Pickguard — Lutherie Encyclopedia

PickguardType: glossaryA thin protective plate applied to the soundboard to shield it from pick scratches and wear during playing.## Definition A pickguard is a thin sheet of material, typically tortoiseshell-patterned celluloid, black plastic, or clear film, applied to the soundboard of a guitar below the sound hole on the treble side. Its primary purpose is to protect the soft spruce or cedar top from scratches, dents, and wear marks caused by the pick or strumming fingers during play. Without a pickguard, an actively played acoustic guitar will quickly develop visible wear patterns in the finish and eventually in the wood itself. On acoustic guitars, pickguards are usually adhesive-backed and applied directly to the finished top. On electric guitars, pickguards are often larger, screwed to the body, and may also serve to conceal the electronics routing cavities. ## In Practice Applying a pickguard to an acoustic guitar requires care to avoid trapping air bubbles or misaligning the guard. Many builders apply the pickguard as one of the final steps after finishing, using a pre-cut guard with adhesive backing. The guard must be positioned correctly relative to the sound hole and strings, and pressed firmly to ensure full adhesion. Some luthiers and players debate whether a pickguard affects tone by dampening the soundboard. The added mass and stiffness of a pickguard over a vibrating section of the top can have a measurable, if subtle, effect on the instrument's response. For this reason, some builders offer instruments without pickguards, and removable clear pickguard films have become popular as a co…