To pickguard or not to pickguard...

[FlyingVFanatic]

Well, i was messing about with my Les Paul Jr, taking the pickguard off cause, i wanted to. Anyway, I was wondering, what do you lot prefer on a guitar? Pickguard, or none? I know there are inbetween points, like an SG with a small guard, and that it changes with guitars but, hey, im just interested

For me anyway, i like my LP with its guard on for now, and the big full face 67 style pickguard on my V. Not a fan of the 58 style small guard, nor the guardless V...

[dubkitty]

depends on the design and the wood grain. if you've got a really pretty slab of mahogany it's a shame to put a big ol' batwing guard like a late 60s SG or a full Strat guard on it. sometimes it really bothers me when i see a beautiful solid body on the Warmoth site that will lose much of its beauty after routing for, say, Strat PUs and tremolo.

i generally keep the guards on my guitars because i can get a little excited and overzealous when strumming. i prefer Les Pauls without guards because the guard interferes with the lines of the body design but have left the guard on mine because WHACK WHAP BRAAAAAAAAANG, and i quite like exotic wood Tele or Strat bodies with a back-loading control rout.

[Greenfuz]

always a pickguard except for on carved top les pauls

[FlyingVFanatic]

Mmm i get what you mean about the grain of the wood.... I love seeing the grain on my faded V, but it looks so good with that pickguard.... Thankfully theres plenty of wood sticking out on the wings!

Im starting to think the junior looks cool minus pickguard though.... cant decide....

[hollowhero]

fenders always need pickguards. gibsons need a case-by-case assessment

[dubkitty]

fenders always need pickguards. gibsons need a case-by-case assessment

what-you-did-there-i-see-it-pelican.jpg (48.54 KiB) Viewed 2521 times

[Mudfuzz]

Mmm i get what you mean about the grain of the wood.... I love seeing the grain on my faded V, but it looks so good with that pickguard.... Thankfully theres plenty of wood sticking out on the wings!

IMAG0171.jpg

Im starting to think the junior looks cool minus pickguard though.... cant decide....

that look better without, I've always disliked the jr guard

[colin]

I prefer it with the pickguard, just looks like there's something missing with it gone.

[Greenfuz]

it looks naked

sorry but I only like double cut jrs

[dubkitty]

i like the Junior without the pickguard. i don't think i could get used to it on my Special, though.

[Ghost Hip]

I love the jr. pickguards haha. I mostly like pickguards. Although certain carved top les pauls look good without them.

I need to paint the pickguard on my crestwood, its mostly white, but there is a portion between the two pickups they left clear...

WHY. WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS EPIPHONE.

[greyscales]

I always pickguard.

And the LPJr looks kind of naked without it IMO.

[FlyingVFanatic]

I've decided i prefer it with pickguard.... I'll need to find another way to make it my own..... Im thinking jaegermeister stickers I hate leaving guitars stock....

[tim]

I also always pickguard. Guitars sans pickguard always seem like they belong to someone who frequents TGP for some reason.

[AngryGoldfish]

Here is a good example of one of, in my opinion, the coolest looking modern guitars that was ALMOST ruined by removing the scratchplate and why I love pickguards so much, except on guitars with figured tops.