Pickguard replacement on D60/D55 soundboard......any advice?

[neildealdylan]

Hi, can I ask for some advice please? I'm going to attempt to change a pickguard on my Guild D60 acoustic guitar. I thought I'd bought an original Guild (Gruhn) D60 which had been customised.Having been in touch with Hans (Moust) & I also traced the original owner, I found out the D60 soundboard had been damaged about 1997. Because D60's were not being manufactured at the time, they replaced it with a D55 soundboard, along with the abalone rosette & black pickguard.Hans confirmed they didn't do customised versions in '88. Anyway I've bought an original Rhode Island dreadnought tortoiseshell pick guard from eBay because I just don't like the black pickguard at all. Any advice on this please? What's the nitrocellulose lacquer like when this is attempted & is it easy? Is it worth my while letting a luthier do this for me? Any advice would be appreciated because I don't want to damage the lacquer finish. Thanks. Neil C.

 

[FNG]

Was that the one from Huber and Breese in Michigan?

I've heard that pickguards are not that hard to take off, but if it was me, and I had a good repair guy in pocket, I would take it to him.

 

[neildealdylan]

Yes, it is the same guitar. I thought I'd bought a customised D60 but this isn't possible, I've since discovered.Huber & Breese have been good about it & admit it was an error....if I decide to sell it on at a loss then they'll make up the difference.....I'm tempted to sell it because it's not original.......sounds just like a D55, as you'd expect! A rare hybrid! Cheers.

 

[cjd-player]

Pick guards are pretty easy to remove, but it requires patience.

Heat it with a hand-held hair dryer. Start slowly at one corner and gently pry it up at the corner. Then just continue to heat and peel it off. You can't rush. You have to wait for the heat to soften the adhesive just ahead of where you've already lifted it.

If you go nice and slow, most of the adhesive will come off with the pickguard. If you go a bit faster, the pick guard will come off and most of the adhesive will remain on the guitar top. I've had it happen both ways. I prefer the former.

After the guard is off, you can use Naptha to remove any adhesive residue.