NGD - Gibson J165 (should I add Blues King pickguard?)

[GoneTroppo]

I have just got a 2006 Gibson J-165 in a trade. I must say I am very impressed with this little guitar! Finish and build quality are great, very comfortable to play and very responsive. Feels like a first class singer/songwriter guitar...

Although I received this guitar without a pickguard, because I play both fingerstyle and with a flatpick I'm thinking best I put a pickguard on there (and I'm not a fan at all of the clear pickguards).

I have this unused Gibson Blues King pickguard - do you think it's a good match or should I try source an original J165 pickguard (which may be tricky)...

The final 2 pics are of the guitar with the pickguard just placed on top to see what it would look like. I kind of like it - your thoughts?

[SalFromChatham]

That’s a beautiful guitar, man.

Im a pickguard guy... I’d add one, although it might be the smaller bat wing.

But heck that looks good naked too.

[Wade Hampton]

Troppo, I think that pickguard looks fine on that guitar. If it was mine I think I’d get a Gibson teardrop pickguard for it, which is what the J-45 has on it. From time to time Gibson has used their teardrop pickguard on jumbo models - I had a 1989 Gibson J-100 that came from the factory with a teardrop pickguard, which looked pretty cool.

But the one you have in the photo looks good, as well.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[GoneTroppo]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Troppo, I think that pickguard looks fine on that guitar. If it was mine I think I’d get a Gibson teardrop pickguard for it, which is what the J-45 has on it. From time to time Gibson has used their teardrop pickguard on jumbo models - I had a 1989 Gibson J-100 that came from the factory with a teardrop pickguard, which looked pretty cool.



But the one you have in the photo looks good, as well.



Hope this helps.





Wade Hampton Miller

Thanks for that Wade. By the way I found your description of the J165 to be spot on!

Any idea where I could find a Gibson teardrop pickguard?

[ruby50]

Great looking guitar and it looks good with that one. I might re-size where it meets the rosette to fit the shell line.

Ed

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by GoneTroppo

Thanks for that Wade. By the way I found your description of the J165 to be spot on!

Any idea where I could find a Gibson teardrop pickguard?

It just about takes an act of Congress to get a factory pickguard from GibsonMontana, and it’s not cheap, either; I think they run about $75 apiece when you order one through a Gibson dealer.

But you can get a Tor-Tis pickguard in the correct size and shape from retailers like Guitar Gallery in Nashville and Luthiers Mercantile, and you can get a genuine celluloid pickguard from Holter Pickguards. I personally would go with the latter.


whm

The wonderful folks at Bozeman's Music Villa shop got me a J-45 pickguard a few years ago without any problem.

That said, I think the Blues King one looks great, and would be my first choice.

[jklotz]

Nice score! Looks like a killer guitar!

I'm not loving that pickguard. Something about the lines of it where it doesn't go with the waist makes it look like an after thought to my eyes. Course' if you are handy with a scroll saw and sandpaper, I think the lines could be made to match better. Personally, I'd go shopping for a new guard if it were mine.

Hope that helped a little.

[llew]

Beautiful guitar...beautiful dog!

[SoCalSurf]

I think it looks great as is. But if I were to go with a pickguard I would also recommend the teardrop. I would order one and, before putting it on, do a comparison with the one you have and maybe post another set of photos with each to get other folks’ opinions. But in the end it really only matters what you like best.

[Beakybird]

The pickguard looks fine. I like a clear pickguard.
The guitar looks like a real beauty.

[Rosewood99]

Looks better without the pickguard.

[GoneTroppo]

Originally Posted by llew

Beautiful guitar...beautiful dog!

Hahaha yes that is Wilco ie "will comply"... Hes a good boy.

[llew]

Originally Posted by GoneTroppo

Hahaha yes that is Wilco ie "will comply"... Hes a good boy.

Great name too! Who's the black dog with the white "sox"? Another good looking K-9!

[JayBee1404]

Beautiful guitar, great dogs!

I’d talk to Taylor Mullins (Holter Pickguards) about a new pickguard for that instrument - he knows his stuff, and his products are second to none,

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.