Pickguard/Finger Rest with Dreaded Nitro Rot

[bmw2002]

I have the opportunity to pick up an 80's Yamaha ae 1200 s archtop in excellent condition other than the fact that the pickguard has the dreaded "nitro rot" which I'm told in a closed case can corrode strings and other metallic parts. Everything I've read says to remove the pickguard ASAP (which the current owner did awhile ago) and either not use one or replace it with an aftermarket version. So, can anyone recommend from personal experience or reputation a vendor that makes accurate replacement pickguards? (And before anyone suggests that I can make one myself, just a note that power tools and I are not the best combination.) Finally, anyone own/owned/played one of these guitars? They are apparently pretty nice L-5 clones from Japan. Thanks!

[BigMikeinNJ]

I've known lots of guys in your position. Get that guard off the guitar and away from the guitar/case completely. There's many options and being like you me and power tools ain't option 1 (or 2-10). LOL

Try:

Pickguards.com

Pickguard Heaven: Pickguards for Every Guitar

Custom Pick Guards

Custom and Replacement Guitar Pickguards

A lot of guys I know with older Ibanez guitars like L-5 copies or GB10s went with ebony replacements. Doesn't take long to get used to the new look and there's no warping or any more gassing issues when you go to wood.

Good Luck

[bmw2002]

Thanks, BigMikeinNJ. The Pickguard Heaven site actually lists the Yamaha ae 1200 s as one the guitars it makes pickguards for, although they require a template of the original.

Proudly displaying my total ignorance, I'm curious why the pickguard is the culprit in 'nitro rot,' as opposed to the binding or even the finish of the guitar itself? And won't a generous application of 'bean-o' fix the gassing problem?

[BigMikeinNJ]

Those old style tortoise guards are made of a plastic that is notorious, NOTORIOUS for decaying and destroying great guitars. Gibsons, EPIs, Ibanez anyone that used that type tortoise plastic looking guard has issues. I've seen them really eat a guitar up. Culprit is leaving the guitar/guard in the case closed for a long time - heat exasperates the situation. If you can safely store the guitar outside the case for a while it would help. Get a wire brush and give the top half of the case (especially near where it comes close to the pick guard) a good going over - like you're brushing a longhair cat down in Spring. And if you can leave the case open outside for a day, let it air out...

Noxious stuff. They will replicate the guard but like most people that do it if you can send them the guard or a VERY accurate template (send the guard) they will do their best, which is pretty darned good.

Good Luck !!

[hot ford coupe]

That really is the dreaded guitar disease. It's like cancer. Surgery seems the only solution. I had that trouble with a 47 acoustic L5. I started seeing something funny with the pick guard and quicly removed it. After a while, the enitre pick guard looked like the wicked witch of the west after she got hit with the water bucket. I hate to mess up the originality of a particular vintage instrument but if it means losing the instrument, good bye crummy part.

[oldane]

Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ

A lot of guys I know with older Ibanez guitars like L-5 copies or GB10s went with ebony replacements. Doesn't take long to get used to the new look and there's no warping or any more gassing issues when you go to wood.

I second that. When I had Jim Triggs make me a Stromberg Master 400 copy, he adviced against a celluid faux tortoise pickguard, which was my inital choice, and recommended ebony instead. Not only was there a risk of selfdestruction after decades, but there was also a risk of warping before that would happen. So I went with ebony - which IMHO is more classy than celluid/plastic, though not original on the Stromberg instruments. BTW it was surpricing to me that there seemed not to be modern acrylic material available to replace the old celluid.

[hot ford coupe]

Originally Posted by oldane

BTW it was surpricing to me that there seemed not to be modern acrylic material available to replace the old celluid.

I've been wondering about the same thing myself. It just doesn't make sense that there isn't something stable enough in the plastics industry that won't come apart. Ebony though is a great substitute even though it's not an original look. Years ago, I called Bob Benedetto (when he was still making his own stuff in Stroudsberg0) because I wanted an inlaid tailpiece and pick guard for a Cremona I used to have. He told me he didn't make extra parts but he told me how I could make the pick guard myself. He said this is exactly how he did it. He told me to get a wide ebony unradiused fingerboard blank from Stew-Mac, cut it in half and cement it together side to side with Tite-Bond. When the glue is set, draw out your guard shape, cut it out, smooth it and then bind it. You can get all the binding you need also from Stew-Mac. Glue it up (if you have the Benedetto vid series, it shows the technique beautifully) let it set, sand and polish. It's really not that difficult and you don't need power equipment. Like I said, you can get all the materials you need from Stew-Mac.

[fws6]

acetate guard material was made in the last century by a company in italy and one in jersey. The italian stuff never decayed; the usa made stuff did. Thats what gave all problems on old gibsons, dangelicos etc, while it never did on other brands. 60s Fenders are the same material no problems there. They used Italian still being made today for mnay purposes (glasses mostly)

there is perfect new material on the market google for axinc dot net ; expensive though

there also is faux material looking exactly like original material; google Tor-tis

there are many repro guard makers for archtops, eg try pickguardian