Official Luthiers Forum!

Has anybody used Stew Mac's clear pickguard material? There are 2 ways to apply it, wet or dry. I would think that wet application might work better... Can you do the wet application on EM6000, since it's water based? Any tips for application? Looks like you could bugger it up if you're not careful...

_________________
Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Cut with sharp scissors and you can knock off any burr caused by the cutting with fins sandpaper 400 or finer. I apply with the wet method on lacquer so have no idea about on waterborn finishes.

Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

I've used it wet on EM6000 with no problem (heck I wet sand EM6000 to level it). If you put it on dry you'll have tapped air you can't get out that looks awful.

_________________
"I've been had again"
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC

You wont have a problem with water and EM6000. You need to use a solvent (DNA) to reactivate it in order to get the burn in effect. I sprayed a coat of EM6000 on bird feeder that my daughter painted with some sort of craft paint. The bird feeder was outside in the elements for a couple of years with no damage from the water. I'm in no way saying to douse your guitar in water, but I don't think the little you need to apply a pick guard with the wet method will hurt it.

It does however react to rubber from a guitar stand. So be careful there.

I have found that if you cut the pick guard with a dedicated pair of new scissors it cuts clean and ready to install. Next step. Wash your hands. If you happen to touch the adhesive and you have any form of schmeg on your hands you will have to repeat step one. I put them on wet. I like to hold the pick guard upside down and give it a little spray of water with a drop of soap. I use a soft cloth to squeegee the water out.

Water based here too.
Just don't touch the adhesive when the backing paper is off (fingerprints).
One drop of detergent in a 1/2 cup water, I spray on PG and soundboard then use a small flat eraser to remove air, like a squeegee.
As a hint, I find a craft circle cutter make a great job of the soundhole radius.

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.