Cooperoni Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Why does Gibson use white pickguards on their guitars with White and Natural finishes when Black looks soooo much better? My Explorer '76 came with a white Pickgurd and I took care of that straight away. Do you like a white or black P/G on yer axe of a fair complextion? Before and After Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 both have their strong points visually, but have you tried changing the Pup rings to match the white pickgaurd i dont care for the finish, or the guitar, but i think it looks better with the white gaurd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooperoni Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 No, I didn't even think to match the pup rings. Being that the truss rod cover, headstock veneer, pups, pup rings and knobs were all black, it seemed to me the pickguard (and toggle cap) should be too. The pups are black plastic with gold screws and standard colored poles so I had gold pup covers installed, then ditched the speed knobs for gold top hats. I think it looks more "natural" this way. Sorry you don't care for my guitar, to each his own I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 i like the nobs, Pup covers and such, but i like the white guard better but ive never really cared for natural "wood colored" guitars, nor the SG-explorer-radical design-bc rich-emg-metal madness that seems to acompany them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooperoni Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 Another case...Nice job TattooedCarrot!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooperoni Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 i like the nobs' date=' Pup covers and such, but i like the white guard better but ive never really cared for natural "wood colored" guitars, nor the SG-explorer-radical design-bc rich-emg-metal madness that seems to acompany them [/quote'] Someday I will have a '58 Explorer... I will see if I can lay the old PG on top and take another photo to compare them... tomorrow...when it is daytime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptc Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 I like the black. My natural finish Explorer has had both colours of pickguard on it, and the white takes something away from the wood. White pickguards look rubbish when they start to age as well. I had gold top hatknobs on there but I changed to black speeds. It was a close call though. The Explorer is such balanced and comfortable guitars to play standing up, especially if you're a singer as it just sits there at all the right angles and doesn't move. Great guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 i like the knob, and Pup changes the pickgaurd just aint growin on me sorry =D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Martin Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Why does Gibson use white pickguards on their guitars with White and Natural finishes when Black looks soooo much better? My Explorer '76 came with a white Pickgurd and I took care of that straight away. Shhhhhh!!! If Gibson knows there is a demand for it, they'll issue a new line of Explorers and Vs with black pickguards and charge $300 more! ...but I'm with you. Black looks better on natural wood. I'm also gonna change out my Explorer to a black one soon, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 I like the pickup covers but not the guard, mine is staying white. While the white guard takes away from the wood grain I think the black guard takes away from the shape of the guitar. Just my opinion. The wood grain on your Explorer is nicer than mine that's for sure. I replaced the knobs on mine with gold/black witch hat knobs. It looks killer...more retro. Humbucker covers are next, I gave the open coils the chance but they are not growing on me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibis Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 Black looks 70s to me, whilst white says 50s. Based on nuthin' but gut feeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 Black looks 70s to me' date=' whilst white says 50s. Based on nuthin' but gut feeling.[/quote'] You are not that far off Ibis, actually I am looking at the picture of a prototype Heritage Re-issue for the limited run of 100 for the year 1983 and it has a black guard, covered pickups and the strap button on the shoulder.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiJofus Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I don't think I'd replace mine for white. My E2 has a darker natural walnut finish, so the black one seems to fit better with me. And the aged white border stripes work with it. But I'd have to say on the lighter woods, (Korina, I guess) White guards are more suiting, and on a white Explorer I'd certainly stay with white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiJofus Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 I don't think I'd replace mine for white. My E2 has a darker natural walnut finish, so the black one seems to fit better with me. And the aged white border stripes work with it. But I'd have to say on the lighter woods, (Korina, I guess) White guards are more suiting, and on a white Explorer I'd certainly stay with white. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
multonomah Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 clear handmade pickguard on a gothic explorer- sanded down and finished her myself- i am the anti- color!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GiJofus Posted July 25, 2008 Share Posted July 25, 2008 clear handmade pickguard on a gothic explorer- sanded down and finished her myself- i am the anti- color!!!! Now, that's a rather unique way of solving the problem! It's the rat-rod of explorers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydra26 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I may be in the minority here, but I really dislike black pg's on explorers. Much prefer the white. I've seen an E2 in tobacco burst with a flame top that looked ok with a black pg, mainly because the color scheme fit with the burst. I dumped my speed knobs immediately and replaced them with amber tophats with gold pointers. Black speedknobs have always looked cheap to me (no offense to anyone here), and although very effective, I think they stick out like a sore thumb on my natural explorer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MReynolds Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 You are not that far off Ibis' date=' actually I am looking at the picture of a prototype Heritage Re-issue for the limited run of 100 for the year 1983 and it has a black guard, covered pickups and the strap button on the shoulder....[/quote'] Not necessarily so. I've seen several pictures of '58 V's with black pickguards. It's one of the reasons I got the V I did...a 1983 V Heritage and it looks just like the '58 on the cover of the Vintage Guitar Price Guide 6th edition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 We are talking explorers though, a few of both V's and explorers came with black guards in 1958, the majority in white though. Prototypes are just that. The fact that a couple of us think they look 70's with the black guard on is just personal perception and not really how Explorers or V's looked in the 70's. The illustrated encyclopedia of electric guitars has pics of V's and Explorers with different guards, knobs and in the case of Exlorers headstocks (the split). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooperoni Posted July 30, 2008 Author Share Posted July 30, 2008 I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Well I love Rock from the 70's, and I do have an Explorer '76 so I guess it works for me:d/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 Black looks 70s to me' date=' whilst white says 50s. Based on nuthin' but gut feeling.[/quote'] Yep. Anybody wanna venture a guess when THESE were made? I figure using Brand F will make it more objective.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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