Gitfiddler Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Let's face it, Heritage has some of the classiest looking, all wood (mostly flame maple or ebony) pickguards/finger rests in the business. But after a while they can begin to show signs of wear. Scratches on or through the nitro are a given if you use a pick, but what about that spot where your fingers always hang out? It will beging to show even more wear over time. If one is not careful, the guard can crack at stress points. So what you you folks do to protect, maintain and repair your solid wood pickguards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Remove them and put them in the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zguitar71 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I take mine off and store them. I cannot stand playing with a finger rest. Use an oil on the back of the rest occasionally to keep it in good shape and free of cracks. I never had any problems with mine just hanging out in the case, even here in super dry Montana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 If they are of the unfinished (non-nitro finished) like on my Golden Eagles, I put the same fretnboard conditioner I use on the fretboard. I use "Fret Doctor". If they are nitro-finished (like on my 575 Custom), I don't do anything to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I use Gibson pump polish on mine. took the hazy looking 535 pickguard and make it shine like a champ. I am not sure if it actually serves any functional purpose with how I play, but they sure look nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonar Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I use Gibson pump polish on mine. took the hazy looking 535 pickguard and make it shine like a champ. I am not sure if it actually serves any functional purpose with how I play, but they sure look nice. This! Rag & spit gets the schmutz off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectrum13 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Better than the top getting scratched up. I polish mine even though it will show wear like the bridge, pickup covers and tuners. I imagine the guard on your 525 is rather thin going over the P90s. My Prospect came with the pattern they used so if it breaks, I can get another made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genericmusic Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I use Gibson pump polish on mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 yeah I just wipe the grunge off once in a while when I got the pickguard for my 535, I mounted it lower & flatter to the top....at the top screw where the wood is thinnest, it sits nearly flat against the top, there isn't any stress there to crack it this has another advantage because the angled metal support strut at the base sits about 1/2" lower & doesn't take chunks out of my fingers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalismanRich Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I don't do anything other than polish off the grunge that builds up. I figure if it ever starts to get bad, I can get another made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0aj15 Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Nothing. Ditto...............and mine looks brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveW Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Take off the original and use it to trace the pattern onto 3 layer plastic laminate purchased from Stew Mac and make a working substitute. Store the original in a safe place and use the sub until its time to make another one. DaveW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Take off the original and use it to trace the pattern onto 3 layer plastic laminate purchased from Stew Mac and make a working substitute. Store the original in a safe place and use the sub until its time to make another one. DaveW Exactly! Those pickguards are for showing off your guitar, not playing them. Unless you just collecting guitars, take them off and play the guitar without them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianToth Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Well I ordered a pickguard to protect the top of my guitar. My fingertips and nails rest on my pickguard when I play and the guard does wear. My thought is simply "so?". I wanted the ebony guard becasue I liked the way it looked, but I don't just look at my guitars, I play them. So my pickguard is pretty worn. If it wears through, I'll get another one. Better than getting another top, and if I wanted a clear piece of plastic, I'd have ordered it. This isn't a reflection, it's wear. The guitar is just about 5 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
campfire Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Well I ordered a pickguard to protect the top of my guitar. My fingertips and nails rest on my pickguard when I play and the guard does wear. My thought is simply "so?". I wanted the ebony guard becasue I liked the way it looked, but I don't just look at my guitars, I play them. So my pickguard is pretty worn. If it wears through, I'll get another one. Better than getting another top, and if I wanted a clear piece of plastic, I'd have ordered it. This isn't a reflection, it's wear. The guitar is just about 5 years old. +1. What you said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulk1 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Honest wear on a guitar or finger rest ... yeah baby! I'm in the camp that finger rests (pickguards) serve a function. FB, your finger rest looks great!! Means that guitar is getting played. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianToth Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Honest wear on a guitar or finger rest ... yeah baby! I'm in the camp that finger rests (pickguards) serve a function. FB, your finger rest looks great!! Means that guitar is getting played. It's my #1 through #5 since I put a Roland pickup on it playing through a Roland GR-55. Heresy I know but it's so versatile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Honest wear on a guitar or finger rest ... yeah baby! I'm in the camp that finger rests (pickguards) serve a function. FB, your finger rest looks great!! Means that guitar is getting played. Nothing like a guitar that's shows its use when its all from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teeky Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I've only just started resting my fingers on the pick guard after years of palm on the bridge. My fingers are going to eventually wear the lacquer I thought. My idea was to use a strip of the screen protector for a smartphone, MP3 player. It's lightly adhesive and very tough. If that gets too scratched, peel it off and replace it. Almost invisible, retains original guard, no duplicate necessary and easy to replace. Too simple? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Old thread but new subject to me. My new (new to me) H 150 Special appears to have had the drill hole professionally plugged. The problem is that I like having the pickguard installed and I'm trying to calculate the risk of something very bad happening if I try to reinstall the pickguard. It looks like the hole might have been drilled and then a dowel inserted and then color and lacquer added. (see photo) Maybe someone knows the history of this guitar since it has been around a little while. I hate covering up good looking maple as much as the next person but I like to rest my fingers on the finger rest while playing (more so than resting my hand on the bridge) and I like the visual identification factor of a Heritage finger rest (even if it is just one of the cream colored plastic ones). So I'm looking for opinions. Do I try to have the hole re-drilled or do I just enjoy it the way that it is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Man! I have the hardest time trying to attach photos to my original post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 So I'm looking for opinions. Do I try to have the hole re-drilled or do I just enjoy it the way that it is? My opinion is that you should go with your thoughts on the functional aspect of the pickguard. I have a light playing action and I also don't rest my fingers on the pickguard, therefore I remove pickguards from my guitars when possible. Sounds like you might need it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 that looks like wood filler to me. I would just redrill hole and put it back in. Seems a BIT excessive to drill out and dowel a non-functional area of the guitar. If it was for a bridge post or strap button I can see it, but not something cosmetic like that. It may not even fill up the entire hole. Anyway, it's your guitar, do what you want with it. I also prefer the look of a pickguard in many cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Okay, finger rest reinstalled. The operation went smoothly. Perhaps one of these days I can replace it with a wood finger rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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