I once bought some clear plastic, similar to colorforms I guess, and I could keep it on the back of my guitar to keep me from banging it up. I can't remember what the hell it was or where I got it. Anyone use something similar?
Get a Scratch Pad! I never thought I'd get one....but it's great. http://www.scratchpadusa.com/index.html It's doesn't cover 100% of the guitar, but enough so there's no belt rash. You might get some marks towards the bottom of the guitar due to those metal things on your jeans. But the only way to 100% protect your guitar is to play naked. It's also nice because it keeps your guitar in place while you play.
I forget whether I saw it here, or on the Telecaster forum, but a mechanic's belt is perfect for guitar players. They work great (at holding up your pants) and the no-buckle thing poses no threat at all to guitar backs. They're also inexpensive - I got four of them: http://www.aandtleather.com/MechanicsBelt.htm
I only play nekked. Sorry, tmi. Seriously, I just avoid belt buckles, usually pull a shirt out, and remember to tuck my Benchmade knife pocket clip into my jeans. Took a gouge out of the back of a G&L with that thing already, with a showoff whipping the guitar to my side maneuver.
I use a scratch pad on my Les Paul as well. Usually, I don't care but the quilt top is a little different story.
Who says you have to wear the belt buckle in the center of the front, too! Just an idea... I just untuck my non-buttoned shirt. I'm a little wacky careful about getting scratches on the back of, especially, my Anderson. So far, over one year, moderately heavy use, no scratches. (knock on wood.)
RDM, Thank You! for the tip. I don't wear belts so my Belt-Buckle-Rash was actually being caused by my Pocket-Rivets, which were creating something that looks like worm tracks on the backs of my guitars. Untucking my shirt didn't stop this problem, but Scratch Pad has. You were also right about adding guitar stability especially during riffs. BTW, I liked Scratch Pad's MySpace page even more than their web-site; www.myspace.com/scratchpadusa I got the "BEER ME" Scratch Pad, which was way too much fun to flash at the watitress during last nights gig and has insipered me to work on lyrics today for a "Beer Me" song. Thanks again, Rock-It!
People get seriously flamed for these kind of threads on the Les Paul forums. I guess nobody here has accused anyone of wearing a guitar diaper yet...
Tuck a simple wash cloth into your pants 2" deep and let it cover any rivets/buckles, can be had from WalMart for about a buck.
If you believe Eric Johnson's opinion about the back cover on his strat, that will surely kill your tone!
I am impatiently awaiting the first genuine buckle slash/rash on my 15 year old les paul..... There is nothing in the world I would like to do to prevent this happening....wear rules! I bet Jimmy Page never had these problems
Personally I never wore belts anyway however, I'm sorry to admit that in a moment of new guitar despiration, I tried one of those Guitar Diapers. The diaper was held around my new LP with an elastic band but it slid around on the guitar and didn't fully protect it from Pocket Rivets. As RDM siad above, the Scratch Pad is great and its nothing like one of those guitar diapers. The Scratch Pad comes off one guitar and goes on another as easily as a Post-It-Note. BTW; I also found a video link on their website of Johnny Hiland flashing a Scratch Pad at Paul Reed Smith during a PRS Party, pretty funny stuff and Hiland plays some amazing riffs; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_Lf8sYr8kY
3M makes a vinyl product that would probably work very well. It's traditionally applied to the front ends of cars/motorcycles to avoid paint chips. It's nearly invisible and easy to cut to fit.
