It doesn't seem to bother Marla Fibish too much not having a pickguard on her Gibson.
Dave H
It doesn't seem to bother Marla Fibish too much not having a pickguard on her Gibson.
Dave H
Eastman 615 mandola
2011 Weber Bitteroot A5
2012 Weber Bitteroot F5
Eastman MD 915V
Gibson F9
2016 Capek ' Bob ' standard scale tenor banjo
Ibanez Artist 5 string
2001 Paul Shippey oval hole
Abbreviated pickguards are simply a matter of preference. I don't know why some people prefer them. My personal preference is for the larger early Gibson style guard with the curlicue that surrounds the treble foot of the bridge. Why? I just like the look.
As long as a guard is correctly mounted and does not cover much of the sound hole, there should be no significant difference in tone or projection.
A correctly mounted guard will not damage the instrument. Bear in mind that installing one is best done by a pro who has the correct tools.
I've played mandolins both with and without pickguards - my A-jr had a larger pick guard and my Girouard has an abbreviated one. Some folks find that the pick guard gets in the way and remove them - bottom line being that if you find that a pick guard impedes your playing comfort then it's not beneficial. I quite like the abbreviated one on my Girouard. I find it's acts as a nice guide, keeping me from digging in too deeply with the pick when I play.
2018 Girouard Concert oval A
2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
1969 Martin 00-18
my Youtube channel
Like them on elevated fingerboard instruments. Like others, my fingers rest on them as a depth gauge. It works for me. No problems on my A Jr. that doesn't have one.
On the Weber, will often try to play with a closed right hand to make up for the lack of a guard. And have more than once thought of buying an abbreviated guard for it.
Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Big Muddy M-11, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
https://www.lauluaika.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723
It might bother her mandolin, though...
Why? Is there something about the method you are being taught that requires a pickguard? I really think it is a personal choice. The prime practical reason would be to protect the top. Some folks do scrape the top with their picks or fingernails. And some post a finger on the top. I personally prefer having a pickguard but I do have a few without and I can adapt.
Jim
My Stream on Soundcloud
19th Century Tunes
Playing lately:
1924 Gibson A4 - 2018 Campanella A-5 - 2007 Brentrup A4C - 1915 Frank Merwin Ashley violin - Huss & Dalton DS - 1923 Gibson A2 black snakehead - '83 Flatiron A5-2 - 1939 Gibson L-00 - 1936 Epiphone Deluxe - 1928 Gibson L-5 - ca. 1890s Fairbanks Senator Banjo - ca. 1923 Vega Style M tenor banjo - ca. 1920 Weymann Style 25 Mandolin-Banjo - National RM-1
Do you use an armrest at all? If not then you may be better served getting an armrest, as that gives your forearm somewhere to rest and is elevated so your wrist won't contact the bridge. I've always found that they put my picking hand in a good position and my wrist always seems more relaxed when I use one.
2018 Girouard Concert oval A
2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
1969 Martin 00-18
my Youtube channel
2018 Girouard Concert oval A
2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
1969 Martin 00-18
my Youtube channel
Another fan of Doug’s work. I have his arm rests on all of my mandos and just ordered a pick guard for my Collings (other mandos already had them). I find the McClung armrest puts your hand in a good position, and a pick guard serves as a guide when using a loose fist pick grip.
Pomeroy F5 2003
Weber Madison F5 2013
Weber Sweet Pea travel mando 2006
Eric Ouren open back banjo
Bart Reiter open back banjo
I never had an armrest until my Collings came with one (bought used.) I tried it, and loved it. Now I have armrests on all my mandos, it keeps the edge from cutting into my arm (comfort.) Side benefit of keeping my arm off the top.
I think that, without exception, they detract from the appearance. Never seen a mandolin that wouldn't look better with thepick guard off. However, for all the people who wear the treble side of their instrument, then best keep it on. No doubt some will like that distressed look of play and I can appreciate that.
I remove every one and I've had hundreds of mandolin in the last 50 years. Trying to getthem off old Gibson Oval holes has been tricky but I've always managed. However I did find my pinkie touching the top, as an anchor point. Same when playing guitar.
I put a tip on cafe a good few weeks a about using a Computer game finger glove for that. Works great but eventually they will wear through.
Pick guard ? No.
I like detail and extra feels like more to me. That being said, I am with Jimmy P, above, when thinking about the custom I have being built. I don't want anything to distract away from the artist's work and so no pickguard. I feel like an armrest might benefit me but don't want to damage the thing and don't feel I can guarantee I won't want to remove it. I'll be going as naked as possible, on the new instrument.
My current mando has a pickguard and I don't see or hear anything that indicates it's protecting me from anything.
What I play
2021 Skip Kelley Two-Point
Eastwood 'Ricky'
Morgan Monroe RT-1E
Epiphone Genesis guitars
Various Basses
No pick guard on my Banjo Mandolin . though they have been offered with them ..
writing about music
is like dancing,
about architecture
I've already posted this in a previous thread. I was a pretty serious pinky planter until I noticed I was starting to wear the finish on a mandolin I worked very hard to build and finish. Researching led me to making a narrow one out of ebony. I use them the same way Paul Kotapish (who is an awesome musician, BTW) does, just registering depth. My fingers only lightly brush the fingerrest. Mine are set below the fretboard level and angled down at about 15º to keep them out of the way. All three of my mandos have them now.
I have no reason to beat on my instrument so hard as to hit the body with my pick but then I don't attend volume competitions either.
2018 Girouard Concert oval A
2015 JP "Whitechapel" tenor banjo
2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar
1969 Martin 00-18
my Youtube channel
Had one on my first mando. Ugly as hell, and I couldn't see how covering half of an f-hole helped anything.
The rest have had no guard. Much prettier and more sensible, in my humble.
I got my first bicycle when I was maybe six. Ran in the house, came out with a pliers and a screwdriver, and took off everything I could: kickstand, chain guard, reflectors. (I was too little to figure out how to get the fenders off, so they were spared.)
All my friends were putting horns and streamers and baseball cards and bells on their bikes. I flirted with bike bling once in a while, but never really appreciated it. Generally went in the other direction. A D-45 would be wasted on me.
I don't really think that I need a pickguard for playing but something I do with my pinkie really tears up the tops of my mandolins. I don't plant it but sort of lightly touch the top and I guess sometimes my fingers flex, causing the pinkie nail to scratch the top. I finally just had the damage repaired and put pickguards on everything.
My pick never hits the pick guard. I would have to try really hard to hit the pick guard with a pick. Now the frets on the Florida are another thing, I could hit them if it wasn't scooped.
THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE JUST FOR YOUR SMILE!
Bookmarks