Is it possible to lighten a mint-green pickguard???

[E5RSY]

The green color on my '60s Baja is a little over-the-top. It's to the point where there is almost no contrast with the FSB paint.

I'm assuming it's possible because the spot on the pickguard where the Baja sticker was while hanging in the store for a couple of years is darker than the rest of the guard.

I was gonna remove it and set it in the sun for a few days, maybe. Other ideas?

Scott

 

[ndcaster]

reminds me, I have a horrible cheap pistachio one

I'll try bleach today and post results

 

[SweetClyde99]

Sun or a UV lamp would've been my suggestion, but I have no idea how long something like that would take.

 

[rad1]

Just a couple hours in direct hot sun should do it. I purchased a back plate, mint green, to go with my pickguard. It was much darker and greener. I set it in the sun and checked it every hour until I had a matching shade.

 

[brobar]

I would think with the sticker removed, bleaching it with UV will bleach the entire guard at the same pace so while you are changing the color under where the sticker was, you'll also be affecting the rest of the guard at a similar pace. Maybe trace the guard on paper, cut out the shape and location where the sticker was and then try the UV so it is only working on the now exposed sticker area since that was the only spot not subjected to light before?

*** edit *** Nevermind... I misread what you were trying to do.

 

[Dismalhead]

If the UV doesn't do it, just buy a parchment pickguard and you'll be golden.

 

[E5RSY]

I would think with the sticker removed, bleaching it with UV will bleach the entire guard at the same pace so while you are changing the color under where the sticker was, you'll also be affecting the rest of the guard at a similar pace. Maybe trace the guard on paper, cut out the shape and location where the sticker was and then try the UV so it is only working on the now exposed sticker area since that was the only spot not subjected to light before?

*** edit *** Nevermind... I misread what you were trying to do.

No, you were right on. If I was to really do it right, what you described would be Step 1 in getting the whole guard to a uniform color, then continuing with the entirety of it, as desired.

 

[E5RSY]

Just removed it and, hey, the guitar looks pretty cool without the pickguard on it...maybe I need to get a clear one, too.

 

[ndcaster]

in the true spirit of kludge and crappy phone pics, I give you pistachio on white:



covered with paper towels soaked in 1:1 water and bleach:



let us see what horrors will ensue at 15 min intervals

 

[E5RSY]

in the true spirit of kludge and crappy phone pics, I give you pistachio on white:

View attachment 433591

covered with paper towels soaked in 1:1 water and bleach:

View attachment 433593

let us see what horrors will ensue at 15 min intervals

Dude, way to step up! If it doesn't make it out alive, we'll make sure it gets a posthumous decoration of some sort.

 

[ndcaster]

not much difference at 15 ... I'll just update this post

.. not much difference at 1 hr

I'm out of 1:1 so I'll switch to pure bleach ...

and an hour later with pure bleach, no difference

think I'll try my luck with hydrogen peroxide

well, 2 hrs w hydrogen peroxide didn't do squat

I'll soak w that again and leave overnight

 

[ebb soul]

I tried the sun method and got a very warped guard in result.

 

[E5RSY]

I tried the sun method and got a very warped guard in result.

I'm keeping mine inside through a window in an effort to avoid that (hopefully). I want UV, not heat. If I put it outside in the Texas sun today, it'd probably roll up like a tortilla.

 

[Robert H.]

Why not replace it...?

 

[E5RSY]

Why not replace it...?

I have a white one, too. But, I'd just like this one to be little lighter. No good reason.

 

[ebb soul]

I'm keeping mine inside through a window in an effort to avoid that (hopefully). I want UV, not heat. If I put it outside in the Texas sun today, it'd probably roll up like a tortilla.

I should think the glass to amplify the heat.

 

[brookdalebill]

Lemon juice?
I'll slink away now.

 

[boris bubbanov]

It is supposed to be darker - that's the charm of it.

I'd buy another, and give this pickguard to someone with a black guitar or other color guitar that can better handle this.

Besides, depending on what formulation the plastic is, sun exposure might make it darker, or at least amber it.

 

[E5RSY]

It is supposed to be darker - that's the charm of it.

I'd buy another, and give this pickguard to someone with a black guitar or other color guitar that can better handle this.

Besides, depending on what formulation the plastic is, sun exposure might make it darker, or at least amber it.

Of course, it's part of the charm. But, in this case, believe me, it's a bit much.

As noted above, the spot beneath where the "Baja" sticker was on the pickguard when it was hanging in the shop is darker, so it will lighten with exposure to light.

No, I don't want to get rid of it. I do like it. I am ultimately going to have three guards for this guitar, though: the original, 1-ply white, and anodized gold.

 

[tubevibrato]

It's not that easy being green...embrace the green lol. I think us telecaster players are in a select camp of obsessing over these type of things. When I played Gresches and strats, I never worried about pickguard, slot screws etc, UNTIL I got a telecaster. Now I have more pickups, pickguards, screws, pots, saddles than ever before.