Once in a while, a product comes along that is so simple and so essential that we have to just tell you “go out and buy this right now.” That’s how excited we are about the Scratch Pad – a simple self-sticking guitar protector that safely adheres to the back of your guitar, thanks to the miracle of copolymer technology. For the first time in years, we’re not afraid to wear belts or button-down shirts while playing our expensive custom shop guitars for fear of scratching the back of our prized instruments.
We’ve seen other protectors with elastic straps that wrap around your guitar – not our guitars of course, because those protectors are horrifically ugly, plus they don’t stay in place very well. The Scratch Pad has a soft velveteen surface on one side, available in black, red, blue, and brown. It feels great and looks nice. The other side is a copolymer gel-like material that is made up of thousands of microscopic suction cups.
After peeling the Scratch Pad off its protective storage sheet, you just place it where you want on the back of your guitar. It sticks beautifully, and through numerous repeat applications on a few different guitars over the past month, it’s still working as good as new for us. If you have a uniquely shaped instrument, the Scratch Pad is thin enough that you can easily trim it to size for a custom fit.
When not in use, Scratch Pad LLC recommends storing the Scratch Pad on its storage sheet to keep the copolymer surface clean. This worked fine for us, and presumably leads you to wonder why you’d even take it off your guitar.
The copolymer is compatible with acrylic guitar finishes, but if your guitar has a nitrocellulose finish, it’s not recommended that anything be left touching the surface for prolonged periods of time. If you can’t find out from the manufacturer of your guitar whether its finish is acrylic or nitrocellulose (most are of the safe acrylic variety), you can err on the side of caution and just remove the scratch pad after playing.
For only $26.95 MSRP (but typically selling for only $20), we think this is an essential accessory for anyone who cares about protecting their guitar’s rear finish from scratches.
Contact Information
Scratch Pad, LLC
www.scratchpadusa.com
