Pickguards

Please note that I don't really sell pickguards as individual items, but do install them on guitars that I have in hand.  That is, if you ask me for a pickguard for your HD-28, I don't really do that.  But if I have your HD-28 in for a setup and you want a new pickguard, I will do that.  Reason for this is that I cut each pickguard by hand using the existing one as a template.  I try to get the most exact fit I possibly can.  Thus, this page is really for customers who want to see what stock I have on hand.

I'm basically stocking just a few types of pickguard material these days.  First, I have Mario Proulx's excellent material that's about 1/2 the thickness of the Tortis/Greven material.  I stock a brownish 30's swirl.  Secondly, I stock celluloid brown swirl stock- this is virtually identical to the now extinct "Deep River" material.   And last, I'll keep some of the dark Tortis in stock. 

First, a stock D-18 GE pickguard.  It looks pretty good from a distance, but when you really look at it, the swirls are muddy and indistinct.  Plus, it's not quite the right color for a 30's Martin.
D18GE_stock.JPG (59735 bytes) Another stock D-18 GE guard.
This is a "dark" Tortis pickguard. It's not quite as dark as this picture shows and there is really quite a bit of middle color showing thru. These look really sharp against a dark ebony fingerboard and bridge.

 

D18GE_dark.JPG (54542 bytes) Another dark Tortis on a D-18 GE. 
Here are 3 samples of brown celluloid swirls.  This material is about .028" thick.  I think this stuff looks more like a 40's Martin than a 30's but you can compare them to the original guards below.
 

 

Following are a few samples of 30's swirl.   This material is also about .030" thick.  Compare this to the original 30's 00-18 pickguard below.
 
 
   

 

Actual vintage pickguards for comparison:

1930's 00-18
1939 D-18
1936 D-18
   
   

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