1947 Gibson ES-300 Pickguard

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

I need a new pickguard for my 1947 Gibson ES 300. Though the pickguard was restored by a luthier, it is still gassing out and the 5 upper frets are getting rusty as well as the long screw that is holding it. I noticed the high e string is even corroding.

I have 2 questions:

How do I remove it? Is it only attached to the guitar by means of one screw or is there another one near the neck?
Where can I get a new replica one in Europe?

TIA

DB

[Woody Sound]

If I remember correctly, there is a little pin that that goes into the neck just to keep it aligned - not attached. Just unscrew the bracket from the rim of the guitar and you should be able to gently pull it away from the neck. But someone else might know for sure.

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

If I remember correctly, there is a little pin that that goes into the neck just to keep it aligned - not attached. Just unscrew the bracket from the rim of the guitar and you should be able to gently pull it away from the neck. But someone else might know for sure.

You are right. There is a small pin near the neck.

DB

[wintermoon]

Youre right, the guitar is showing symptoms of an off gassing pickguard but that doesn't look like a celluloid guard, looks like it was already replaced w a black plastic one. hmm....

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

Youre right, the guitar is showing symptoms of an off gassing pickguard but that doesn't look like a celluloid guard, looks like it was already replaced w a black plastic one. hmm....

Just removed it. A luthier did some kind of work on it. I was told it was the original pick guard.

Now I need a replacement for this one is gassing out.

DB

[fws6]

Hey Dick - It looks like the guard is plastic, but the black reinforcing bar + the small block that holds the bracket on the underside are celluloid ? Could that be correct never seen another one like that

i ll replace those parts for you, if you want. If it doesnt work out you can always buy a replica ? No charge unless I need to buy something but probably I have everything lying around.

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

Hey Dick - It looks like the guard is plastic, but the black reinforcing bar + the small block that holds the bracket on the underside are celluloid ? Could that be correct never seen another one like that

i ll replace those parts for you, if you want. If it doesnt work out you can always buy a replica ? No charge unless I need to buy something but probably I have everything lying around.

Too cool Frank !!!! That would be great. You may be right. I don't know. But I was told they are all like this. Guard is plastic and then you glue the other parts on it. More pics below. There should be a pin in the block nearest to the neck. You'd probably need to buy these blocks (one has a pin in it).

DB

[fws6]

I ll send a mail

[wintermoon]

Yeah, someone glued celluloid reinforcement strips onto a black plastic repro guard, strange but that's what's offgassing.

[Woody Sound]

A quick google images search shows some plastic and some celluloid guards. Don't know which are original and which are not.

Gibson ES-300 - Google Search

[wintermoon]

A '47 would have a celluloid guard, they changed to black plastic soon after.

[fws6]

a black plastic repro guard

George why you say it is a repro guard ? Because 47 should have celluloid guard still ?

I am not knowledgeable on these, but the guard itself looks older to me (new has different laminate) or not ?

[fws6]

Woody typed faster than me :-)

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

George why you say it is a repro guard ? Because 47 should have celluloid guard still ? I am not knowledgeable on these, but the guard itself looks older to me (new has different laminate) or not ?

I was told the following:

• The reinforcement strip is original on these pickguards.
• The original celluloid reinforcement strip had gassed out completely and was replaced therefore and glued under the original plastic pickguard by a luthier just over a year ago.

So where does the gassing come from? The reinforcement strip is slightly over a year old .... I see bubbles on the plastic pickguard though ...

DB

[wintermoon]

George why you say it is a repro guard ? Because 47 should have celluloid guard still ?

I am not knowledgeable on these, but the guard itself looks older to me (new has different laminate) or not ?

They used all celluloid guards in the immediate post war period, not sure why they changed to black plastic soon after, my '47 ES-350 came w an offgassing celluloid one and I've seen many others.

[Little Jay]

I have read that when celluloid starts gassing there’s no way to stop it. The bars do look like celluloid in the pics (but some modern plastics do too).

So better take it off the guitar and for sure don’t keep it in its case with it! (But I understand you took it of already.)

[neatomic]

you need to remove the celluloid strips...thats what's most likely gassing..the black plastic pickguard is probably fine...just have new strips of wood or plastic added...the pin holding pickguard to neck is common hofner feature...but they use a small plastic block (just in that area) to anchor it

other thing is, i've seen that same fret rusting problem on guitars that had absolutely no celluloid on the guitar...just the old multi-ply binding gassing...address those frets quickly..want to prevent further rust...apply some mineral oil...and use scotch pad to sand back slightly

luck

& keep it out of the case!!!

cheers

[wintermoon]

I think Gibson switched over to black beveled guards on these right around the time the ES175 was introduced or maybe a little before. 175's always had black guards.
You can replace the strips but if it was me I'd put a period correct celluloid one on there, they look cooler too. The originals has single ply white binding but the pre made multiply guards wouldn't bother me.

If the strips are newish the problem may be in the case lining, I've had and seen many where the offgassing is impregnated into the lining and even the wood of a case lid and continue to corrode metal parts even after the removal of the offending guard.
That guitar still have the orig case Dick? The orig ones had a mottled brown covering, though not the same as the commonly seen 50's mottled covering.

[fws6]

I looked around a bit more and would say the guard is an original

The reissue laminated black plastic just looks different

I can find several 47s with the black beveled guard

And guitarhq sais they were introduced ‘46

[wintermoon]

Frank, How do you know the ones you've seen aren't replacements?
I just did a Google image search after reading your post and almost all '47s have celluloid. I'm sticking w my opinion on this one.
btw Guitarhq isn't the be all end all.
I remember a friend at a guitar show straightening George Gruhn out on a vintage Martin's specs, no one knows everything.

[DMgolf66]

Side question: is there any cure for a guitar case that has had a guitar that GAS'd out pickguard?

Apologies, dont mean to derail, but DB was asking some GAS related questions.

[neatomic]

it's not just the case..its the combination of glues and linings and plastics and celluloids etc etc...the intermingling in a closed environment


you could put a new poly finished guitar in an old case and it wouldn't gas anything!!!

first step in preventing gassing problems is to keep case open...or guitar out of case altogether...that will certainly slow down problems..as gassing is dependent on closed environment


cheers

[wintermoon]

btw, Guitarhq also states that '47 ES-350s came w laminated beveled edge guards, and I know for a fact they were single ply bound celluloid.

[fws6]

btw Guitarhq isn't the be all end all.
I remember a friend at a guitar show straightening George Gruhn out on a vintage Martin's specs, no one knows everything.

agree on both points

This one on reverb is showing the same problem: Vintage 50's Gibson ES-300 Hollow Body PICKGUARD w. Gold | Reverb

[floatingpickup]

btw, Guitarhq also states that '47 ES-350s came w laminated beveled edge guards, and I know for a fact they were single ply bound celluloid.

If you are looking for someone to make an accurate replacement celluloid guard, I highly recommend Leroy Aiello Welcome to AielloGuitars.com Leroy made me a perfect replacement for my 1947 L7. His price was very reasonable and he was very fast.
Keith