Pickguards and Tone

[Marcus CA]

This probably has been discussed before, but I'm curious about whether a pickguard has any effect on a mandolin's tone and/or volume. Even if a pickguard is attached so minimally that it wouldn't significantly affect the top's vibration, it still usually blocks 1/3-1/2 of the f-hole on the treble side. Does that make a noticeable difference?

[bradeasley]

I prefer no guard because I find it interferes with the way I play.

[Charles E.]

Just one past thread from long ago...

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ickguards+tone

Remember the "Advanced Search" option is your friend in regards to many questions that might have been discussed before.

[MikeEdgerton]

It comes up every few years. Unless that thing is rattling on the brackets it doesn't affect the volume or the tone. Here are a decade or more of discussions.

https://www.google.com/search?client...ndolincafe.com

[Bill McCall]

Pickguards, more correctly known as ‘fingerrests’, act as external tone enhancers. Everybody knows that.

Over time, as they open up, their effect can be validated by playing the 5th harmonic and watching your dog respond. Not scientific, but people say it happens.

Ymmv

[MontanaMatt]

If it’s a finger rest why is it so blooming big?
Seem most are as big as a mud flap

[Charles E.]

Pickguards, more correctly known as ‘fingerrests’, act as external tone enhancers. Everybody knows that.

Over time, as they open up, their effect can be validated by playing the 5th harmonic and watching your dog respond. Not scientific, but people say it happens.

Ymmv

Now that's funny right there.

[Marcus CA]

Thanks for the input and reference guidance! Since I couldn’t remember reading a discussion of this, I was glad to see that Charles’ reference thread, and the one referenced within it with the late great Paul Hostetter’s insights, were from 2008, and not 2018. However, then I followed Mike’s Google search link, and , uh …

[MikeEdgerton]

...However, then I followed Mike’s Google search link, and , uh …

It is a forum regular, not quite like what's the best pick but it's been kicked around a while.

[Russ Donahue]

From what I have read, on the Devastator, touching the finger rest unlocks the secret chord that David played...but that could just be hearsay. Our resident Schmergel experts will know more. Allen?

[William Smith]

I love guards! I'm not a pink planter but it goes along with the sweet lines of said mandolin! For sure the F-5 style IMHO. I don't think it adds to or takes away from the tone as most all guards are hooked to the end of the board and the treble "side". Well I also am a fan of the Virzi but thats another can of wormy wood!

[MandoMaximus]

I discovered a little by accident that it indeed as an "affect". I wouldn't say it changes the tone, but acts in a similar way I think as say playing a song thru your phone speaker and then placing your phone in the corner of a wall. Seems to increase the volume and introduces some interaction and focus or bouncing of the sound waves to create maybe a more complex sound. This is what the PG does to my ears for the A and E strings. I'll bet an acoustic engineer with an oscilloscope could have fun with this one. Wonder if this is specifically addressed in the Gibson shop lore somewhere?

[Demetrius]

It doesn’t technically change your instruments tone but, It will affect the way you hear the tone of the instrument. Does your mandolin sound the same from out front as it does from out back? Nope! The tone we hear is different, and if you don’t then it’s time to get the ears checked. By having a pick guard it will undoubtedly interrupt the the signal path of the sound somewhat and therefore you will hear it differently. I personally love pickguards and enjoy the tone difference I hear with them on...

[J Mangio]

Don't love, don't hate, one mando has one, the other not, I lightly rest my wrist behind the bridge, and don't use it. As for tone, I can't say. Through the years, it's been a dust collector.

[JeffD]

If I purchase an instrument with an original pick guard I keep it on, figuring that is the intended design, the intended sound. If I purchase an instrument that originally did not have a pick guard, I do not put one on, figuring that is the intended design.

[dhergert]

If you play into a mic, you can demonstrate by changing position that a pick guard (finger rest, scratch plate, mando mask, scab saver, etc., etc. ...) does in fact deflect sound to some extent. That sound still gets out though, so the effect on overall volume and tone may be nil. But deflect, yes it does.