Will boiling my pickguard improve the tone of my bass?

Nev375

Nev375

Nov 2, 2010
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#1
Since Nobody isn't going to be around for a while to ask the important questions, I figure some of us need to carry on in his spirit.

So originally, I was only going to ask P-bass users with tort guards for input, because... well, only their opinions matter since anyone who plays anything else is just silly. But that's really not an inclusive attitude and theres probably a rule against that somewhere. So anyone feel free to chime in.

Seems to me that if boiling strings restores brightness in dead strings, then boiling the pickguard ought to restore ...something... also. Has anyone tried this? What color pickguard did you use and what was the result?
 
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#7
Do not overlook the tort!




Nobody likes this




Nobody would like this.






image.jpg

In memory...
 
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#14
What a silly question!

In these parts, all the bass players know how important boiling the pickguard is!
With the strings and the pickguard attached in a fixed angle, all the vibrations will pass through the pickguard in a fixed pattern. Some of you have seen the microscope images of the wood of 18th century violins:
zwei_reihen_hoftuepfel_03.jpg

This is wood that has been subjected to the vibrations of making sound with a stringed instrument for hundreds of years.

But what is good for old wooden instruments is bad for pickguards!

Here you can see the tension build in a tort pickguard over time:
F1.medium.gif

Figure A shows the fresh, newly installed tort guard. Notice the even alignment of the strands.
Figure B shows the same guard, after only three months of playing 1 hour per day.
Figures C through E are taken in three month intervals.
Figure F shows the same pickguard after 5 years' playing time.

The created tension will be delivered unevenly through the screws and result in uneven swinging of the whole system. Not only will you lose sustain, also the tone suffers. The process of boiling will cause the fabrics to realign in the original pattern because the boiling water releases tension. Essentially it's like taking a hot bath when your back is killing you.

I found that adding a teaspoon of salt (i used the pink one from Himalaya) and a good measure of virgin olive oil yields the best results.
 
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#15
el murdoque said:
What a silly question!

In these parts, all the bass players know how important boiling the pickguard is!
With the strings and the pickguard attached in a fixed angle, all the vibrations will pass through the pickguard in a fixed pattern. Some of you have seen the microscope images of the wood of 18th century violins:
zwei_reihen_hoftuepfel_03.jpg

This is wood that has been subjected to the vibrations of making sound with a stringed instrument for hundreds of years.

But what is good for old wooden instruments is bad for pickguards!

Here you can see the tension build in a tort pickguard over time:
F1.medium.gif

Figure A shows the fresh, newly installed tort guard. Notice the even alignment of the strands.
Figure B shows the same guard, after only three months of playing 1 hour per day.
Figures C through E are taken in three month intervals.
Figure F shows the same pickguard after 5 years' playing time.

The created tension will be delivered unevenly through the screws and result in uneven swinging of the whole system. Not only will you lose sustain, also the tone suffers. The process of boiling will cause the fabrics to realign in the original pattern because the boiling water releases tension. Essentially it's like taking a hot bath when your back is killing you.

I found that adding a teaspoon of salt (i used the pink one from Himalaya) and a good measure of virgin olive oil yields the best results.
Click to expand...

Ya learn something new every day.
 
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#18
The best method I've found is to boil the Torte P guard with Spinach-Feta Tortellini for 5 - 7 minutes. DON'T OVER COOK! You want the Torte guard to be as al dente as the tortellini itself.

The following is also CRUCIAL! Do NOT serve the Tortelline on the Torte Guard with GREEN pesto, make sure you use RED pesto sauce, otherwise your lovely Torte Guard will turn a yuck brown colour and the tortellini will taste like "El Toro Poo-Poo".

prod_93_vignette.png
*
​
*Edit: Pesty Barillo pesto pic pulled, replaced by potentially palatable Panzani portrait
 
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#19
fendermademygibson said:
As long as you don't let it come in contact with the Dihydrogen Monoxide that is often associated with the boiling process you should be fine.
Click to expand...

Not an issue as I usually fire up the tri-nuculear de-antabuelizer just prior to immersion of the pickguard. Be advised that de-lamination of suspended solids made my cat say hello last week.
 
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