Graham_H Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Sooooooo, there is the question, please select an answer, and tell us about your decision, and about your Lester, model, color, age, etc... I think this will be a real good poll !!! Thanks for your input, I look forward to hearing from you !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Both my Les Pauls have pick guards. To me, these guitars look kind of naked without them. It's just a personal preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Pick guards are lime bikinis. Good on, but better off. Note: my avatar.. 58 reissue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 On. I use it as a rest/anchor point for my picking hand most of the time. I have tried it 'off' just out of curiosity but found my right wrist became tired after a very short time because of the break-angle I had to employ. Pretty much everyone is fed up looking at my pics, Graham, but as you've joined recently new here's a link from a couple of months ago. Mine are in post #3. http://forum.gibson....-on-a-nice-day/ 1993 R9 HCSB; 1995 R0 'Ginger-Burst'; 1991 '1960 Classic' VSB; 1995 '1960 Classic' HB P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geelinus Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Pickguard - most definitely. The cosmetic wear that comes from picking needs to be avoided - regardless of how one feels about the aesthetics of a pickguard. It's a no-brainer to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I have the pick guard on my alpine white LP studio. When I purchased the guiar the pick guard was already installed. I like the look of the black on white and it is more comfortable for me to play with the PG on. If I had a flame top i would probably want to have the pick guard off to show off the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHTom Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I prefer pickguards. can't figure out why, just seems like something is missing without them. NHTom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Sutherland Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Had the pickguard off on my Trad Plus for a while, just prefer the look with it on. Same for my Bonamassa Studio. Same for my Special... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darling67 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I don't have a Les Paul, but I did once. It was cream with a black pick guard. I couldn't have imagined it without it. I am pro-pick guard, in general. I recently added a custom-made pg to an SG that came without one (see avatar to the left). It's all subjective, but I think the contrast between a guitar's finish and a pick guard creates a more complete look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 . For me, a pickguard isn't a necessity for playing. I prefer figured tops without a pickguard. Currently I have two figured top LPs - one with, one without a pickguard. So, I'm not all in either. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 On for me. I'm the same as Pippy. I rest my picking fingers on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cabba2203 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Off for me but I like the look of them both ways. When I play I anchor my pinky on the bridge pup ring. The pickguard doesn't let me get a good grip. Plus both of mine have a nice flame so why cover it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 On. I use it as a rest/anchor point for my picking hand most of the time. Same here. I tend to play as many jazz archtop players do - most of the time over the top of the neck pickup and like to rest my right hand (pinkie usually)on the pickguard. I fit a pickguard to every Gibson / Epiphone guitar I have. To me the guitar is naked and uncomfortable without it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Pickguards including screws came as stock accessories with my Gibson USA Std Quilt K and Std 2012. I left them off and put them on the shelf. My Gibson Custom Alex Lifeson Axcess and Std Figured came without as well as my Epiphone Tribute Plus. Sadly, the Gibson USA Traditional 2013 came with a pickguard mounted to it. One can't undrill holes, the nut's imprint is on the top finish, and so the damage is done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
665 Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 I hate LP pickguards. They cover most of the beautiful top of the guitar and just make your guitar look and feel "wrong". I guess that is the best way I can describe it. Also, I use the bridge as my anchor point when playing for easy palm mutes and it also makes solid anchor point no matter what style of guitar I am playing Lp or other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moparguy Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 definitely with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the dog Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 I like them with pick guard on my gold top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vega1 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Definitely without, I prefer more wood to more plastic any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I cannot tell the difference between tone... pickguard "on" or "off". Some of my lesters have it; and some do not have the pickguard. One even came from the factory without the pickguard in the case. I have no preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I too, have no real prejudice, on or off. However, ALL my Les Paul's have pickguards. Most came that way. The one that had it in the case, uninstalled, I went ahead and installed it, as I'm just "used to" them, both aesthetically, and funtionally. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug.J Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 Pick guards are lime bikinis. Good on, but better off. Note: my avatar.. 58 reissue. You have my sense of humour looking at the picture Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 From my first Gibson in 1965 on all of them I've owned always had pickguards. I am strictly a flatpick player so they do save me scratching up the top. But as mentioned they require some holes in the guitar and once it's been on there for several years taking it off will leave discoloration etc. I tend to rest my picking hand on the bridge, but pickguards do prevent me from scratching the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasbluezman Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 My LP's had pg's. But I took the pg off my Trad Pro. (My avatar still shows it to be on though) The wife says, the pg makes it look like an old guitar that an old man would play. I told her it's a Traditional, it's supposed to. But, I like it without, now. I haven't played the Epi out in a while, but I think I'll take it's pg off to see what that silverburst looks like in full bloom. I don't even scratch the pg when I play, so I don't think I'll scratch the top. I also sometimes put my hand on the top, below the bridge pu, or sometimes on the pu ring. I never do the same thing every time. I don't worry about scratches or smudges. It's my guitar. I'm not messing it up, I'm adding Beauty Marks! (Got that from the wife) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 My LP's had pg's. But I took the pg off my Trad Pro. (My avatar still shows it to be on though) The wife says, the pg makes it look like an old guitar that an old man would play. I told her it's a Traditional, it's supposed to. But, I like it without, now. I haven't played the Epi out in a while, but I think I'll take it's pg off to see what that silverburst looks like in full bloom. I don't even scratch the pg when I play, so I don't think I'll scratch the top. I also sometimes put my hand on the top, below the bridge pu, or sometimes on the pu ring. I never do the same thing every time. I don't worry about scratches or smudges. It's my guitar. I'm not messing it up, I'm adding Beauty Marks! (Got that from the wife) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinman1 Posted September 21, 2013 Share Posted September 21, 2013 My new (used) Les Paul Studio in ebony looks a bit sparse without the pickguard...but it's a bit of ornamentation rather than any huge functional benefit. When I eventually get a traditional or custom with a highly figured flame top I'd probably prefer it without the guard to show the top off. As far as I can tell so far the carve of the maple top means that my pick stays clear of the (unguarded) laquer most of the time anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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