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Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 31 Jul 2022, 11:49
by harrybob
Hello all,

Does anyone know any methods for flattening a warped traffolyte pickguard. The one on my burns legend is quite wavy, does anyone know what causes this ? I thought traffolyte was heat resistant.

Thanks

Alun

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 01 Aug 2022, 01:33
by JimN
I think that that substance is formed chemically, rather than by heat-moulding.

It's more like Bakelite or Paxolin than it is like nitrate celluloid or vinyl and is not thought of as thermoplastic.

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 07 Aug 2022, 17:46
by Billyboygretsch
Heat will flatten it on a temporary basis but likely to return. I think it’s caused by the laminate shrinking at different rates

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 07 Aug 2022, 20:34
by harrybob
Hmmm I think I’ll leave alone, hopefully as it’s 27 years old it won’t get any worse now - fingers crossed.

Thanks for your input guys

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 09 Aug 2022, 08:56
by Billyboygretsch
Perhaps Eddie Cross might be able to make another - good luck

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 18 Aug 2022, 19:21
by harrybob
It would seem he’s no longer making them :(

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 19 Aug 2022, 15:53
by TIM-W
remove the pickguard from the guitar and remove pickups and controls.
get two pieces of plain furniture board ,big enough to cover the pickguard.
place the guard in a bowl of "warm" water for a few minutes to soften it,
lay the guard on one piece of board and lay the other board on top.
place a weight on top and leave to cool, that should do the trick.
I have a 1965 Marvin( from new) and a reissue Bison and have used this method on both
with great success.
It was Barry Gibson who told me how to do it.
Best of luck.

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 26 Aug 2022, 18:30
by harrybob
Thanks very much, I’ll give it a go :)

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 27 Aug 2022, 08:57
by harrybob
Sorry I tried it with what I would call warm water but it seemed to have no effect. Should it be hot water ?

Thanks

Alun

Re: Burns traffolyte pickguard

PostPosted: 28 Aug 2022, 10:41
by TIM-W
the water needs to be hot enough to soften the pickguard so that it just becomes floppy.