# Pick guard road wear



## Wayne G (Mar 3, 2012)

Hoping to find an answer in this wealth of experience. I have been building and refinishing for about four years now. Thinking of offering repair, refinishing and new construction services to the public. I will be presenting my work at a local swap and trade show in April and I am trying to show as many guitars and finishes as possible.
Here is the question.
Last year I built a Tele that I finished with a technique that would allow me to distress and make look road worn. (layer of white primer, layer of grey primer, Black pigmented top coat, clear top coat) The body and neck look well travelled, but the pick guard and chrome hardware look too new. 
Any tried and tested methods for aging these areas?


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## cwittler (May 17, 2011)

Plastic isn't the most pourous material as used on your guitar, but you can score it with a light sanding (circular motion) and then soak in it tea or coffee for a few days. Some folks will score deeper scratches and apply a wood stain to make them a little darker looking because gunk would build up in them naturally over time. Depends how authentic you want the end result to look. Some folks use shoe polish for aging plastic, but it never looks quite right to my eye. To each his own though.

Chrome is used to keep things looking shiny and new. Some folks use Muratic acid fumes to give it a pitted look or remove it completely. Chrome is usually added on top of a nickel plating which ages very easily with plain white vinegar once you remove the chrome. You can also use the Muratic acid fume technic as well for aging nickel. Some folks claim to use etchants for aging but if you have cheaper components, you will find out why this is not the best option.

There is lots on the internet about this if you google it. Always best to know too much than too little. Good luck!


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## Wayne G (Mar 3, 2012)

Thanks for the response cwittler. I had similar ideas about soaking the pickgaurd in coffee. I believe that the hardware is nickel plated (on copper?) from what I can determine and I will try the vinegar as suggested. Thanks again.


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## cwittler (May 17, 2011)

Wayne G said:


> I believe that the hardware is nickel plated (on copper?) from what I can determine



Usually the base metal will be plated in copper, then nickel, then chrome.


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## Wayne G (Mar 3, 2012)

Soaking the pick gaurd in coffee didn't achieve the desired result so I tried a honey colored NGR. With a little work I think that I will get that aged look of a smoke filled bar of the 60's.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Coffee, tea and other stuff like that never works. it's pigmented and as soon as you wipe it off, it's gone. 

For a Pick-guard...say a Strat model.

A-) First sand off all the shine with a steelwool, "0000" grade. do it in a circular motion, and very gently.

B-) time to see where the real wear would actually BE...usually on the bottom end..where the swtich is, around the knobs. a bit also at the top of the middle pick-up if player is a strummer, and a bit around the bridge pick-up;. Now i'm talking about the EDGES of the pick guard here. Take a piece of sanding paper, say 180 to 150 grit, and carefully scratch the pick guard in small places mentioned.

C-) Once B is done, time to remove those sharp edges on that pick guard, ALL around it, and even inside the pup holes, use a 180 grit sand paper..works great for that.

D-) Last parts of the sanding stuff is using either a 50 grit piece of paper..or a small file, and make bigger scractches where you feel the player would have it the pickguard. don't be afraid...once that's done..use a 240 sand paper and gently go on those scratches and sand then off a bit just so it does'nt look like it was made 10 minutes ago..

E-) OK..now the hard part starts.. to fill in those nice grooves done, you need rubbing alchool, and die. I REALLY Suggest you to TEST before doing all of this work on someone's guitar.. I tested and applied my techique to at least haft a douzen pickguard to get it right. But i did'nt have anyone to give me pointers. Take little cups bought at the groceries..like Ziplock cups, and put haft of it with Alchool and then start testing with Dies...dark ones, browns, ambers, remember..Dirt is NEVER all black. so it's a mix of different colors, go small drop at a time. Don't make your mix to concentrate, once you start to apply it with an old cloth, you want to be able to build up the mix...to get different aging levels.

F-) Once you've mixed a color you like. rub it all over the pick-guard. Let it dry and then use a steel wool "0000" to remove the excess. Repeat until you're satisfied. You can use also different shades of die for different level of aging.

