were in vain, I'm planning on replacing the guard on mine! Iconic or not, it's hideous. And the gf agrees: "That's awful. It's the worst thing I've ever seen." So thanks for the link, I'll be reaching out for a custom guard later today.

[stringjunky]

Originally Posted by elasticman

I'm leaning towards getting a Gibson replacement (with the bird). The reason I described it as cheesy-looking is NOT to disparage that classic design, but was my reaction to the WAY it wore off. Sort of just rubbed off, like a temporary tattoo!

To me, it ain't mojo unless it comes with scratches and scuffs, and looks played in. In my guitar's case, it just looks fake.

Turns out the previous owner (who did NOT wear off the bird) has a Gibby replacement he will sell me. So I'm thinking I'll go that route.

The worst part about the wear on mine is that really the ONLY thing that rubbed off is the hummingbird itself!

I know what you mean. It has gone from being inlaid to a transfer. Like going from solid gold to plated.

[elasticman]

Originally Posted by stringjunky

I know what you mean. It has gone from being inlaid to a transfer. Like going from solid gold to plated.

Exactly! I wish I could find a vintage lefty pickguard... needle in a haystack.

[Wade Hampton]

Fair enough, gmel, although the way elasticman was being dogpiled I did think that there was an element of browbeating in some of those posts. But I can see where that might not be obvious to those who were just earnestly trying to convince him not to trade out the pickguard.

In any event, he’s found another way to proceed, so all’s well that ends well.


whm

[Wade Hampton]

Mdshax wrote:

Originally Posted by mdshax

Well, Wade, it looks like elasticman is going to keep the bird guard after all . . . but lest you think your efforts were in vain, I'm planning on replacing the guard on mine! Iconic or not, it's hideous. And the gf agrees: "That's awful. It's the worst thing I've ever seen." So thanks for the link, I'll be reaching out for a custom guard later today.

Well, if your girlfriend thinks that the Hummingbird pickguard is the worst thing she’s ever seen, it’s obvious that she’s never shared a sauna with General Electric’s rather elderly Board of Directors...

But I know how she feels. I will openly admit to never caring for the visual aesthetics of the Gibson Hummingbird. But more power to those who like them.


Wade Hampton Miller

[elasticman]

I'm actually gonna try BOTH options. I found a lefty factory guard (new) from someone, and I' also having Holter Pickguards make me a plain one. That way I can remove the fugly worn one, and swap out the 2 options so I can decide

[gmel555]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Fair enough, gmel, although the way elasticman was being dogpiled I did think that there was an element of browbeating in some of those posts.....

whm

Thanks Wade. I can see where you could have that perspective, and there may have been some of that going on.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by gmel555

Thanks Wade. I can see where you could have that perspective, and there may have been some of that going on.

In any event, there’s no harm done, and elasticman seems to have maintained his equanimity: he’s uncoiled himself from the fetal position, and I haven’t heard him whimper in several hours now!


whm