the clear plastic pickguard on my lowden started curling up at the edges some 8 years ago so i decided to pull it off at a musical evening w/ friends and poll them as to the effect. i had always wanted to remove one because i'd heard it let the top vibrate more freely but mostly because one of my great heroes, john renbourn, does it. the concenus that evening was that it made no difference.
well i left it off for almost year and the top started to develop willie nelson syndrome where i sometimes anchor my right pinky so i stuck a martin pickguard back on it and i swear i immediately noticed that the sound was a bit muted. i think this was because the martin guard seemed like it was twice as thick as the lowden. at any rate if the lowden ever has to go in for service again i'll try to get an original lowden PG installed. vl