Pickguard nut dent prevention

[Hatefulsob]

Just throwing this out there - take the eraser off of a brand new pencil, bore whole in its center with a pointed screw or whatever works for you, then thread that eraser head ontothe pickguard screw. Now if the guard is pressed down a little rubber bumper will touch the top instead of a metal screw.

 

[PierM]

Just throwing this out there - take the eraser off of a brand new pencil, bore whole in its center with a pointed screw or whatever works for you, then thread that eraser head ontothe pickguard screw. Now if the guard is pressed down a little rubber bumper will touch the top instead of a metal screw.

Unfortunately that rubber will eat the lacquer if constantly touching the body, also most of the time that little nut it's touching the finish from the factory, so when you go there to "fix it", it's already too late. Only Les Paul that doesn't have this, it's my R8, that seems using a thinner plastic and thinner nut.

 

[Hatefulsob]

Thanks for the info. Mine is set so that the eraser is not touching the top all the time, only if pressed down. Fwiw, my finger rest is not slanted as they normally are, it’s set rather more on a parrellel plane with the top like an archtop. I hadn’t thought of this because I’ve set my lp style guitars like this for years. It’s a simple adjustment and at least for me, works better than having it slanted.

 

[PierM]

Thanks for the info. Mine is set so that the eraser is not touching the top all the time, only if pressed down. Fwiw, my finger rest is not slanted as they normally are, it’s set rather more on a parrellel plane with the top like an archtop. I hadn’t thought of this because I’ve set my lp style guitars like this for years. It’s a simple adjustment and at least for me, works better than having it slanted.

Yeah, there are 3 or 4 variables playing in the problem, and you are lucky it's working for you. Usually the pickguard bracket 90° angle, the depth of the carve top, and the thickness of that nut, are things creating the problem... Also sometimes depends where they're mounting the pickguard screw, on the side of the body. Usually they go in between the binding and the wood, and this is most of the time too low already (and of course they can't put the screw straight into the binding)... Sometimes it does help to wide that bracket angle, couple of degrees, so that the pickguard does stay higher above the body... but this is creating that up/down fluctuation when you rest your fingers on it. It's just a bad design itself...

I tried once with your trick, on a black custom, and the year later I had both the ding from the nut, plus the circle from the rubber, stamped in the finish.

In your case, if isn't touching the body, you should be safe from both dent and blemish, and it's for sure a good advice for people with your same condition.

Interesting is that last guitar I bought, that Es Les Paul Custom in the avatar, had a little cone made of paper, just under the pickguard, to avoid the nut touching the lacquer. Of course I had to remove this, and now guess what?

 

[ACEit]

better use some adesive felt pad .. like the ones used on chairs' legs

 

[ShoalsRanger]

better use some adesive felt pad .. like the ones used on chairs' legs

Yea. I use the soft, clear plastic ones.

 

[Al Walker]

My 60s Tribute came predamaged and was still high enough off the body to cause a buzz near the bridge pickup. Stuck some velcro (fuzzy side) on the pickguard to fix that.

 

[Cjsinla]

I usually don’t worry about it because I never take the pick guard off. Besides, when you take them off there are two holes in the guitar that are more unsightly than a small dent under a guard, a dent that I will never see.

 

[ACEit]

I usually don’t worry about it because I never take the pick guard off. Besides, when you take them off there are two holes in the guitar that are more unsightly than a small dent under a guard, a dent that I will never see.

that's why for my new trad, that comes with the PG unmounted, I found an HP bracketless pickguard and I adapt the rings .. I have a new set if I ever want to return the guitar original... no holes in the wood.

 

[XpensiveWino]

Throw the whole pick guard in the case.

 

[Renegade]

Had the same issue on my 2018 LP Classic with the nut touching the finish from the factory. I bent the bracket up a little...so far so good

 

[jstarr]

Adjusting the bracket is the correct fix.