Is it possible for an expert repairer to touch up and paint the gold on the back side of the pickguard?
If I did buy a new one is the pickguard for a '60 6120 any different from similar years?
Repair or paint pickguard
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Aug 30, 2008 7:55 a.m. mallen:
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Aug 30, 2008 8:39 a.m. KCeddieB:
Mallen,
There are several members on this forum who make amazing repro pickguards, and the shape and colors are highly accurate to the original Grestch examples. Those guys (Herve, Setzer, Jack Daniels) would be the one's to ask about touching up the painted side of a guard. Depending on how bad the original guard is, it might be best to have all the existing color removed and then refinished, which would at least maintain the original guard to the guitar.
Your question about the shape of guards for a '60 6120 depends on how you figure 1960 model year, but in batch #413xx the guards do change to a more scalloped shape. But even if you find another vintage example of the same basic shape as yours (and earlier 6120 model years) there's always the concern of the pickup notches lining up. Needles to say (on this forum at least) Gretsch guitars can vary from batch to batch, and I wouldn't assume every 6120 guard made in 1960 will fit every other '60 6120 perfectly.
For the expense of finding another vintage guard, and the risk of it just not fitting right, I would opt for the refinish of your existing guard, or just have a repro made ($100). BUT, if you go that route, be sure to save your existing guard, just in case you ever want to sell the guitar to someone who's hung-up on original parts. Good luck!
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Aug 30, 2008 4:03 p.m. Herve:
Hello, Yes it is possible to restore your old pickguard. First you must try to reproduce as close as possible the right gold tone. Then, remove completely the old gold paint by water sand with #800 grit. Before to paint I prefer to spray a very light coat of plastic sealer then you can spray your gold paint and finish it with a thin coat of varnish.
Here is a color that I made to reproduce the original pickguard color for a Bamboo yellow / Copper mist Gretsch.
A 1955 Streamliner pickguard with its original color (on the top, my sample color).
Here is one of my 1958/59 style 6120's pickguard
Thank you.
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Sep 6, 2008 5:57 a.m. mallen:
Did you use an air brush? What type paint did you use?
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Sep 11, 2008 6:59 p.m. mallen:
Herve, what kind of paint did you use? And what shade of gold? How is the sign post logo put on? How do you keep from removing the logo? I have attached mine as it is now.
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Sep 12, 2008 8:29 a.m. KCeddieB:
It's an interesting question from a collectors perspective... is an "altered" (i.e. refinished) original pickguard better than this one in its existing condition? My feeling is that it's not, and if I were buying this guitar, I would prefer the guard be left as it is, rather than forever modified, even though it would look more pristine once refin'd.
Of course it's totally your call, that's the beauty of ownership. But I might just buy a repro to use, for the time I have it, and leave the unaltered original in the case for time I might want to sell the guitar, especially if everything else is "all original" on the instrument. If other aspects of the guitar have already been modified, then it would be less of an issue to me. It's just the term "all original" is so important during re-sale, and the refinishing of this guard would not allow you to claim that anymore.
This may sound like a flip-flop from my original post above... but now that I see the condition of the original guard, I just had to update my opinion.
BTW... great ride you got there mallen! Is it the 2.25" body with the dowel in the cutaway? Luv those!
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Sep 12, 2008 11:18 a.m. JackDaniels:
Mallen. I am not sure you'll get a lot of response on the pickguard process. These guys have worked hard to perfect the process for restoring guards and offer that as a service. While not terribly complicated, it does takes some craftsmanship. I would think these guys would want to protect thier small business. If you want to repaint/repair your guard, you may have to go thru some trial an error yourself. Its pretty simple if you think about it. The guard is plastic. Find matching paint that sticks to plastic and your all set.
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Sep 12, 2008 1:39 p.m. JBGretschguy:
That guard pictured above is pretty faded. There is no way to match the color of a faded guard. The metal particles in the guard turn greenish over time. (look at an old Gold Top Les Paul) It's a different look than just a gold paint with a greenish cast. You can't match it so that it will look right compared to the pickup rings, which also fade.
Here is one original guard that was exposed to very little UV light, and one that apparently was.
PS - I could probably repair your pickguard and supply matching pickup rings to go with it. Contact me if you wish.
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Sep 13, 2008 10:16 a.m. mallen:
KCeddieB, The body is 2 1/2" and the dowel is not in the cutaway but in the center of the neck at the heel. I know I have seen some in the cutaway I guess they did it two ways.
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Sep 13, 2008 10:45 a.m. KCeddieB:
mallen...
Cool... thanks for the clarification on the vintage. The thinner bodies were introduced later, and yours is characteristic of the 1960 model year.
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Sep 13, 2008 12:30 p.m. Herve:
Hello Mallen, I use spray gun with an acrylic or Polyurethane paint. I've got two or three various gold color that I can mix to obtain a color as close as possible. I use a different gold sparkle paint for the Gretsch logo. The signpost logo is engraved under the pickguard. I never try to remove the paint from an original pickguard... try to test a light paint stripper but don't use acetone. Write me if you need more informations...
Friendly,
Herve.
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Sep 24, 2008 10:38 p.m. mallen:
I found a new one for sale here. What do you think? Would it fit my '60 6120 http://www.marshallparts.com/content/estore_details.asp?product=1686
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Sep 24, 2008 11:32 p.m. Setzer:
If these are the new RI guards they will not fit. The mounting holes are off.
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Sep 25, 2008 5:12 a.m. mallen:
What does "RI" mean? Also does this one on eBay look real? Will it fit? http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Gretsch-pickguard-gold-signpost-vintage-for-6120_W0QQitemZ...
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Sep 25, 2008 6:07 a.m. Bear:
RI is the abbreviation for "Reissue".
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Sep 25, 2008 7:54 a.m. audiodrome:
mallen said: What does "RI" mean? Also does this one on eBay look real? Will it fit? http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Gretsch-pickguard-gold-signpost-vintage-for-6120_W0QQitemZ...
The Chet signature looks correct for a vintage pickguard (the reissues have a larger opening in the "A") but who knows? -
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Sep 25, 2008 8:46 a.m. Setzer:
"Will it fit?"
It will fit after you notch and drill it to match your guard. That is as close as your going to get without going thru Herve or finding an original and paying lots of money. What your getting is from JBGretschguy who replied to you earlier. I don't know if you realize this or not but now you do.
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Sep 25, 2008 12:11 p.m. audiodrome:
I didn't realize it was JBGrestchguy, and that's a good price too. I wish I had seen this listing a couple of weeks ago! Oh well...
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Sep 25, 2008 1:24 p.m. JBGretschguy:
Contact me ASAP - I have a couple more. I can help you get your guitar looking right again.
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Sep 25, 2008 3:54 p.m. mallen:
Thanks for all your help guys. Is there anything that can indicate a pickguard is original? Besides if it had lots of wear and was cracked and faded.
