Screwless Pickguard for R9

[slash07]

Hey,
I bought a R9 more than a year back.
It came without a pick-guard, and off late,
I've become a little concerned it may get scratched around the area where the pick-guard would be.

I DONT want to drill holes into the body of the guitar. I am not too sticky that it has to be that standard vintage look either.

Does anyone know where I can get a screwless pickguard for my historic?
I tried searching, looks like ebay has a seller called bobby something who does sell these
(here's the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Les-...ccessories&hash=item20bcc1fbb5#ht_1501wt_1270 )
, but he says *not for historics*......so......

 

[kdm]

I've become a little concerned it may get scratched around the area where the pick-guard would be.

to avoid dings&dongs, scratches or other signs of usage means keep it in a safe place, don't ever play it.....

 

[Kirrt]

People put pickguard on because they think its look cool, not to protect the finish of that place, dude

 

[chriswallace85]

Hey,
I bought a R9 more than a year back.
It came without a pick-guard, and off late,
I've become a little concerned it may get scratched around the area where the pick-guard would be.

I DONT want to drill holes into the body of the guitar. I am not too sticky that it has to be that standard vintage look either.

Does anyone know where I can get a screwless pickguard for my historic?
I tried searching, looks like ebay has a seller called bobby something who does sell these
(here's the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gibson-Les-Paul-Acrylic-Pickguard-Screwless-New-/140605782965?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20bcc1fbb5#ht_1501wt_1270 )
, but he says *not for historics*......so......

Mine keeps getting scratched above the strings. I had no idea I had a strumming action that did that until I got my R0 with it's nitro finish and the marks started showing up in the light. You don't see that on the harder finishes on cheaper guitars. I'm not too fussed to be honest.

EDIT: Well I say scratched - more like marks from where the plec has hit. They may polish out I'm not sure. There's a whole lotta marks there though!

 

[Sum1 Else]

Just put some duct tape down if you are worried about it.

 

[tdarian]

I have no direct experience with these, but I stumbled upon this around here I believe and bookmarked the site. I too have a Historic that came w/o the pickgaurd installed or holes drilled.

Bobby Lee Signature Series

Perhaps while I labor over this admittedly rediculous decision regarding whether or not a pg should go on, I can take "baby steps" with one of the ones from the site above.

 

[Couldn'tStandTheWeather]

As tdarian mentioned:

Bobby Lee Signature Series

Great product and a great guy. I have a cream and a clear guard. He makes them himself on a CDC machine, so I'm pretty sure he could make one for your R9.

Just contact him and he'll fix you right up.

 

[tdarian]

As tdarian mentioned:

Bobby Lee Signature Series

Great product and a great guy. I have a cream and a clear guard.

On your clear gaurd, is that the silicone bumper mentioned on his site? Do you know if they are "nitro safe" (the bumper) for use on an R7?

 

[kdm]

I have no direct experience with these, but I stumbled upon this around here I believe and bookmarked the site. I too have a Historic that came w/o the pickgaurd installed or holes drilled.

Bobby Lee Signature Series

both the same product....it's the same seller.

 

[ctkarslake]

The reason Bobby Lee says "no" to Historics is that the pick up rings are so much higher than on a Gibson USA guitar, a Standard for instance, so that the edge of the guard between the pickups is almost at the same level of the e string. When I played with one I was constantly hitting that upper edge of the guard, very annoying. Remember that normally guards lay flush with the surface of the guitar between the pickups. With one of these it's like a half inch or more off the surface. Not good. He never told me this before I purchased mine. $ down the drain. Live and learn I guess. To me, the screwless guard is too high even with the lower rings of a Standard.

 

[Couldn'tStandTheWeather]

On your clear gaurd, is that the silicone bumper mentioned on his site? Do you know if they are "nitro safe" (the bumper) for use on an R7?

Yes it's the one that comes with it and it's supposed to be safe for nitro, but please don't take my word for it. I have been monitoring it and it has had no ill effect on my nitro.

I don't really need it TBH. The guard is pretty sturdy on its own.

The reason Bobby Lee says "no" to Historics is that the pick up rings are so much higher than on a Gibson USA guitar, a Standard for instance, so that the edge of the guard between the pickups is almost at the same level of the e string. When I played with one I was constantly hitting that upper edge of the guard, very annoying.

