Pick Guard Removal

[Recycled Rocker]

Hey Roswell, IMHO it looks better with the pick guard off.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

RR

[Notes_Norton]

Again, I'm in the minority.

 

I think it looks better with the pickguard on. However, I'd get rid of the big E if I could.

 

But it's your guitar, and it has to look good to you, not to me ;)

 

Notes

[BarreNone]

I took mine off because I didn't like the look of "plastic." I haven't looked for a custom replacement or anything; if I found something that looked cool I might put it on. Otherwise I just like the look without it on. Also, I don't go after it hard enough to worry about damage to the finish.

[Roswell]

As for worrying about the finish, since the top of the body of the Dot is curved, you'd really have to be trying to kill it to even hit it.

[iansmitchell]

Get rid of the E, get a proper ES-shaped (more angular) guard that's what dots need.

[Roswell]

Frankly I'd much rather spend the money on something that'd change the sound. It's not much, but it's still money that can go to the yet-to-be-decided-on amp.

[RotcanX]

The pickguard on the dot is butt ugly' date=' kill it.[/quote']

That's because it's an 'Epiphone' pickguard. It needs to be replaced with a proper 'ES-335' pickguard:

 

 

...if I was playing my ES-335 all the time I'd probably think about removing the guard. However my Elitist LP somehow just looks more like a Les Paul to me with the guard on.

 

 

I think part of the reason regular Epi LPs look better without the guard is that for some reason they come with really thick plastic guards, with a bevelled edge, that don't really look like a true LP PG.

[RSDx]

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.

Good answer, Brad .... it is indeed an individual choice..... I have a honeyburst LP, absolutely LOVE the look guard-less, but love the "feel" of playing it moreso with the guard on, for your very same reason.... seems a big "drop" to rest one's finger w/o the guard - I suppose you'get used to it, but........ Mrs. Fuelish prefers the look of it on (and I agree it looks more "classic LP") ..... mine's usually on, more for function than for aesthetics....but, yes...to the OP - it's up to you - try it both ways for a while and decide which feels best (or what looks best, if you choose looks over comfort...or maybe your favorite look and the best feel are one and the same...or...nevermind....margarita friday started a lil early today=d>

[The_Sentry]

For now I've left my pickguards on. I dunno...it's just part of the asthetic (especially on my black LP custom). I also tend to strum aggressively, so it's nice to have it there. (And yeah, the guitar sort of looks naked w/o it. Maybe it's one too many views of those old Led Zeppelin clips that's warped my brain....who knows...)

 

But a lot of this is personal choice. I may pull the one off my flame top, but for now, it's not exactly hurting anything by being on there....

 

EDIT: Roswell, yours does look better w the pickguard off. Maybe it's that big "E", but for whatever reason...yeah, it looks better.

[Roswell]

Mine looks really... simple without it. For a Dot, it's a very nice look.