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Let's See Your Alternative Pickguard


bluelake07

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Posted

This topic was inspired by Twang's contest. Most Casinos come with a white plastic pickguard and here is mine with a rosewood replacement. I like to change pickguards every couple of months. Thought it might be interesting to see what your guitars look like with non-stock pickguards.

 

IMG_0074.jpg

Posted

hi,

sorry to go complete off topic but that is one gorgeous epiphone caisno in a rare left handed model.

May i ask where you found such a rarity?

Posted

Very nice Casino and nice pickguard.

But in my opinion the guitar would look better without the pickguard.

Btw, my Lucille still got the stock pickguard.

 

Peter

Posted

Personally, I think most guitars look MUCH better WITH a pickguard.

 

For me the pickguard

1) balances the weight of the guitar by putting the visual weight on the bottom

2) decorates the guitar

3) protects the finish of the guitar from being scratched (as evident by the pick scratches on my pickguard).

 

I think the PG is both beautiful AND functional.

 

BEFORE:

GuitarCousins.JPG

 

---

 

AFTER:

GuitarCousins2.JPG

 

 

PS: bluelake07, I really like the wood grain on that Casino!

 

Insights and incites by Notes

Posted
This topic was inspired by Twang's contest. Most Casinos come with a white plastic pickguard and here is mine with a rosewood replacement. I like to change pickguards every couple of months. Thought it might be interesting to see what your guitars look like with non-stock pickguards.

 

IMG_0074.jpg

Wouldn't it be nice if a guitar came with a variety of pickguards that could be swapped out from time to time? Kind of like changing one's tie or jewelry.

Posted
Personally' date=' I think most guitars look [i']MUCH[/i] better WITH a pickguard.

 

I have gotten to the point that I barely even notice pickguards. Their appearance is so standard to me, I seem to prefer the ones that don't attract much attention (like the Gibson 335 style). White sort of stands out too much, like in the Rivieras of the past. I suppose I voted against the pickguard in the poll because it does cover some of the guitar's wood.

Posted
<...>I have gotten to the point that I barely even notice pickguards. Their appearance is so standard to me<...>

 

I don't notice them either, but if a guitar doesn't have one, I do notice that, and it looks rather plain and unadorned that way (with few exceptions).

 

Notes

Posted

I've had the pickguard off mine and it does look good, but I like it on as a finger rest. These lefty Casinos are difficult to find and I got mine from Ebay a couple of years ago. The only one I've seen at Jerry's Lefty guitars was a Vintage Sunburst color (I didn't know they made ANY of those) and it went for $900 with a case. It's a beauty, you can see it at his site under "sold electric" guitars. Thanks, Notes, the grain on yours looks quite similar to mine, very nice!

Posted

Jeffery, you're right. I hardly ever notice the pickgaurd on my LP anymore. I do intend to take it off at some point to see how it looks, but it doesn't make that much difference to me whether it is on or off. The way I see it, it's there to protect the guitar, not make it look pretty.

 

By the way, Notes, the Epi and the Gibby are both awesome!

Posted

I think the concept of "protecting" the finish by covering it up is a flawed approach... My other guitarist has a '90s Gibson LP Custom in a semi-transparent blonde finish, it's a beautiful guitar. He wanted to take the pickguard off, but when we pulled it off in rehersal, the area under it hadn't faded with the rest of the finish, so there was a darker yellowish pickguard shaped shadow on the top. It was really a shame, because some of the prettiest grain on the whole top is under that guard, and now there's no way to fade it back in evenly with the rest of the guitar, so without the guard, it's ugly. Such a waste. [-(

Posted
I think the concept of "protecting" the finish by covering it up is a flawed approach... My other guitarist has a '90s Gibson LP Custom in a semi-transparent blonde finish' date=' it's a beautiful guitar. He wanted to take the pickguard off, but when we pulled it off in rehersal, the area under it hadn't faded with the rest of the finish, so there was a darker yellowish pickguard shaped shadow on the top. It was really a shame, because some of the prettiest grain on the whole top is under that guard, and now there's no way to fade it back in evenly with the rest of the guitar, so without the guard, it's ugly. Such a waste. [-( [/quote']

 

Never even thought about that happening. All the more reason for naked guitars I say!

Posted
<...>By the way' date=' Notes, the Epi and the Gibby are both awesome![/quote']

Thanks! I love the way they look, play and sound. They are definitely both "keepers".

 

<...> He wanted to take the pickguard off' date=' but when we pulled it off in rehersal, the area under it hadn't faded with the rest of the finish, so there was a darker yellowish pickguard shaped shadow on the top<...> [/quote']

 

That's funny. I've taken the PG off my Gibson for cleaning and there is no color change underneath. I suppose it would depend on the finish of the guitar. But then, I wouldn't want to leave it off anyway, as I think the guitar looks incomplete without it and when the pg gets all scratched up I can easily replace it.

 

I'm still firmly in the Pickguard camp. But others are allowed to disagree :-k

 

Insights and incites by Notes

Posted

Well, I like "natural" Casino's with NO pickguard...yeah, because of John's version...but, I like the '65 (Sunburst) With, the pickguard! So...who knows? My Les Paul guitars all have their pickguards. I took one off...once, which lasted about an hour...and put it back on. I just seemed "wrong" without it. LOL! So, I'm now firmly entrenched in the "I don't even notice the pickguard, unless it's gone," camp, I guess...except for the "natural" finished Casino.

 

CB

Posted
For a Casino' date=' I don't particularly like the white pickguards.

 

A natural should have no pickguard, as should a sunburst. Cherry and ebony should have black.[/quote']

 

I like black on natural, kind of like Notes guitar. I have a black pickguard on my natural sheraton as well and really like the look.

I didn't mind my faded dot without the black es335 pickguard on it either, but it does look more complete with it. Plus I like to put my pinky on it.

Posted
<...> Plus I like to put my pinky on it.

There's another thing I like about the PG on my Casino and ES-330. I sing about half the songs in my duo' date=' [u']The Sophisticats[/u] and when I am singing and playing "response" lines on the guitar, since I can't look down, I often find my right hand position by feeling that spot where the bridge pickup meets the pickguard. Once the position is found, the pinky can do whatever it wants to do.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

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