# Pickguards - Useful, Useless, Ugly, Enhancing?



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

What are your thoughts on pickguards? Are they useful or should they be left off of every guitar? Should they be left off of some and left on some others. Do you like some but dislike others? Please post pics if you can of your likes and dislikes.

NOTE: The poll is multiple choice.

Here's a few different styles for your perusal. If you're a gold member you can copy and past any of these into your post.

I used to feel that every guitar should have one. Now I feel almost the exact opposite giving consideration of only having them on teles and strats. The third one below would never be seen on any guitar I owned, especially in cream but if it was a multilayer and contoured to the shape of the guitar, I might consider it.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Sometimes they are nice. But a strat type does not HAVE to have a pickguard.


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## Fiveway (Mar 21, 2010)

Definitely not necessary, but some pickguards look great. Like a tortoise shell on a black strat...amazing. Others look totally stupid, like the P-Bass guard.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I'm an 'all guitars' guy. LP's just look ridiculous without them to me, regardless how nice the flame. But I know that's just my taste and not the majority.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

It depends on the guitar and on the finish.

For Les Pauls--if they're solid colour--then pickguards are fine--especially with black ones--I have one on my LP Custom for example.
But I don't like cream pickguards.
If you can see the woodgrain--then no pickguard is good--that's why I removed the cream one from my LP copy.

On other guitars--it still depends.
Strats & Teles just look right with them, although ones without them can look good too.
Some guitar shapes they don't fit--like the Iceman.

And Archtops look wrong without them.

But in the end--if it's your guitar--you get to decide.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

All my guitars, even the ones I built, have pickguards except for my Seagull Coastline Cedar Grand, which ironically, has the softest top of all my guitars and really should have one). I don't play hard enough to really need them, but I just like the look better. For a long time, I used my Les Paul Standard without the pickguard, but I just one day decided to go back to a more original look, so I put it back on.
-Mikey


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## 10409 (Dec 11, 2011)

if it's a nice burst or nice flame maple or what not, i want to see as much of it as possible so the pick guard comes off except in cases where it'll leave an excessive amount of screw holes. or if it's an old acoustic that will have a tan line...then it can stay on.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

I can go with, or without.

Depends on the guitar, even on my plaintop LP, I prefer it off.


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## studio66 (Oct 16, 2009)

Pickgaurds all the way here  My "Dynamic Duo"...aged tortoise shell on the my Wildwood 10 (front and back) and just cant imagine my R9 without it.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Really depends on the model and wood. Generally, I think they give LPs the classic look with them on, regardless of finish


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## GUInessTARS (Dec 28, 2007)

I've lived with this one for 20 years and have never seen her 'naked'. Never wanted to.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Sometimes. Ie, on Strats and Teles, though guardless ones are fine too. Never on acoustics unless they're clear, like most of mine. Never on LPs and other carved and/or archtopped instruments including guitars and mandolins. Okay on lots of others. 

On LPs, and most others of the ilk, the pickguard always looks like a slapped on afterthought that doesn't have the same graceful design and proportion of the guitar. Heritage does a better job, though I would still remove it. I don't like the feel and I'd rather see wood.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

Mooh said:


> Sometimes. Ie, on Strats and Teles, though guardless ones are fine too._* Never on acoustics unless they're clear, like most of mine.*_ Never on LPs and other carved and/or archtopped instruments including guitars and mandolins. Okay on lots of others.
> 
> On LPs, and most others of the ilk, the pickguard always looks like a slapped on afterthought that doesn't have the same graceful design and proportion of the guitar. Heritage does a better job, though I would still remove it. I don't like the feel and I'd rather see wood.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


I was thinking about the clear on acoustics when I started this thread. My brother-in-law has been playing flamenco for about 10 years now and this flamenco guitar has a clear shield over the entire top of his flamenco guitar. Since there is a lot of tapping and beating on the top of the guitar with the hand, it is essential it's protected in this way. 

To have a clear one on an acoustic you would have to remove the stick on one when new, though, wouldn't you, so it wouldn't show any fade marks?

Here is the afterthought one. It looks so cheap; like a faded piece of plastic.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Most of mine were a matter of installation when new. Others depend on how much fading has happened to the top. A new guitar is okay but an older faded top might never equalize in colour if an old solid colour guard is replaced with a clear one.

Peace, Mooh.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Two birds...http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Transparent-Epiphone-Paul-Pickguard/dp/B0081HIKEW


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

sulphur said:


> Two birds...http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Transparent-Epiphone-Paul-Pickguard/dp/B0081HIKEW


Still got that butt-ugly hardware showing. Reflects weird being off the body too. I don't know...

Peace, Mooh.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

sulphur said:


> Two birds...http://www.amazon.com/Clear-Transparent-Epiphone-Paul-Pickguard/dp/B0081HIKEW


It's the shape of the thing that is a turn-off for me. You're got a beautiful guitar and this triangular piece of plastic that had very little thought put into it.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i don't like them at all, but i never saw a FENDER strat or tele without one. acoustic guitars you cant really take them off. but every other guitar i ever had the pickguard is removed immediately.


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## GUInessTARS (Dec 28, 2007)

I remember Billy Gibbons playing a tele with no pickguard a few years ago, he must be in the no pg camp. At least he was camped there that night.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I think the traditional body styles look best with pickguards. It may just be a familiarity thing, but they always look like something's missing and was obviously removed whenever I see one without a guard.


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## Option1 (May 26, 2012)

Milkman said:


> I think the traditional body styles look best with pickguards. It may just be a familiarity thing, but they always look like something's missing and was obviously removed whenever I see one without a guard.


That's pretty much how I feel about it as well.

Neil


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## BEACHBUM (Sep 21, 2010)

I've got guards on all of my guitars except one which was made that way. I do like to change them to suit my tastes though.


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## TA462 (Oct 30, 2012)

I prefer pick guards, guitars seem naked without them. Some guitars do look good without them though.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

BEACHBUM said:


> I've got guards on all of my guitars except one which was made that way. I do like to change them to suit my tastes though.


That is a lovely looking guitar. I like the knob selection you chose for it.

The pickguard is a definite improvement over the original but it's such a lovely guitar, I personally think it would look better without one.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I might think about leaving one on this guitar but the top of the pickguard would have been improved by following the curve of the horn on the guitar.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

This one started out with no guard. After 1 1/2 yrs I had no choice .. I had pounded the finish off

before


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

shoretyus said:


> This one started out with no guard. After 1 1/2 yrs I had no choice .. I had pounded the finish off


Great pic to consider for this thread....if you agree...obviously

http://www.guitarscanada.com/showth...-thread-Lets-see-ya-face!&p=481713#post481713

Cheers

Dave


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## Soultone (Jan 3, 2011)

Heritage Guitars, the old timers that wouldn't leave Kalamazoo when Gibson moved, call them "finger rests".


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