Pick guards

[Mr. Loar]

Leave on or take off. Does it effect the tone?

[mandroid]

I bought one to add to a very nice mandolin sold without any.
they are not attached to anything but the rim's edge
where the kerfed lining is [to glue the top onto], if at all,
and the very edge of the finger-board.

top still vibrates happily away

So No it doesnt effect the sound.
your adoring audience will not know the difference.

[NoNickel]

Mr. Mike "Tone" Compton wears a pickguard on both of his Gilchrists. That's enough of an answer for me.

[mandolirius]

Very minor, if any effect on tone, imo. The main question you have to ask yourself is if your right hand is more comfortable and/or your picking technique is improved or not. Personally, I can't play long without one - enough to check out someone's instrument but my hand gets tired quickly because my technique is based around having one. They are actually called "finger rests" and that's exactly what I use mine for.

[Chris Biorkman]

I have never had a mandolin with a finger rest before I got my Ellis. I pulled the thing out for a day or so before putting it back on and I couldn't tell a difference in tone at all.

[Mr. Loar]

I understand that the effect on the sound of the instrument is negligible, but you have to admit; the pick guard does cover up a portion of the lower "F" hole.

[AlanN]

I have tried pickguards, both the large honkin ones, and a custom job I had CD build me. While this last one is gorgeous, and of a wonderful material, I have discarded its use. I like my mandolins nekkid

[300win]

AlanN I second that !

[Mr. Loar]

I have tried pickguards, both the large honkin ones, and a custom job I had CD build me. While this last one is gorgeous, and of a wonderful material, I have discarded its use. I like my mandolins nekkid

I kinda like 'em nekkid too. My Aria is louder than my Loar and the Aria doesn't have it's pick guard on and looks better. The Loar is too new for me to be messing with and I'm concentrating on leaving it in front of my Home Theater's sub woofer trying to make it louder.

[GTison]

In a seminar I led once. I took mine off and let the students judge the difference. They all claimed they could hear a difference. Many said it was louder and had more treble. I leave it on. When working a mic on stage it's plenty loud.

[jasona]

The pick guard improves the tone of my mandolin my helping keep my right hand relaxed and in the proper position.

[mandolirius]

<I understand that the effect on the sound of the instrument is negligible, but you have to admit; the pick guard does cover up a portion of the lower "F" hole.>

Not necessarily. There are smaller finger rests, usually referred to as "abbreviated" available. You see them on a lot of high-end mandos. In my case,
I have a Phoenix that has a finger rest designed to leave the f-hole exposed except for the very end, the round ball part.

[Givson]

I believe that any pickguard will have some effect on the sound, regardless of whether it is blocking part or all of an f-hole. The sound does not just emit from the holes. Some of it is projecting off of the top. A pickguard both reflects and filters the sound being emitted by the section of the top underneath it.

In my experience, pickguards tend to reduce the brightness of an instrument and enhance the midrange and bass frequencies.

[woodwizard]

I think in my case I have to agree with jasona and biorkman. First off I can't tell a bit of difference in the tone/sound with or without it except that without it I'm sure when my finger rests on the face there is a strong chance that could interfer with the sound some. Mine is one of those abreviated types that dosn't touch the top. It all depends on what you are use to I think. I like the idea of extra pick scratch protection of course Sam Bush told me that my pickguard would be one of the 1st things he would take off because he's just not use to it and he thinks they just look better without em .