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Post by andy3sheds on Apr 17, 2019 20:06:53 GMT
I'm just about to fit a Tortis pickguard on a cedar top guitar and I thought I'd have a quick browse for fitting tips a LMI inc vid suggests a few drops of soapy water immediately before sticking down this seems rather counter intuitive I would have thought clean and dry would be the order of the day. Any thoughts anyone?
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 17, 2019 21:10:48 GMT
What are you proposing to use to stick it, Andy?
Keith
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Post by andy3sheds on Apr 17, 2019 22:01:19 GMT
The pickguard has self adhesive backing 3M 467MP 200MP Adhesive I've been looking through 3M data sheets and it seems to be a fairly universally used adhesive that needs accurate placement rather than an Airfix waterside transfer approach. The LMI vid suggests using a soapy water solution albeit just a few drops to ease out air bubbles. But as the guitars soft cedar top has become gouged and ridged no amount of pressure would expell water out of a gouge. I just expected to remove the paper and stick the bugger down
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Apr 17, 2019 22:08:27 GMT
Hmm. Sounds a bit permanent. I was going to suggest just a couple of bits of double sided sticky tape, but it seems you've already got plenty of sticky. Is it torty to disguise the gouges and ridges, or would a transparent guard be Ok?
Keith
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colins
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Post by colins on Apr 17, 2019 22:41:46 GMT
Andy, when I fit the clear mylar pickguards I use then yes I do use a small amount of water with a drop of washing up liquid in it, this allows you to adjust the positioning of the guard. I then use a soft pad to push the water from the centre of the pickguard towards the edge. it does aid in removing any trapped air with the water. Any remaining water will magically disappear over a day or two.
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Post by andy3sheds on Apr 19, 2019 0:11:01 GMT
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colins
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Post by colins on Apr 19, 2019 18:42:04 GMT
That looks to have gone well Andy, I don't usually like pickguards, but that shape really suits the guitar.
Colin
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Post by andy3sheds on Apr 20, 2019 0:11:07 GMT
Colins I'm not keen on pickguards either but I really should have chosen one when I bought the guitar with it being cedar top . I simply didn't want to wait for a spruce top to mature! I hadn't owned a cedar top Before and I knew they were more delicate, but as I play Fingerstyle I didn't think it was an issue, I hadn't appreciated just how much I anchored my right to the top, bad habit, I know but I've got worse! The only pickguard I really like is the one on the French Patenotte (the guitar on my avatar) it's ancient celluloid cracked but rather beautiful rather like the rest of the guitar which has had a hard life but the pickguard is actually let into the top which is the only touch of finesse about the guitar which revels in its shouty ladder braced crudity and tailpiece engraved with a ballerina with strapping thighs!
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Post by andy3sheds on Apr 20, 2019 0:11:34 GMT
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colins
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Post by colins on Apr 20, 2019 7:51:49 GMT
Yes I can see why you needed one, you don't want the guitar ending up like Willie Nelson's Trigger.
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