Buckle rash prevention on your new PRS...recommendations?

Steve B

Steve B

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Nov 18, 2014
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Short of playing without pants, what wisdom do you all have to offer?

Anyone use "Scratch Pads"?
http://www.scratchpadusa.com

If so, are they safe for long term use? My MC 58 has the V12 finish so not sure it responds to prolonged contact like Nitro does. I see a few hairline scratches (very faint) on the back of my new PRS and now's the time to address further wear and tear.

Thoughts?

Steve
 
pants are over rated... Tucking a shirt in is even more over rated...
 
The only reliable solution I have found is...don't wear a buckle or jeans/other pants that have metal on them.
I have several pairs of pants and shorts that I can wear when I play the guitars I worry about, but even then nothing is foolproof and if you use them they will show it. The aging is a natural part of the process and ultimately unavoidable.
 
:-)

I RARELY tuck in my shirt and you'd think that would solve my problem...but alas I wear alot of shirts with buttons and even those scratch the finish. Shoulda titled this button rash not buckle rash.

Guess I could always wait til it's t-shirt/sweatpants time of day to practice right?
 
I used to know a guy who would tuck a real cloth diaper into his waistband and let it hang over his belt and in front of his buckle. It looked odd to say the least; sort of like a mini apron. But he kept one in every guitar case and swore by it.

I've known a number of players who just slid their belts around so the buckle was off to the side. However, I also agree with what John Beef said; scratches and scuffs are bound to happen so don't sweat them. Easier said than done, though, at least in my own case. I try to keep my stuff as pristine as possible.

Goldtop
 
Don't wear big mean buckles or a small rag to cover it, but sticking an adhesive pad thing to the finish can never be good.
 
Put your pants on backwards. Problem solved.

Oh - same with the shirts with buttons.
 
alantig said:
Put your pants on backwards. Problem solved.

Oh - same with the shirts with buttons.
Click to expand...
These guys had no problems with buckle rash. :cheers:

kris-kross.jpg
 
When I bought my CU22 19 years ago, the previous owner had put on an axe pad. The look or feel never made enough difference to me to take it off. Actually, it is kinda comfy when playing seated, and hell, who sees the back of the guitar when playing shows anyway. Never thought of getting one for any other guitars for the same reasons, and it might interfere with access to the trem plate. That guitar had a fixed bridge.
 
Steve B said:
Short of playing without pants, what wisdom do you all have to offer?Anyone use "Scratch Pads"?http://www.scratchpadusa.comIf so, are they safe for long term use? My MC 58 has the V12 finish so not sure it responds to prolonged contact like Nitro does. I see a few hairline scratches (very faint) on the back of my new PRS and now's the time to address further wear and tear.Thoughts?Steve
Click to expand...
In searching for a guitar online, I often find references to buckle rash... odd I thought, why would someone wear a buckle while playing a guitar? If you need to wear a belt to keep your trousers up.... that's a clear message that you need to look at what you are eating...Think of it this way.... if you are over weight, you will die sooner... and that means that you will have less time to enjoy your guitars... which I assume is your passion....Sex drugs and rock n' roll. If you are over weight, what kind of sex life are you going to have? Sex has a major influence upon our creativity and song writing; watch what you are eating, exercise, and intensify your love-making! You will find that it pours back into your passion, music!
 
Watersilk said:
In searching for a guitar online, I often find references to buckle rash... odd I thought, why would someone wear a buckle while playing a guitar? If you need to wear a belt to keep your trousers up.... that's a clear message that you need to look at what you are eating...Think of it this way.... if you are over weight, you will die sooner... and that means that you will have less time to enjoy your guitars... which I assume is your passion....Sex drugs and rock n' roll. If you are over weight, what kind of sex life are you going to have? Sex has a major influence upon our creativity and song writing; watch what you are eating, exercise, and intensify your love-making! You will find that it pours back into your passion, music!
Click to expand...

Holy Preconceived Notions, Batman! Several things come to mind after reading your post.

No. 1 - No drugs for me unless prescribed by one of my doctors. I get high on music! Always have, always will.

No. 2 - I top out at about four bills, and up til and including today I've never had any problems gettin' 'The Good Stuff'. Just this week I politely turned down the latest in a long line of requests to get married, which tells me I must be doing something right!

No. 3 - I haven't done a scientific study of the subject, but I believe that a great many people the world over wear belts, and by no means are all of them overweight.

I admire your enthusiasm, but blanket statements are often proven to be incorrect to one degree or another.

Respectfully yours, Goldtop
 
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Any inventors out there want to take a crack at a pad that could directly attach to a belt buckle? That would both illiminate buckle rash, and the need for a strap. Oh, and it would keep my pants up. I hate wearing belts.
 
I once got buckle rash on my Cu24AP but not from the belt. From the brass rivet on the pocket of my Levis. Now I play at home in my PJ's. I play out by pulling out the tail of my shirt. If the shirt has buttons, just put a hand towel in the waist of your Levis and it can cover the buckle and the rivets. It's not as crazy as the diaper.
 
Watersilk said:
In searching for a guitar online, I often find references to buckle rash... odd I thought, why would someone wear a buckle while playing a guitar? If you need to wear a belt to keep your trousers up.... that's a clear message that you need to look at what you are eating...Think of it this way.... if you are over weight, you will die sooner... and that means that you will have less time to enjoy your guitars... which I assume is your passion....Sex drugs and rock n' roll. If you are over weight, what kind of sex life are you going to have? Sex has a major influence upon our creativity and song writing; watch what you are eating, exercise, and intensify your love-making! You will find that it pours back into your passion, music!
Click to expand...

I'm not overweight, I'm severely undertall.

And my sex life is just fine. My wife's, on the other hand...
 
Watersilk said:
In searching for a guitar online, I often find references to buckle rash... odd I thought, why would someone wear a buckle while playing a guitar? If you need to wear a belt to keep your trousers up.... that's a clear message that you need to look at what you are eating...Think of it this way.... if you are over weight, you will die sooner... and that means that you will have less time to enjoy your guitars... which I assume is your passion....Sex drugs and rock n' roll. If you are over weight, what kind of sex life are you going to have? Sex has a major influence upon our creativity and song writing; watch what you are eating, exercise, and intensify your love-making! You will find that it pours back into your passion, music!
Click to expand...

I think you got that a little backward... wouldn't being bigger actually assist in keeping ones pants up? Besides, there are many reasons for wearing a belt, and weight (up or down as you're more likely to wear a belt if you're going through weight loss than weight gain due to your clothes being bigger than you) is just one of them.

On subject, wear those scratches with pride, it shows you put the time in to play. Yes, PRS are beautiful, but I would have to believe Paul and the rest of the PRS team are more passionate about the MUSIC their instruments create, than they are how they LOOK while creating it. Everyone likes to have nice things, but assuming you're not taking gouges out of the body and neck, it'll be nice regardless of wear marks being there or not :) You can use a good carnauba wax and clean up most of them, but over time it'll star wearing nice.
 
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