Official Luthiers Forum!

Let me pick your brains a minute:

One of the guitars I showed at the GAL convention needs a re-do on the pickguard. I thought it left the shop with a bubble-free clear pickguard. When it arrived in Tacoma, though, there were 3 ugly air bubbles under the guard. (Whether that can happen in shipping is another question for another post perhaps...)
Anyway, it's the clear material that LMI offers, stuck down to a cat-urethane finish that Tony offers. The guys at the convention were nice enough not to say anything, but it was/IS rather embarrassing.
Need to remove it.
Anyone w/ experience at this? For instance, will gentle heat (via hairdryer perhaps) make the glue weaken, and the p/g lift cleanly?
Thoughts or suggestions appreciated!

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Steve,

Funnily enough I just removed one about an hour ago. Use a hairdryer and go slow and carefully. Then clean up the glue residue with naptha. Frank Ford shows how here on his website. His method of puttiing them on using water is very neat an eliminates any airbubbles. He shows you how here

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Steve, Yep, I did one a while back too, and had the same problem
I applied it on dry and a few little bubbles showed up!
Now I do it as F.F. does with water and a drop or two of soap.
A hairdryer works fine for taking the old one up.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Ok, thanks guys.
I've taken them off, too, but this one seems really committed to staying on--if that makes sense.
I've resisted the water approach far too long.
But: there's nothing like embarrassment to smarten a feller up!

Steve 02

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com