Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Are these pickguards made from real wood? What is wood 'veneer'?

A. Wood veneer refers to a real wood product that is sliced from the log in a different way than lumber is usually milled. Instead of cutting boards with a saw-blade, the wood is sliced off the log with a large blade in a very thin layer. The most common thickness is between .018 and .024 inch thick. Generally speaking, because of it's thin fragile condition, it is mounted to a stable substrate using adhesive. There are various forms of wood veneer available including paper backed, phenolic resin, or veneer mounted to a second layer of veneer to 'balance' or stabilize it. It is then usually mounted to plywood or MDF for fabricating cabinetry or wood products .

ThinWood Pickguards begin using raw wood veneer which is pressed in epoxy resin applied to the underside. This creates a bonding layer, which stabilizes and strengthens the wood veneer without adding significantly to the thickness. It allows for the handling, machining and sanding of the wood veneer without damaging it which would not be possible otherwise because of the fragile nature of the veneer.

Q. I see other wood pickgaurds on ebay and on the internet that are far less expensive, what's the difference?

A. I do not begrudge anyone making wood pickguards but it is important to consider thickness and weight. Always ask a vender before purchase, how thick the guard is, and how much it weighs. If you are concerned about the tone and projection of your guitar, it makes sense to stick as little additional weight to the guitar's soundboard as possible. A common Martin D shaped pickguard is .020 inch thick and weighs 6.9 grams (almost 1/4 once) A ThinWood guard of the same shape weighs 3.8 grams (about 40% lighter than plastic) From my observation, these other pickguards that are available, look to be thick and heavy. But I have never purchased and compared. After receiving a Taylor guard from a client, I've determined that Taylor is using a paper backed wood veneer that measures .034 thick and weighs 6.7 grams compared to ThinWood at .018 and 3.7 grams.

Regarding price, I am currently exploring production methods to cut down fabrication time so I can lower the price. I would love for everyone to be able to afford a ThinWood pickguard.

Q. Plastic seems like a better choice than wood to protect the guitar top from pick and finger scratches, why go with wood? 

A. Plastic is definitely a good and obvious choice for a pickguard material. But in my experience as a player of 40 years and a Luthier who has handled countless guitars, it is more often than not, overkill. I suggest that if you are a heavy picker who leaves scratches on your current plastic guard, wood may not be a good choice for you. But I find that most players are not this aggressive. When it gets right down to it, the advantage of wood over plastic is beauty and more importantly, the decreased dampening  of the guitar's soundboard.