Loose Pickguard

[Em Tee]

What are some reasons for a pickguard coming loose at the nut on a new mandolin? Could that be a sign the case is too tight of a fit?

[Roger Moss]

At the nut? Can you expand on that?

[Em Tee]

At the nut? Can you expand on that?

The pin/screw/whatever that screws into the pickguard and keeps the pickguard in place on the side of the mandolin keeps coming loose. It's a new mandolin, just wondering what could be causing the issue.

[Roger Moss]

Your signature has mandolins of some quality. Is the one in question such also?

[Em Tee]

Your signature has mandolins of some quality. Is the one in question such also?

It's the kentucky 272 that has the loose pickguard.

[Roger Moss]

I'm no master luthier, but I'd say it was just an ill fitting screw. You might try a tiny speck of Locktite. Don't use much. You don't want any on your mandolin top. Many people just toss the pickguard altogether. I like them, though.

[Em Tee]

I'm no master luthier, but I'd say it was just an ill fitting screw. You might try a tiny speck of Locktite. Don't use much. You don't want any on your mandolin top. Many people just toss the pickguard altogether. I like them, though.

I have never used locktite before. That won't seal the screw into the hole like glue will it? I might just replace the screw outright. Every time I strum for a few minutes it gets loose again and the vibration sound is driving me crazy. I like the looks of the pickguard but if this is indicative of its use i understand why people remove them.

[rcc56]

If it is the screw that goes through the metal mounting bracket and then into the wood or binding on the side of the mandolin:


1. Take the screw out and move the bracket out of the way.

2. Break a piece off of a flat toothpick about 1/4" long, put a drop or two of glue on it, and insert it into the hole on the side of the mandolin.

3. Cut any excess off flush with the side of the mandolin. Allow to dry, and then reinstall the screw.

[Em Tee]

It's the long screw/pin that goes from the top of the metal bracket into the plastic pickguard.

[Roger Moss]

You can try a new screw if you want. If you do, be careful it is not so long as to make contact with the top. Locktite is sort of like glue in that it will seal the screw into the bracket but is not permanent. You can remove the screw if you ever need to.

[gtani7]

Purple loctite has the weakest seal, red the strongest there's a few grades: http://henkeladhesivesna.com/blog/th...threadlockers/

You could also look at how Northfield's pickguards are mounted, just with screws into the neck but with a wood brace that extends about half the length of the pickguard and (I think) touches the intstrument top. Really nice design.

[f5loar]

Seems to be a common problem no matter how it's attached. On my '23 style F5 I think it gets loose from constant Monroe downstrokes. I keep a small screwdriver in the case to keep it tight. Monroe had that problem twice. On his '23 Loar, it kept getting loose and he just threw it away and started picking without it. On his '78FL (a gift from Gibson) when he started to play it a lot during the famous '23's double fireplace poker accident, it started getting loose on it. He hand carved a small wooden wedge to stick under the pickguard at the bridge bottom opening. That fixed it right up. The reason he didn't just take it off and throw it away like he did on the '23? In Monroe's own words to me in 1986 "well,sir, when Gibson give it to me it had the pickguard on it". The difference is he bought the '23 and owned it. The '78 was a "gift" to him. Old timers lived by the rule that when someone gives you a gift, they might want it back someday and you should keep it in the original condition they gave it to you in. When Monroe bought the '64 F5 and his 2nd '23 F5, he removed the pickguard right away. On the '45 Epiphone he kept it on there because it was a gift to him by the band. So the myth that Monroe didn't like pickguards has some truth to it. When Gibson made the 200 Monroe signature models, they came without pickguards.

[pops1]

There is usually a nut underneath that the screw goes into, fingernail polish will help keep it tight like the locktite, but way cheaper and not quite so strong should you want to remove it. I have used polish many times to keep screws tight.

[LKN2MYIS]

The toothpick suggestion works.

You can also take Teflon (plumbers) white tape. Stretch a wrap or two around the screw threads and tighten back in. That should snug it up nicely.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Loose pickguard? Lose pickguard! They're decorations that partly cover soundholes and don't add to the sound.

[Folkmusician.com]

Agree with Pops, that second nut that is behind the metal bracket is normally the issue. Twist it so there are fewer threads showing for the acorn nut (so it can be tightened more). And also may sure that nut is locked down with locktite, or Pops's trick lacquer (fingernail polish).

[Seter]

Loose pickguard? Lose pickguard! They're decorations that partly cover soundholes and don't add to the sound.

This has always been my approach too.