The other day I was replacing a pickup in my “Zombie-Caster” and noticed that several of the pickguard screws were spinning in their holes. Like many players, I change out pickups and pots from time to time. While this has many sonic benefits, it causes wear and tear on the guitar body. If screws are frequently removed and re-inserted, their threads can bore out the wood, enlarging the screw holes. Eventually the screws can become so loose they no longer secure the pickguard to the body.
Fortunately it’s easy to repair stripped screw holes. Although I’ll use a Strat and its top-mounted pickguard to illustrate the process, the essential technique works with any solidbody guitar. And with a little creativity, you can also adapt this doweling method to other types of screw-mounted hardware, such as pickup mounting rings, strap buttons, and truss rod covers.
Let’s take a look.
Note: This repair is intended for a “player” instrument—not a collectable, vintage guitar. The latter must be kept in original condition to maintain its value. Always consult a qualified luthier if you have a vintage axe that requires work.
Getting started. To fix stripped screw holes, you’ll need an electric drill with 3/16" and 5/64" bits, a medium tip Phillips head screwdriver, a flush cut saw, a small hammer, wood glue, and a 3/16" dowel rod made of poplar, basswood, or maple (Photo 1).
Once you’ve gathered your tools and materials, take the strings off your guitar and remove all the pickguard screws. On a Strat- or Tele-style guitar, you don’t need to unsolder anything—just gently turn the pickguard upside down and lay it on the body with the wires connected.
As you remove the screws, make note of which holes are stripped. If a pickguard screw feels snug as you turn it, then leave that hole alone.
The doweling concept. I often see a patched screw hole with a toothpick and some glue shoved into it. This temporary fix may get you through a few gigs, but it usually wears out quickly. The best way to permanently repair a stripped hole is to re-drill it and then fill it with a glued-in wooden dowel.
To ensure the repair will last, the key is to use a dowel that’s a bit larger than the original hole. It’s a simple, two-step operation: First drill the screw hole to a larger diameter, and then plug it with a solid piece of wood. Using a 3/16" wooden dowel creates a solid “sleeve” for the screw to thread into, and this will last just as long as the original body wood.
Photo 2
Drill, baby, drill. The next step is to drill out each stripped hole using a 3/16" drill bit. Measure the pickguard screw, and then make a mark on your bit that’s about 1/32" deeper than the length of the screw. I use a red Sharpie to indicate this depth (Photo 2), but alternatively you can use a slender strip of masking tape or a grease pencil. The idea here is to avoid drilling too deep a hole.
Tip: To drill a straight hole, watch your drill bit—it should stay perpendicular to the body.
Plugging the hole. Now it’s time to prep the dowel. From your dowel stock, carefully cut off a piece that will protrude about 1/4" from the hole you just drilled. You can measure the depth using a guitar string or skinny drill bit and then transfer that length to the dowel stock.
Before you insert the new dowel piece, fill the hole with wood glue. Keep a damp paper towel nearby to wipe up any drips or overflow. For this job, I like to use Titebond II because you can mix it 50/50 with water and it will still create a very strong bond. Here’s the advantage of diluting Titebond II: The thinner solution makes it easier to saturate the hole and dowel, and it absorbs deeper into the wood than if you were to use the thick formula straight from the bottle.
Tip: I mix a small bottle of Titebond II and water to keep around the shop for this type of project.
Photo 3
With a small hammer (preferably one with a nylon tip, like those used to install frets) lightly tap the dowel into the hole (Photo 3). Go easy—you don’t want to splinter the dowel or have the hammer slip off and ding your guitar.
Photo 4
Let the glue dry overnight. If you get impatient and start drilling your new hole before the glue is fully dry, you’ll have a mess and need to start all over again. (Hmm, does that sound like the voice of experience?)
Trimming the dowel piece. After you’ve let the glue dry overnight, it’s time to trim off the section of the dowel that’s sticking up from the hole. There are two tools that will work for this task—flush-cut dykes or a small flush-cut pull saw. I prefer the latter because although the dykes will work, you run the risk of crushing the dowel. A flush-cut saw is very flexible, which allows you to cut the dowel level with the body. To avoid scarring the exposed finish, keep the blade pointed toward the area that will be covered by the pickguard (Photo 4).
Drilling the new hole. Once the dowel is trimmed flush, put the pickguard in place and line it up with the screw holes. Install the screws into any holes that were not doweled.
Photo 5
Next, using the pickguard as a guide, make a pilot hole for your 5/64" drill bit by lightly tapping the dowel with a medium Phillips screwdriver (Photo 5). Its tip leaves an imprint in the dowel—perfect for centering your drill bit and keeping everything aligned correctly (Photo 6).
