Clamp is loose and pickguard falls off easily

[Sue Rieter]

So there seems to be way too much play in the clamp here. I move the little arm over, squeeze the clamp shut a bit more and move the little arm back. The clamp pops right back open. The little arm doesn't seem to be doing anything to secure the clamp - it appears to be too loose. Is there anything that can be done about this, or is this one of the reasons people take their pickguard *off* vs. putting one *on*? The pins seem reasonably snug in the holes that Jake drilled; the little arm appears to be a problem. You can see the gap top and bottom in the picture.

Maybe it's loosened up a bit more since it's been on there. My leg does seem to push on it some.

In an hour or so of practicing (sitting down), it generally falls off at least twice.

[pops1]

Take the clamp off and look to see if the pads are there or are compressed. I usually put a small piece of leather on each side to tighten up the clamp. You could use felt if you have it, or cork.

[Sue Rieter]

The pads are present but appear compromised. I have stick-on felt I can try. Or, I could cut a piece off the long dangly end of my strap. Should I remove the old pieces or retain them for historical reasons and put a new layer over them (ie. does it matter)?

[pops1]

I'd say it's up to you.

[Charles E.]

I think what ever you do to make it functional is the way to go. Pads wear out and are replaceable.

[Bob Dispennette]

Sue,
When I sent it to you it had a small felt circular pad on the back side of the clamp. It's not an original piece. You can buy these at any hardware store. It's probably compressed and needs a new one. Don't put a too thick piece as you will damage the clamp with too much pressure. I hope you are enjoying the parts. Let's see a pic!!

[Sue Rieter]

Hi Bob,

I hope I didn't already do something to it fiddling around with it .

Here's the thread where I was showing it off. It looks great!

Love the tuners, they work wonderfully.

[Bob Dispennette]

I doubt you messed anything up Sue. Like I told you with the TP cover, if it's too much pressure, take a break. It looks fantastic. I'm happy to have played a part in your F2's journey........

[rcc56]

If felt or cork does not take care of the problem, the clamp will have to be adjusted. They are designed with this in mind, but the procedure is a bit tricky.
The clamp has two parts-- the outer section that you can see when it is on the mandolin and holds the cam mechanism in place. The inner half of the clamp rests against the side of the mandolin and also screws into the pickguard's support rod.

The inner half of the clamp has a brass strip on the back of it with a tiny tab on the end of the strip. There are 3 rectangular holes in the outer half of the clamp that this tab can fit into. This adjusts the working length of the clamp.

To adjust it, very carefully pry up the tab end of the brass strip just enough so it pops out of the rectangular hole. Then, carefully slide the mechanism so that you can gently press the tab on the brass strip into the next hole. Warning: the brass strip is thin and delicate, so you must not use much prying force or you will bend it. A drop of oil can help the inner and outer halves of the clamp to slide more freely.

Sorry, I don't have a camera, or I would post pictures of the mechanism to clarify the procedure. Perhaps someone else can . . .

[rcc56]

Please note that I just took a clamp off a mandolin to double-check how to adjust it, and am editing my previous post:

If felt or cork does not take care of the problem, the clamp will have to be adjusted. They are designed with this in mind, but the procedure is a bit tricky.
The clamp has two parts-- the outer section that you can see when it is on the mandolin, and the inner half of the clamp, which rests against the side of the mandolin and also screws into the pickguard's support rod.

The inner half of the clamp has a brass strip on the back of it with a tiny tab on the end of the strip. There are 3 rectangular holes in the inner half of the clamp that this tab can fit into. This adjusts the working length of the clamp.

To adjust it, very carefully pry up the tab end of the brass strip just enough so it pops out of the rectangular hole. Then, carefully slide the mechanism so that you can gently press the tab on the brass strip into the middle hole. Warning: the brass strip is thin and delicate, so you must not use much prying force or you will bend it. A drop of oil can help the sliding mechanism work more freely. If you use any oil, be sure to wipe of any excess.

Sorry, I don't have a camera, or I would post pictures of the mechanism to clarify the procedure. Perhaps someone else can . . .

I hope this helps. If you have any difficulty adjusting it, you might try to find somebody who is good at handling small, delicate mechanisms.

[Sue Rieter]

Success! The tab on the brass strip had slipped out of the rectangular hole, had moved beyond the inner part of the clamp, and so the width of the clamp was not being properly limited. I added a drop of oil, lifted the strip with a tiny screwdriver, moved it back into place, and pressed the tab into the rectangular hole. Voila! I also changed the felt pads for good measure. A good strong light and a magnifying glass for the initial inspection were also helpful.

What I missed when I looked at it yesterday was the existence of the rectangular holes, all of which were hidden beneath the brass strip.

Here it is after the operation:



Thanks, rcc56! I learn so much here

[Charles E.]

Excellent!

[journeybear]

Hmmm ... I wish I'd known all that - what rcc56 said - ages ago. My first mandolin, a teens plain A, had a loose pickguard clamp that was an endless source of annoyance. I'd tighten it, it would eventually loosen again, again and again. I couldn't figure out how to fix it, and assumed it was just a design flaw, and being old didn't help, either. I finally just took the pickguard off. I still have it, somewhere in deep storage, though the mandolin is long gone. I may have to dig it out next chance I get and put it on my current mandolin, and try this method of fixing it. I have to say, though, that the proper size and strength rubber band applied just so might do the trick, too. They used to patch up biplanes back in the day with baling wire and chewing gum, so they say ... :whistling

Now, if the funky F-2 ever gets to be more trouble than it's worth for you, I'm willing to take her off your hands, and I'd make it worth your while.

[Sue Rieter]

Now, if the funky F-2 ever gets to be more trouble than it's worth for you, I'm willing to take her off your hands, and I'd make it worth your while.

Ah, JB, you don't give up, do you ?

[MarkELynch]

Glad you fixed your clamp, Sue.

Paul Hostetter posted this Gibson pickguard clamp repair tutorial some years ago. It has all the information that you re-discovered!

http://www.lutherie.net/Gibson.mando...ard.clamp.html



Mark

[journeybear]

Ah, JB, you don't give up, do you?

You noticed? Just a helping-out kind of guy, I am.