Permanently removing the scratchplate of the Harley Benton

Whether a Les Paul type guitar looks better with or without a scratchplate will never cease to be a heated discussion. Personally I like both looks. I kept the original scratchplate on my Gibson but chose not mount it onto a Les Paul kit I once built. In this case, I wanted to take full advantage of the beautiful vintage burst finish so I chose to remove the scratchplate. As a player, I don't rest my picking hand on it anyway.

That scratchplate will go.

The problem with removing a scratchplate is always what to do with the screwholes, Some put the screws back in, but that looks silly.Others cement the hole with some filler, but that's tedious to do and you might damage the finish in the process. So...

I chose a solution in between. I found two round toothpicks that were about the right diameter for the holes. Then:

1. I sanded them smooth to the exact diameter I needed;
2. I inserted them as deep into the holes as I could;
3. I marked them at the level of the surface;
4. I extrated them;
5. I scored them all around with a fine blade at the mark without cutting through them
6. I dipped their end into a blob of PVA glue;
7. I pushed them back in fully;
8. I snapped them off (that's why I scored them first, so the would break exactly at the right level);
9. I sanded their remaining studs flat with the tip of a fine file;
10. And i colored them with a dark felt tip pen.

The top hole is plugged already, the side one is in process. The toothpick awaits scoring.

Top plug snapped off.

Side plug snapped off.

Top plug colored.

Side plug colored,

And that's all there is to it. If you know where they are, you'll find them, but from average viewing distance, you can't possibly tell those holes ever existed.

That looks neat and clean enough for me.

If by any bad luck the color fades or wears off, I just have to use a felt tip pen again to restore it. Done and dusted.

COMING UP NEXT: The trussrod cover.