Photo 6
Okay, you know what comes next: Re-drill the new hole using a 5/64" drill bit. But before you hit the on switch, measure the screw and mark the bit, so you know how deep to drill (Photo 7). Typically this will be about 3/8".
Photo 7
After drilling out each new screw hole, install the remaining screws. If the tops of any screws are worn, replace them with new ones. On a worn screw, the metal can corrode and weaken over time, especially when the screw begins to rust. The last thing you need is to strip out the head, or worse yet, break it off orphaning the shaft inside the body. Pickguard screws are inexpensive, and you’ll save time, money, and aggravation by replacing them before they fail.
Slowly tighten the pickguard screws. Don’t go all Tarzan on them, just make them snug. (Ever wonder how screw holes get stripped to begin with?) Once you’ve secured the pickguard, it’s time to clean up—you’re done with this project.
Last year, Taylor Guitars capped its 50th Anniversary by introducing a new guitar collection celebrating the contributions of co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug to the guitar world. The Legacy Collection revives five of Bob Taylor’s classic acoustic models, curated by the legendary luthier and innovator himself. “To imagine that we’re doing guitars that harken to our past, our present and our future all at the same time,” Bob says, “I really like that.”
In developing the collection, Bob preserved the essence of his originals while integrating performance and playability upgrades introduced during his tenure as designer-in-chief. “It’s an up-to-date version of what those guitars would be,” Bob explains, “but with the same sound.”
Visually, these guitars feel classic—clean, understated and unmistakably Taylor. While Bob’s original aesthetic preferences are showcased in his Legacy models, the nod to the past runs deeper than trade dress.
From his earliest builds, Bob favored slim-profile necks because he found them easier to play. That preference set a design precedent that established Taylor’s reputation for smooth-playing, comfortable necks. Legacy models feature slim mahogany necks built with Taylor's patented New Technology (NT) design. “My first neck was a bolted-on neck but not an NT neck,” Bob says. “These are NT necks because it’s a better neck.” Introduced in 1999, the NT neck allowed for unprecedented micro-adjustability while offering a consistent, hand-friendly Taylor playing experience.
What makes this collection unique within the Taylor line is Bob’s use of his X-bracing architecture, favoring his time-tested internal voicing framework over more recent Taylor bracing innovations to evoke a distinctive tone profile. Since Andy Powers—Taylor’s current Chief Guitar Designer, President and CEO—debuted his patented V-Class bracing in 2018, V-Class has become a staple in Taylor’s premium-performance guitars. Still, Bob’s X-bracing pattern produces a richly textured sound with pleasing volume, balance and clarity that long defined the Taylor voice. All Legacy models feature LR Baggs VTC Element electronics, which Bob says “harkens back to those days.”
The team at Taylor thought the best way to demonstrate the sound of the Legacy guitars was to ask Andy Powers, Bob’s successor, to play them. A world-class luthier and musician, Andy has spent the past 14 years leading Taylor’s guitar innovation. In addition to V-Class bracing, his contributions include the Grand Pacific body style, the ultra-refined Builder’s Edition Collection, and most recently, the stunning Gold Label Collection.
Below you’ll find a series of videos that feature Powers playing each Legacy model along with information about the guitars.
Legacy 800 Series Models
First launched in 1975, the 800 Series was Taylor’s first official guitar series. Today, it remains home to some of the brand’s most acclaimed instruments, including the flagship 814ce, Builder’s Edition 814ce and new Gold Label 814e.
The Legacy 800 Series features the 810e Dreadnought and two Jumbos: the 6-string 815e and 12-string 855e. Each model serves up a refined version of the Dreadnought and Jumbo body shapes Bob inherited from Sam Radding—the original owner of the American Dream music shop where Bob and Kurt first met. “I was making my guitars in the molds that Sam had made at American Dream,” Bob recalls. “There was a Jumbo and a Dreadnought. That’s all we had.”
All three Legacy 800 Series guitars feature one of Bob’s favorite tonewood combos. Solid Indian rosewood back and sides are paired with a Sitka spruce top, yielding warm lows, clear trebles and a scooped midrange.
Aesthetic appointments include a three-ring abalone rosette, mother-of-pearl Large Diamond inlays, white binding around the body and fretboard, and Bob’s “straight-ear” peghead design. Both Jumbo models also showcase a mustache-style ebony bridge—a nod to Bob’s early Jumbo builds.
