Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi all, I'm a longtime enthusiastic lurker who's finally going to try and modify/fix something.

I have an octave mandolin with a custom rosewood (?) floating pickguard that doesn't fit well. It sticks out past the edge and slightly curves away from the top of the instrument. It arrived with the furthest tip cracked off, which I already glued w/ titebond original. The backside of it is covered in what looks like rattle-can flat black paint.

I think I need to do two things - flatten it, and trim it so it fits in the case without being pinched. I also need to install a pickup, which will be an adventure for another time (Schatten HFN, I hope).

How would you handle the trimming? I have access to a scroll saw (in a few months...) and have some skill with a coping saw. I also have an assortment of files, sandpaper, etc. and an abundance of patience. I'm thinking I will go with a slimmer, more modern profile, perhaps like what Northfield does with their archtop octaves.

As for flattening it, I wonder if it will really be necessary after it's trimmed to size. Opinions welcome!

If it was in my shop I would shape it with a disk sander for the outside curves, and a drum sander for the inside curve. It doesn't look very warped so I would not try to flatten it.

You might want to get an app to make your photos smaller to fit the page.

Thanks Barry. I do have a dremel with the tiny sanding drums, so that's an option. Edited my post so the photos are no longer obnoxiously large.

A dremel is way too small for that kind of work. You need 1 or 2" diameter sanding drums. If you can't do that then use files or sandpaper glued to a board.

And depending on how much material you need to remove, a coping saw or scroll saw would work great to get close, then follow up with the file or sandpaper.

OK - i don't have that kind of drum sander! Sounds like I need to sketch out some designs and make a decision. Thanks for the help.

If hand-sanding is possible, pill bottles and doublesided tape come to mind for inside curves.

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Peter Havriluk

I strongly suggest you make several cardboard mock-ups of your new shapes and put them on the body. Take your time and look at them often. It is surprisingly difficult to come up with pickgiard curves that feel right with the body shape. Make sure you have one you like before you start mode gong this one.

On e you have the shape you like, cover the guard with masking tape, draw out the new lines and work towards that line be. Once you get close, slow down and slowly sand toward the line keeping the curves fair.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Soliciting opinions, if anyone wants to share!

First is modified from a Benedetto design; I think this might be my favorite, but these don't typically have brackets.
Second is modified from the Northfield design, plus I added a swoop at the bottom (that I probably wouldn't keep)
Third is a gibson L-48 shape.

I've been toying with the idea of scrapping the bracket and making the whole thing much smaller, but am uncertain if the guard is stiff enough for that to work.

You are still going to need the bracket for support.

I like the third one.

I think I like the third one too. It will also show the least of the bracket/rod.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Thanks Barry and Brian. No matter what I do there's going to be no hiding the threaded rod - that's OK with me! #3 was originally my first choice but I was warming up to #1; I think I've tossed #2 at this point. I'll look at it for at least a few more days...

I like the straight edge on the first one, which contrasts nicely with the body curves. But I might still bring the bottom corner to the bridge like the other two examples. Maybe keep the entire bottom edge of the original pickguard.

Well it's done. I don't love the acute angle between the guard edge and the bracket, but it's time to stop second guessing and start getting used to it!

Good work, I'm glad you are satisfied.

Edit: I made that response quickly then got to thinking that it may have sounded snarky. I didn't mean it to. I was trying to say that I was glad you found the shape that was right for you and didn't end up disappointed after putting tools to the only PG you had. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Thanks Bryan. I think I like the shape; I'm just one to second guess all the details. Nobody will ever look closely again but me!