Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Well with some advice from Kevin Kuney and some tips from Paul I've got my Pete Townsend pickguard looking really good now. I just acquired a Pete Townsend LE #249 Rick (first pic)
but the previous owner didn't have the top pickguard. It was removed and misplaced or whatever.

Anyway at the Great American Guitar show up at Reading, Pa., I talked to Chris from Pick of the Ricks and he said he may have a top guard to the PT Rick. He did. It was in really good shape and he offered to spray the back to get it even better. I decided to get it "as is".

After receiving it I talked to Kevin Kuney and he suggested I talk to Paul to see what I could do to get it looking better myself. Why not, working on these guitars can be alot of fun.

I block sanded the back with 400 paper to get it smooth and remove the yellowing - Carefully not going through the remaining white paint. I then mixed up some hues of white as per Paul's suggestion and filled in where the scratches went through the white paint to clear plexiglass. I followed with several more fills and then block sanded again with 400 paper to smooth out the fills. After tack clothing the remaining residue, taping all edges and holes with blue tape, I sprayed with instant dry White Lacquer paint in 3 very thin coats.


Before:
After:

It is hard to show in the pictures the results but it turned out very well and after it has dryed I will take some pictures of it on the guitar.
I followed up with the 3 step NOVUS acrylic surface polish on the top side of the pickguard to get out pick scratches on the clear side - What a difference!

Thank You Kevin and Paul. I really appreciate the support and advice on my project.
Kevin was kind enough to send me a spare plain top guard to make it like Pete Townsend's original:

Nice going, Kevin!

Kevin, glad I help could help with a spare guard.

Us guys named "Kevin" have to stick together.

Looks great, Kevin(s)!

I like to see this kind of DIY action among owner/musicians, rather than the sort of hacking that sometimes goes on, like the hogged pickup routs in Kenny's 4005 (currently being restored by Dale) and Bill Yantz's 360OS, which I redid earlier this year.

Great job Kevin, it's come up a treat, how about a close up of the pickguard on the guitar for the full effect?

BTW what is "tack clothing"? Sounds very essential part of the paint prep process.

Thanks for the encouragement and compliments. Here's a picture of The Pete Townsend #249 with restored Pickguard installed.


Click here for bigger pic:
http://www.pbase.com/image/70621744

I'm probably going to carefully put the PT pickguard away in safe storage while I play the guitar. I'm going to use a plain white pickguard I modified that Kevin Kuney sent me. Here it is with the plain white pickguard and vintage knobs installed on the guitar, all polished up:



Bigger:
http://www.pbase.com/esquire/image/70622341

BTW - Tack cloths are used to get off all dust and film from sanding right before spraying. You can get them at most hardware stores or paints stores.

It's really great the way everyone helps eachother on the forum.

Kevin was that guitar in exceptionally good condition when you bought it or has it been refinished, because it looks immaculate in your pics!

A really nice looking guitar, congratulations. Thanks for the explanations of what tack cloths are, learning all the time.

It was in real fine condition when I got it, I just went over the whole thing, polished it out, and restored the Pickguard to get it to collectors condition.

Ahhhh Pete wouldn't like it unless it was in splinters

It's like a violin, smashes real good . . .
I won't let him within 3 mile of my 1997 without the extra pickup and fancy pick guard!

ARrghhhhh.