Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This may be a dumb question, but what's involved with replacing a pickguard on a Rickenbacker? Do the pots and switch just screw in/out or is it more involved?

They just screw in/out.

Just be careful tightening down the controls to the guard and attachment screws to the body. A bit too much force will crack the plexi. Most old Ricks have small piecees of masking tape on the back side of the pickguards where the pots go to give a bit of cushion. Worth doing.

Toughest could be the pickup selector switch. Tightening /loosening the bezel on one of these has often led the unwary into scratching the guard in the vicinity of the switch. I put masking tape over the guard around the switch after I've got it snugged-up finger-tight, and then Tighten carefully using a large needle-nose pliers. Don't over-tighten, though.

I've also started using a small (maybe 3/8" diameter) disk of Japanese rice paper as a barrier between back-painted pickguards or TRC's and the body at the attachment screws. It's a very thin, acid free artist's paper and virtually unnoticable once the screws are in, but especially in those cases where you had paint pull-off on old parts it helps keep it from happening again after touch-up. My father is a watercolor painter, so I steal it from him, but it's probably available from most good art supply stores.

Once or twice I've used this trick; shouldn't be needed on a properly-cured CV finish, but on lacquer or French-polished (shellac) finishes, it works a treat. I use ordinary Clearprint 1000H drafting paper, which is commonly available at art-supply stores. It's wax-treated and 100% rag content; quite durable.