Legacy 810e
The 810 Dreadnought holds a special place in Bob Taylor’s heart. “My first 810, the one I made for myself, was a thrilling guitar for me to make,” he says. “It’s the one and only guitar I played. It didn’t matter how many guitars we made at Taylor, that’s the one I took out and played.” The Legacy 810e brings back that bold, room-filling Dreadnought voice along with the easy playability expected from a Taylor.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 810e | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 855e
Taylor’s first 12-strings found an audience in 1970s Los Angeles. “I was making guitars that would find their way to McCabe’s in Santa Monica and Westwood Music,” Bob says, “and these guitars were easy to play. Twelve-strings were a popular sound in that music. It was a modern country/folk/rock music genre that was accepting our guitars because they were easy to play. They also liked the sound of them because our guitars were easier to record.” The Legacy 855e, with its resonant Jumbo body, slim neck and gorgeous octave sparkle, carries that tradition forward.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 855e | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 815e
The Legacy 815e revives Taylor’s original Jumbo 6-string, delivering a big, lush sound with beautifully blooming overtones.
Legacy Grand Auditoriums
In the early 1990s, Bob Taylor heard a consistent refrain from dealers: “Not everybody wants a dreadnought guitar anymore.” Players were asking for something with comparable volume but different proportions—something more comfortable, yet still powerful. This feedback inspired Bob to design a new body style with more elegant curves, more accommodating proportions and a balanced tonal response. The result was the Grand Auditorium, which Taylor introduced in 1994 to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Thanks to its musical versatility and easy playability, Bob’s Grand Auditorium attracted a wide variety of players. “We came into our own with our Grand Auditorium,” he says. “People were describing it as ‘all around.’ It’s a good strummer and good for fingerstyle, but it’s not totally geared toward strumming or totally geared toward fingerstyle.” Also referred to as the “Swiss-Army Knife” of guitars or the “Goldilocks” guitar, the GA quickly became a favorite among guitarists across playing styles, musical genres and different playing applications including recording and live performance. “That guitar made studio work successful,” Bob says. It gained a wider fanbase with the debut of the “ce” version, which introduced a Venetian cutaway and onboard electronics. “That became one of our hallmarks,” says Bob. “If you want to plug in your guitar, buy a Taylor.”
Today, the Grand Auditorium is Taylor’s best-selling body shape.
The Legacy Collection features two cedar-top Grand Auditoriums inspired by past favorites: the mahogany/cedar 514ce and rosewood/cedar 714ce. Both models incorporate Bob’s original X-bracing pattern for a tonal character reminiscent of their 1990s and 2000s counterparts. Shared aesthetic details include a green abalone three-ring rosette, ebony bridge pins with green abalone dots, a faux-tortoiseshell pickguard and Taylor gold tuning machines.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 815e | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 514ce
The Legacy 514ce features solid mahogany back and sides paired with a Western Red cedar top, yielding a punchy midrange and dry, woody sonic personality that pairs beautifully with cedar’s soft-touch sensitivity and warmth. It’s a standout choice for fingerstyle players and light strummers who crave nuance and depth. Distinct visual details include faux-tortoise body and fretboard binding, black-and-white top trim, and mother-of-pearl small diamond fretboard inlays.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 514ce | Playthrough Demo
Legacy 714ce
The Legacy 714ce also features a cedar top, this time matched with solid Indian rosewood back and sides. The result is a richly textured sound with deep lows, clear trebles and a warm, mellow response. Inspiring as it is, this specific wood pairing isn’t currently offered in any other standard Taylor model. Additional aesthetic details include green abalone dot fretboard inlays, black body and fretboard binding, and black-and-white “pinstripe” body purfling.
While the Legacy Collection spotlights Taylor’s past, newer models from the Gold Label, Builder’s Edition and Somos Collections show the company’s legacy is always evolving. Explore the Legacy Collection at taylorguitars.com or visit your local authorized Taylor dealer.
Taylor Guitars | Legacy 714ce | Playthrough Demo
“Earthwood Bell Bronze strings are a giant leap forward in tone, playability, and durability. They’re great in any musical setting but really shine when played solo. There’s an orchestral quality to them.” -John Mayer
Product Features:
- Developed in collaboration with John Mayer
- Big, bold sound
- Inspired by alloys used for bells and cymbals
- Increased resonance with improved projection and sustain
- Patent-pending alloy unique to Ernie Ball stringsHow is Bell Bronze different?
- Richer and fuller sound than 80/20 and Phosphor Bronze without sounding dark
- Similar top end to 80/20 Bronze with richer low end than Phosphor Bronze