That's good to know.

 

[tdarian]

Sounds like it would be an annoyance then on a Historic.

 

[ReWind James]

The reason Bobby Lee says "no" to Historics is that the pick up rings are so much higher than on a Gibson USA guitar, a Standard for instance, so that the edge of the guard between the pickups is almost at the same level of the e string. When I played with one I was constantly hitting that upper edge of the guard, very annoying. Remember that normally guards lay flush with the surface of the guitar between the pickups. With one of these it's like a half inch or more off the surface. Not good. He never told me this before I purchased mine. $ down the drain. Live and learn I guess. To me, the screwless guard is too high even with the lower rings of a Standard.

The spacing between the pickups is also different. ...and even more so for different years of Historics. It wouldn't physically fit them all.

The thing is going to get beat up if you play it, man. If you can't live with that, try using softer picks or your fingers maybe or adjust your picking technique to not play beyond the strings. Try not to have the "new car syndrome" about it where paranoia about dings and scratches gets in the way of your music making.

 

[tdarian]

Good advice.

 

[outskirts of infinity]

I really have to wonder how much practical use the Les Paul's pickguard really is. The way I pick and strum, I'm far more likely to scuff the PUP covers and rings, or even the area above my strings, than the PG area below the strings.

The way I look at it is, a well-played guitar with genuine wear-n-tear is cool. If you're extremely particular about having a pristine guitar, I'd recommend getting one for display, and then buying one that is already beat up for playing.

Oh yeah, PGs are lame.

 

[JimmyAce2006]

Bobby has been working on one for historics. He showed me his first attempt; he even put fake screws in it to make it look authentic. But it needed to be the right shape & color. Would have been cool to see the actual bracket attached to it but not screwed into the guitar. I don't know if he will make any further attempts.

 

[Big Red]

I really have to wonder how much practical use the Les Paul's pickguard really is. The way I pick and strum, I'm far more likely to scuff the PUP covers and rings, or even the area above my strings, than the PG area below the strings.

The way I look at it is, a well-played guitar with genuine wear-n-tear is cool. If you're extremely particular about having a pristine guitar, I'd recommend getting one for display, and then buying one that is already beat up for playing.

Oh yeah, PGs are lame.

Actually, the pickguard on a Les Paul (or any carved/ archtop guitar) is as much to provide a flat or vertical level surface for the fingers of the picking hand to rest on - i.e. many people rest one or two of their picking hand fingers on the area of the top of a guitar below the high strings, as part of their playing style, or when using thumb and finger picks - perhaps their fourth finger and pinky would be resting on the guard. On a flat top guitar this isn't a problem, but an arched top drops away from the vertical plane of the strings and makes this harder. The Les Paul pickguard provides a level surface continuous with the vertical plane of the strings.

I probably didn't explain that well but I hope you get my drift!

 

[JimmyAce2006]

Actually, the pickguard on a Les Paul (or any carved/ archtop guitar) is as much to provide a flat or vertical level surface for the fingers of the picking hand to rest on - i.e. many people rest one or two of their picking hand fingers on the area of the top of a guitar below the high strings, as part of their playing style, or when using thumb and finger picks - perhaps their fourth finger and pinky would be resting on the guard. On a flat top guitar this isn't a problem, but an arched top drops away from the vertical plane of the strings and makes this harder. The Les Paul pickguard provides a level surface continuous with the vertical plane of the strings.

I probably didn't explain that well but I hope you get my drift!

thus, this explains why i had to do some adjusting when i played my 2 guitars that have never had a guard installed versus the others that have guards.....i think they call it anchoring. i was criticized a lot for doing this - some people do not consider it to be proper form. but then i found several pics of Jimmy Page doing the same thing from time to time & posted them. At that point people stopped bothering me about it!

 

[tdarian]

I guess I sorta achor on the side (treble side) of the bridge pickup ring.

 

[outskirts of infinity]

I anchor my picking hand with my pinky and ring finger in the pickguard area (but my hand is in the air when I strum). The pickguard gets in the way. It is much easier for me to play anchored to the guitar instead of the pickguard, so I've removed the pickguards off of my Les Pauls.

I'm glad to hear anchoring is considered poor form, I like to be consistent.

Plus pickguards are lame.