Pickguard ON or OFF? (AGAIN!!!)

I was so pro pick guard off when I was younger because of Slash, but also the person that got me and my brother into guitar had his off on a white Studio.

Fast forward to now and the double trouble LP got me WAY into pick guards on. Now I think LP's look as naked as a 61 SG without a pick guard. BUT my Custom has no holes drilled and I won't do it. So yeah, I voted for "depends on guitar"

I thought I would like the aged Custom pickguards on my natural Custom and Standard 60s more than I do.

I ain’t feeling it.

Even with the darkened edges, it doesn’t match the cream binding on the guitar.
Bugs me.

I voted the “It depends on the guitar” option, and here’s the deal as I see it… it looks great both ways. But what always kills the “off” look for me is the 2 holes it leaves behind—especially on a new, shiny (or even VOS), unblemished guitar. Those holes are just so discordant to my eye and so distracting everytime I look at the guitar so as to make me always put the pickguard back on whenever I try to go sans guard.

On an older, beat up guitar (or a ML for that matter, I guess) they’re less of a visual irritant (but I still do notice them) as they can be seen contextually within the other battle scars. But I still prefer the pickguard on to hide the discordant holes.

If a LP came undrilled though, then I wouldn’t drill it… they look great sans-guard. So my rule generally is: if it was drilled—ON… if it wasn’t drilled—OFF (obviously) and don’t drill it yourself.

This can present a dilemma when buying Reissues though, if they come undrilled. As I said, I like the look either way… but technically a RI should have a pickguard to be historically accurate. So buying one without (eg, from Dave’s Guitar Shop who seems to order a lot of his R8/9/0s sans guard) is disconcerting to me. I had this happen once when I bought an R8 with a spectacular top that was originally sold from Dave’s (ie, I bought it used, but it was sold new from Dave’s) and it came sans guard without holes drilled. I stewed over it for weeks as to whether or not to drill it to add the pickguard (which came in the case). Ultimately I decided to drill (which was a harrowing experience—taking a drill to that top!). I just felt like it being an R8, it needed to have one (I’m less rigid on this now and wouldn’t drill it today).

Of course, there’s no “wrong” answer here, it’s just personal preference. I wish the holes didn’t bother me so I was freer to go back and forth as the mood struck me, but they just do (and no, putting the screws into the holes doesn’t help, I tried).

1allspub said:

(and no, putting the screws into the holes doesn’t help, I tried)

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Man, you got it bad!

Empty screw holes?
Oh, yeah - makes me insane.

But put the screws back in, I’m good.

Leee said:

Man, you got it bad!

Empty screw holes?
Oh, yeah - makes me insane.

But put the screws back in, I’m good.

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I’m jealous.

I just like’em with the guard more.

Depends on the guitar, how I voted.

I'm 7 LP's with the pick guard off, and 6 with the pick guard on.

Eh …
I’ll sell those two aged MojoAxe guards to anyone who wants them.

Let me know.

Nice flame top = off

Solid and plain tops = on

The Tribute didn't have one, and it needed one. The Melody Maker didn't have one and is fine without one.

If there is something to see, and you aren't aggressive with
your pick...Off is an option.
If there is nothing to see. Leave it on.

My lemon burst studio came from Gibson without one installed and I think it looks decent. A semi poor man's Gary Moore signature model lol. I got this directly from Norm Harris and he did not disappoint.

Pickguard on or off is a polarizing subject that will likely never end as long as people play Les Pauls. I don't think the factory gave buyers a choice in the 50's. All new LP's came with a pickguard installed. I am in the camp of some who posted here, that I don't like the exposed screw holes which are visible when the guard is removed. It is the type of thing that would bother me to no end. Now if the guitar came from the Gibson factory with no drilled pickguard holes, then that would be a different story. I had Dan at Mojoaxe make me a wide bevel long pickguard for my new USA ES-335, and compared to the stock guard the custom pickguard really makes the guitar look fantastic. I also bought an aftermarket wide bevel 5 ply guard for my LP Custom to replace the stock guard which has several tiny chips in the beveled edge. The wider bevel also dresses up the LP custom and makes it look even better. So there are instances where the right pickguard can really dress up a good looking guitar and make it look even better.

The screw holes on my LP copy don’t bother me at all.
I get why they would bother some, but since my LP copy is older, with a light natural relic look (mostly on the back & sides) and it has a natural top, I barely even notice the hole.
I removed the pickguard and bridge cover on my EB 3 copy (Bass) and that left five holes, doesn’t bother me.
The two for the brodge cover are in the bass! The three for the pickguard are not.
I’ll look for some pictures.

I used to be off, as well as poker chips. Now I leave it all on. It almost looks like something is missing to me now without it. I do also rest my fingers/hand against it.

The picture was of the pickups, but the screw hole is there…

It is not covered

Overture said:

I used to be off, as well as poker chips. Now I leave it all on. It almost looks like something is missing to me now without it. I do also rest my fingers/hand against it.

View attachment 870153

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Well, yeah, solid colour= pickguard on.
My Custom is the same.
If it has a poker chip, I tend to leave it on as well.

The bass, you can see the screws for the bridge cover, but they work for me.
The pickguard screw holes look like dings, matching other dings on this…

Always on for me. Les Pauls just look wrong without the pickguard IMO.