Adhesive for pick guard

[Freeman Keller]

I'm working on an old Yamaha that has a big thick engraved pick guard (thing Gibson Hummingbird) that is coming off. It looks like it was attached to the top which was finished (doesn't react to lacquer thinner, must be some sort of catalyzed something). There is damage down to the wood in a number of places, mostly right along the edges of the p/b. I'm guessing someone tried to repair it at some point with unknown glue.

Got the p/g off and cleaned the old glue off of its (mostly scraping, naphtha didn't touch it). Cleaned up the top and brushed a couple of coats of shellac on the bare wood. Warmed the p/g and clamped it flat overnight. Put double sticky tape on it and attempted to reattach it. Came loose from the top after a couple of days.

Dilemma now is what glue to use. I know contact cement is sometimes used for p/g's but with the irregular and damaged wood I'm wondering if this might be a case for (whisper) epoxy. I can get good clamping action all around the p/g but I know I only get one chance. Thoughts?

[Bob Gramann]

It bothers me that the double sticky tape didn’t hold it. Was that because the surfaces were uneven, leaving gaps to weaken the bond? Or, was there residue of something on one or both of the surfaces? Epoxy is awfully hard to clean up if you ever have to work on it again. Will plain old Elmers hold it? In the future, it won’t take much heat to release and vinegar and water will clean it up.

[David King]

What double sided tape did you use? Was it one of the 3M high tack assembly tapes?

[Freeman Keller]

My tape was some generic carpet tape - it seems to be pretty tenacious - I used it on another pick guard but that one was nice clean finish on the guitar and a clean new p/g. The top of this guitar is pretty beat up, down to and into wood in a number of places, most of which are right at the edge of the p/g. I am now trying to drop fill them with some superglue and I'll try to scrape that back level. The fact that the p/g is quite thick and is somewhat warped doesn't help - I did heat it with a hot air gun and clamp flat but it still has some wave. I think I'll go ahead and order the StewMac 3M tape and give that a try.

[Mario Proulx]

Nothing. Absolutely nothing, will hold that fella down. Many have tried, many have died.

Once these insanely thick old Yammy 'guards begin to twist and shout, there's no stopping them.

Make a new one...

[Steve Sawyer]

I have used binding cement (Stewmac brand) to adhere plastic to wood with good results. Nothing that was warped as you describe, though.

[Freeman Keller]

I flatened the pickguard as best I could, built up the damaged areas with CA and leveled back to the finishing and reinstalled the p/g with the 3M sticky tape. I also told the owner that it might not last and we would have to consider a plan B.

[Bob Francis]

It looks great! I see why it wasn't a simple substitution.