G-) now...OLD pickguard would get amber/yellowish with time, new ones don't. SO..i used a clear with amber in it to give that real cool look to the guards. I mostly shoot the sides only, the center gets to mush play and tends to stay the original color. I give a small coat and let it dry, then GENTLY rub a 0000 steelwool on it to remove the clear's shine, to finally, after a few days drying, buff it back to a semi-shine where there would be wear happening.

SO..this is how I do it..not the only way..but worked so far for me..


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Alain...giving detailed instructions of your method for relicing a pickguard is a very kind gesture. 

What a time consuming and tedious process ! 

Very interesting, but not something I will be trying...ever. 
I don't have the "artistic eye" that is essential for this to be a success. 

Cheers

Dave


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Not a Problem...to often i've asked around for tips on how to get a START and was told to fuck off by others from this forum, or other places. So i swore i would'nt be that kinda guy toward others who want to give it a go. it's sometimes hard to get in tiny details..specially when you're french canadien but i do my best to explain it as clearly as possible



greco said:


> Alain...giving detailed instructions of your method for relicing a pickguard is a very kind gesture.
> 
> What a time consuming and tedious process !
> 
> ...


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## cwittler (May 17, 2011)

Wayne G said:


> Soaking the pick gaurd in coffee didn't achieve the desired result so I tried a honey colored NGR. With a little work I think that I will get that aged look of a smoke filled bar of the 60's.


Just wanted to ask how much prep work you did before treating with coffee. Was it a case of not looking authentic or just not dark enough or did the tannins in the coffee not work? Was the coffee cold or piping hot? Curious to know how this didn't work for you. Thanks!


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

oh i tried many different ways..hot, cold, VERY concentrated coffee...lite coffee.. in the end, when wiped, all the coffee would get removed. 



cwittler said:


> Just wanted to ask how much prep work you did before treating with coffee. Was it a case of not looking authentic or just not dark enough or did the tannins in the coffee not work? Was the coffee cold or piping hot? Curious to know how this didn't work for you. Thanks!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

My way is easier but takes a lot longer.

Play the guitar for thirty years. Take it to gigs, rehearsals wherever.

That should work.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

kkjwpw.................



Milkman said:


> My way is easier but takes a lot longer.
> 
> Play the guitar for thirty years. Take it to gigs, rehearsals wherever.
> 
> That should work.


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## Guest (Mar 15, 2012)

Wayne G said:


> .. aged look of a smoke filled bar of the 60's.


I'm at the wetsand/clear stage of my ElDegas restoration. I did a trial/error test
on the back of the neck (bolt on). I smoke. Periodically I'm in the garage having 
my fix while the clear coat is drying. Next day, I notice the finish is nic stained.
Not heavily .. but, it 's there. So .. if I blow the smoke as I'm spraying .. would 
this get that aged look? Bounce that one around your brain. Who knows.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

al3d said:


> kkjwpw.................


Not off topic at all.But I'll refrain from raining on your parade.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Milkman said:


> Not off topic at all.But I'll refrain from raining on your parade.


yes it was...and it's not a question of raining on my "Parade"...the OP asked a legitimate question and deserved a legitimate answer, wish i tried to give him.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

al3d said:


> yes it was...and it's not a question of raining on my "Parade"...the OP asked a legitimate question and deserved a legitimate answer, wish i tried to give him.


Me too.

My advice is as sound as yours.

I notice the OP isn't complaining.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Better still,Milkman, lend it to somebody for awhile...1 year lent is like 10years owned in terms of wear and tear 

great work Al!
Im amazed by some of the work Ive seen you do...Too often, reliccing goes way overboard, like the ESP/LTD George lynch strats, or guitars that just look like someone whipped them with some chains and ran a belt sander across a couple places, and pulled the hardware from the bottom of the Titanic. 
IMO, a good example of doing it right was Gibsons aged John Sykes LP.
If I ever find the ultimate beater LP or American Stat, I'll be sending it to you!

OP, the nice thing about pickguards is, they tend not to age as severely as other parts of a guitar-I guess that is their purpose!
If you can just get some of the shine off them, a touch of yellowing, and maybe crack a screw hole or 2, it should look pretty authentic.


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