Old cracking pick guard

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 5:42 am

I am doing some restoration work to my first love.

It is a late 1960’s Shaftesbury Telecaster Bass copy. It’s short, 30 inch scale with a crazy narrow neck. Sergio is kindly doing a rewind on the pickup and I may have to source a new pot if I still have a rather bad earth hum after the refitted PUP.

The pick guard it a quite thick 3 ply laminate, a bit like a white Fender, but just a touch thicker. Over nearly 40 years the guard has shrunk a little and begun to crack. It is also quite warped when on the bass and looks a bit wavy, if that makes any sense.

The guard is quite brittle now and I wondered if there was any way to soften it up a little. It’s just that I thought I remembered reading an article in a guitar magazine about sorting out the problem that I have.

Any pointers would be great.

Oh yes, the bass when working well strung with flats gives a very good Fender/Motown thump and will certainly get recorded with if not the odd number live.

beatlefreak · Post by **beatlefreak** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:24 am

There was an article in Vintage Guitar last year about old pickguards that had started to degenerate. The old nitro was outgassing and caused extensive damage to plated parts. VG's solution was to get rid of the old pickguard and have a new one made.

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:14 pm

Thanks Kris, but this one is staying put. It has great mojo, but one day will just fall apart I fear.