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Pick Guard Removal


Roswell

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I've seen in many of you guys' pictures you've chosen to remove the pickguard off your guitars (some or all of 'em). Any particular reason why besides aesthetics? I've been contemplating removing the one on my Dot since it seems somewhat fragile given that it's not flat and it makes it very obvious if there's dust on the guitar, but at the same time I like the finish :D

 

Thoughts?

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My thoughts are:

This question comes up about every 3 months or so.

I like the pg on because I like to rest my pinky finger on it. So I don't even think about it coming off.

I think you should do what YOU want to do and not worry about what others think.

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I don't really care either way, hence the reason I asked to see why others did it. I don't rest my pinky (used to do rhythm solely and it's just not comfortable for me), so for me it's really a matter of preventing scratching.

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I took it off the casino because it was creating something like static electricity; I prefer the look without. I did the same

with the Joe Pass because it was old and warped...and ended up liking how it looks better. I left it on the ebony LP elitist

and I too tend to rest my finger on it. Whatever you do, don't ask matiac this question : )

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I usually play with my hand in a fixed position resting on the bridge. The times I don't, I don't even come near the PG so aside from aestetics it's not really functional. I removed all PGs from my LPs. On an archtop I'd probably leave it on.

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It appears I may be in the minority here, but I think most guitars look better with the pickguard left on. (The main exception being nylon string classical guitars.)

 

Plus, remember, the Brits call them "scratch guards" and that is exactly what they do, they keep the pick from scratching the finish on your guitar.

 

I'm not fond of the white Epi PG on the NAT Casino guitars, and traded mine for a black one. I can go either way with the Cherry Casino.

 

Here are the overly-posted pictures (I really need to take some new ones):

 

BEFORE:

GuitarCousins.JPG

 

AFTER:

GuitarCousins2.JPG

 

 

On the SG/G400 I prefer the smaller PG because the big one hides too much of the wood (again, personal tastes).

 

Insights and incites by Notes

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1. I don't need them. My playing has evolved from playing guitar, Dobro, pedal steel and bass, and I don't anchor my right hand. It limits tonal variety. The only guitar I own that has ever been scratched because it didn't have a pickguard was damaged by a friend who anchored his hand on the top where the pickguard would have been.

 

2. They are ugly, and Epiphone archtop pickguards especially so. I might be tempted if my Sheraton II had a creme LP-style pickguard...but I took the pickguard off my Gibson Les Paul too, so probably not.

 

3. They make the guitar look asymmetrical. I realize that beauty's in the eye of the beholder, but to me, the double-cutaway looks lopsided with a pickguard. The alternative is to add a bass-side pickguard, as Bonnie Raitt did on her jumbo Guild acoustic, and Steve Howe did on his ES Artisan Gibsons, but, since I believe it's unnecessary to have one, surely it's twice as unnecessary to have two.

 

4. Simplicity is always superior to the ornate. My credo, you're not required to agree.

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Aesthetics mostly I guess. I took mine off my first Casino, an MIK Dark Cherry. I just thought the bright white p/g was too much against the dark finish, and it bugged me.

 

I left it on my 1965 Refurb, took it off my MIC Natural, The Beatles vibe thing. Sonically, I don't think it matters all that much.

 

Bill

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