plastic film on pickguard

[Mikio]

It is meant to be removed, as in every other item!! (cellphones, etc...)

It's only there so the item won't scratch while packaged.

[LowEndGroover]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

What's the best plastic film for metal?

That's awesome! So Spinal Tap.

[landau roof]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

What's the best plastic film for metal?

Cellophane.

[musicman666]

DO NOT PEEL OFF THAT FILM! It protect's the bass from Extra Terrestrial frequency waves! That and it VOIDS the warranty!

[electracoyote]

A student once brought a guitar to lessons that he had been playing for quite some time with the plastic still on the pickguard. When I tried to remove it for him, the glue had set in the area where he had been making contact with the pickguard, and it was just about permanent. Goo remover on a plastic pickguard is a big no-no, so thus it remained.

[Solarmist]

Don't remove it! It will activate the self destruct sequence!

[grendle]

Originally Posted by G.Bisson

I try to keep the plastic on for as long as possible, which usually only lasts a few short months, just to extend the life of having a shiny scratchless PG for a little longer. Once it starts peeling off from normal wear than the whole thing has to go. Which envolves loosening the knobs and jacks and a few screws to get those last little slivers out.
Perform a ceremonial devirginization process on your new bass. You'll feel good and dirty afterward and ready for a smoke.

Lol!! Sig worthy

[The Birdman]

Seriously.....you only have to undo the screws about halfway to clear the film so that it comes off cleanly. The screws are countersunk, at least on Fenders, and unscrewing the screws so that the bottom of the head clears the screw hole is all that is necessary. The plastic will stretch to go over the screw head when you pull the clear film off the pickguard.

I think the tone is BETTER after you remove the pickguard.....

Roger

[BoomBoomOGTL]

Get rid of it. Those that post pics of instruments w/the plastic film and original STICKERS intact are posers.

[ShowLow]

Originally Posted by BoomBoomOGTL

Get rid of it. Those that post pics of instruments w/the plastic film and original STICKERS intact are posers.

No no no!! I must respectfully disagree. They are taking photos of the bride on her wedding day. Honeymoon photos come later.

Of course you should take off the plastic unless you are going to return or flip.

[wrench45us]

for the record, it's off now, just a few ragged edges with the rubber boot around the truss rod adjustment hole.

but don't let that stop you,
carry on

[jlepre]

or you could keep it on and end up with my 2001 EBMM SR5 that I bought used with the film still on the PG. It took me using lighter fluid and magic erasures to get all the residue left behind. I eventually just replaced the guard with a brand new white pearl.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by the ombudsman

Or worse: It could explode and create a gap in space-time continuum.

Mine exploded, and the explosion killed me.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by wabbit

Oh damn! Those people are the WORST bunch of aholes ya ever want to meet. They make Dirty Harry look like Deborah Harry... with less makeup... or more. I dunno really. Not sure what Harry is up to these days.

Now THAT is a great idea for a film!

"Dirty Deborah Harry: Blondie Feels Lucky"

I would totally go see that.

I'm not sure what type of film it would be, though.

[Primakurtz]

Humor: I just bought a new Sterling SUB bass, a floor model at GC. I peeled off the plastic film, and was a little disappointed to see that the pickguard had some scratches. Eh, so it goes.

A day later, I noticed a little piece of clear film where the pickguard meets the neck. Curious, I started to peel. Off came an entire second layer of plastic, revealing a pristine scratch-free pickguard. Double-wrapped for my protection!

[wrench45us]

that makes so much sense for a floor model, but spreads doubt among the assembled regarding multiple layers


some manufacturers must use different adhesives that do or don't biodegrade gracefully.
I once taped up a car for painting and didn't get around to it and the door handles were covered in masking tape for years

[ThudThudThud]

True story: It had been a while (decades?) since I'd bought a new bass, and I hadn't had anything with a scratchplate in a longer while.
New Squier CV Precision. I noticed a few light scratches in the scratchplate and tried to buff them out with some fine plastic restorer. I didn't do a bad job, but it was still a little weird. In certain light you could see a slight haze...and that's when I noticed that the plastic was still on there.
Tsk. Schoolboy mistake.

[klejst]

Pull that film off and rock the crap out of it!

[Buster Brown]

About 3 years ago, right after Christmas, I was walking around a local shop eyeing their inventory and an older man (my age) came in with his Wife to return a bass they had bought for their Grandson, who was just learning.

They were upset because they thought the bass was falling apart because it was "peeling and cracking".

I had to go into another room to laugh as the salesperson tried to explain that "all was ok!! the plastic was supposed to come off"

[Mike Mckay]

Dude don't do it. I had plastic on my Schecter for weeks until a friend said "*** take this crap then off" Little by little the tone was dying, the strings instantly turned into rust then the wood got warped beyond repair. Again DO NOT DO ET!