Martin D28 question

[fishin_musician]

Hey, I just purchased a 99 D28 from a private seller. This one has the tortoise shell style pickgard that I've commonly seen on the hd 28 but usually the black one on the 28's. Would this be a special order?
Thanks for any input

[Freeman Keller]

Hi Fishin' and welcome to HCAG. It could have been a special order or someone could have replaced it. When my old D-18 developed the classic pick guard crack I put a nice tortoise p/g on it. Not a great pictured, he other one on the right still has the original one



I believe that '99 is late enough that they put the p/g on over the finish so it would be very easy to change (and less likely to crack)

Enjoy your new/old guitar and come visit us.

[DeepEnd]

Your guitar is obviously counterfeit. Send it to me so I can destroy it for you. Seriously, Freeman covered the possibilities very well. Enjoy your new guitar. If it's had proper care it should be really sweet.

[fishin_musician]

Ok thanks for the responses. So could be original or replaced. So the black ones would be prone to cracking?

[DeepEnd]

. . . So the black ones would be prone to cracking?

No. The pickguard issue has to do with older guitars, mostly from the 60's and 70's. The pickguard was affixed directly to the guitar before the finish was applied. The pickguard would shrink over time and cause the top to crack. Here's some more info: http://fingerlakesguitarrepair.com/1...guard-crack-2/. Your guitar should be new enough that you don't need to worry.

[Delmont]

No. The pickguard issue has to do with older guitars, mostly from the 60's and 70's. The pickguard was affixed directly to the guitar before the finish was applied. The pickguard would shrink over time and cause the top to crack. Here's some more info: http://fingerlakesguitarrepair.com/1...guard-crack-2/. Your guitar should be new enough that you don't need to worry.

Hm. My '71 has the original pickguard, and it's curling up a little around the edges.

Should I think about getting it replaced? Pros? Cons?

[Freeman Keller]

What DE said is true, I don't know when they switched from gluing directly to the wood to applying to the finish. Somewhere in the '80's maybe - my D18 is a '74 and it had definite cracks in the wood next to the p/g. I had the guitar in to Bryan Kimsey and he did replace the p/g after cleating the cracks. I believe that he puts a few coats of lacquer on the bare wood, then attaches the new one with double stick tape.

Here is a brief discussion from Kimsey's site, personally I would get it fixed

http://www.bryankimsey.com/70s_D28/index.htm

[DeepEnd]

Applying lacquer to the place where the pickguard was and installing a new guard with double stick tape is what the guy at Finger Lakes Guitar Repair (in my link) does so I'd assume it's SOP. The example he uses is a '68 D35.

[Delmont]

Thanks, Freeman, that's a great link. Mr. Martin's binding is also coming loose. Now I'm wondering about the bridge plate. Might be time to take ol' Dino in for a physical and colonoscopy.

[DeepEnd]

Hm. My '71 has the original pickguard, and it's curling up a little around the edges.

Should I think about getting it replaced? Pros? Cons?

The pro is that it will prevent a top crack. There is no real con that I can see. It won't affect the value of the guitar nearly as much as a top crack would.

[Delmont]

Thanks!