Why pickguards?

[DreamKing]

PGs seem to pretty much be standard on all the current models except for the 137. Anyone else think it'd be a better idea to have no PG at all or have a PG come uninstalled? Why hide that figured wood under a PG? Sure, you can use figured wood for the PG, but it just doesn't look as good (at least IMO). And having PG holes on your geetar is a buzzkill (again, IMO). Wouldn't it be better to give people the option at least? What do you think?

 

That said, I do think there are some that look better with PGs, but for the most part (and especially for the plain jane white PGs on most of the 150s), it'd be a lot better if the PGs came uninstalled.

[koula901]

DreamKing

 

A lot of us order our Heritages without the PG for reasons you cited - they have nice tops and we want to see them. Heritage usually sends the PG so you can install it later, if you want. That way, no holes in the body.

[FredZepp]

I've got them both ways... I am just used to seeing a pickguard on a Les Paul style guitar.

But I don't miss having one on this 150, it looks ok without a pickguard. I just filled the hole from where it had one installed before.

 

 

:smile_mini2:

[kbp810]

I like the look both ways...

 

but with the highly figured tops, I'd rather see all the wood I can.

 

On something like a goldtop, I think i'd rather have a PG on it.

[Hfan]

I have both. Besides protecting the finish, I like the raised guards on my Heritages to rest my fingers on. Although I don't mind my guitars that are sans guards or have flat to the body guards. Guess I just adapt to whatever.

[mars_hall]

Sometime the white pickguards even look good on a highly figured top.

 

[kbp810]

Sometime the white pickguards even look good on a highly figured top.

 

Yeah, I guess I agree with that as well... I took the black PG off my blue H150, then put it right back on - maybe I had just grown accustomed to seeing it there, but i rather preferred the look with it on.

 

[sick1982]

I use it as a finger rest, can't play as well without it.

[NoNameBand]

I need more than a pickguard to rest my fingers. I use it to protect the beautiful top of my guitar FROM my fingers & pick which are usually flailing about. I have 4 les pauls (including my 150) and 2 have pickguards and 2 don't. I guess I like them both ways. Not that I'm indecisive or anything, or maybe I am.

 

I have also seen clear pickguards tastefully used, maybe for guys like me, just in case you can't make up your mind.

[mars_hall]

Some of the jazz players, like Wes Montgomery, would rest their hand/fingers flat on the the pickguard. Over time, I would expect the oils of their hand to react with the wood finish were no pickguard there.

[TalismanRich]

I like the pickguard to rest my fingers AND to protect from the pick scratches. My Dean Key Largo doesn't have a pickguard and you can really see the scratches in the finish.

 

Plus, I LIKE the wooden guards that come on some of the Heritages like the 157. I've never been a big fan of the plain creme or black plastic guards on an LP style. They look cheap to me.

[Blunote]

PGs seem to pretty much be standard on all the current models except for the 137. Anyone else think it'd be a better idea to have no PG at all or have a PG come uninstalled? Why hide that figured wood under a PG? Sure, you can use figured wood for the PG, but it just doesn't look as good (at least IMO). And having PG holes on your geetar is a buzzkill (again, IMO). Wouldn't it be better to give people the option at least? What do you think?

 

That said, I do think there are some that look better with PGs, but for the most part (and especially for the plain jane white PGs on most of the 150s), it'd be a lot better if the PGs came uninstalled.

 

Sometimes they look good.

 

This one looks nice to me:

 

 

And I'm partial to this one;

 

 

But it's hard for me to imagine this Millie with one

[Kuz]

DreamKing

 

A lot of us order our Heritages without the PG for reasons you cited - they have nice tops and we want to see them. Heritage usually sends the PG so you can install it later, if you want. That way, no holes in the body.

 

+1 EXACTLY IT!

[sheetsofsound]

the pickguard is an integral part of my technique. It's adjusted 1/4" under the strings on every one of my guitars.

[Kuz]

the pickguard is an integral part of my technique. It's adjusted 1/4" under the strings on every one of my guitars.

 

This very helpful, I often wondered what a standard measurement from the strings to the finger rest on an archtop was.

 

Is the 1/4" what you usually see after you just purchased the guitars or is it usually higher or lower than 1/4"?

[Gitfiddler]

I prefer pickguards on my gits to add another layer of protection for the finish, but can get along without one if necessary.

With my picking style, the finish would last about a month. Then it would not be very pretty.

 

With archtops, I just cannot play them comfortably without a pickguard. I special orderd a guard on my custom 525 because of my style of playing.

[tulk1]

If you don't have a steep carve, you are going to mare the finish on the down stroke. No way around it, whether you're very careful ... or not. On the 150 body style, it just looks right to me. But the way guitars become an extension of us, I don't see how anyone could argue if one didn't want a pickguard. Or finger rest, as Ren so adamantly puts it.

[enordlund]

Yeah, I think the best choice would be to just leave a pickguard in the case, but I like how it looks on my 535!

[brentrocks]

i like pickguards...but if a guitar doesnt have one it doesnt bother me....especially if it has a top like these...

 

[Guest HRB853370]

I like the look both ways...

 

but with the highly figured tops, I'd rather see all the wood I can.

 

On something like a goldtop, I think i'd rather have a PG on it.

 

Unless you want your GT to look like Duane Allman's. I left the PG off my G***** GT LP and filled the hole, and then touched it up with matching paint. Not a perfect job, but the top of the guitar looks much better without the PG, IMO. Each of my 150's has the PG intact and I have no inclination to remove any of them.

[Assumer]

Sometimes they look good.

 

This one looks nice to me:

 

 

And I'm partial to this one;

 

 

I like them both ways. That is one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen. Wow.

[Blunote]

Sometimes they look good.

 

This one looks nice to me:

 

 

And I'm partial to this one;

 

I like them both ways. That is one of the most beautiful guitars I have ever seen. Wow.

 

Thanks, they are different guitars. One is an H-157 and the other an H-150 Deluxe.

The bottom one belongs to me. I wish the one on top (H-157) did too, It's for sale in the Marketplace section.

[DetroitBlues]

PGs seem to pretty much be standard on all the current models except for the 137. Anyone else think it'd be a better idea to have no PG at all or have a PG come uninstalled? Why hide that figured wood under a PG? Sure, you can use figured wood for the PG, but it just doesn't look as good (at least IMO). And having PG holes on your geetar is a buzzkill (again, IMO). Wouldn't it be better to give people the option at least? What do you think?

 

That said, I do think there are some that look better with PGs, but for the most part (and especially for the plain jane white PGs on most of the 150s), it'd be a lot better if the PGs came uninstalled.

 

I've taken the pickguards off all my LP style guitars. I like the look of the guitar without it. Especially when there is a highly figured top, I'd prefer to show it rather than hide it. Only exception I would make is if the pickguard was bound, matching the top, or it was semi-transparent.

[MartyGrass]

Hmm....

 

 

[Gitfiddler]

Hmm....

 

 

 

 

 

Umm...Willie Nelson's gitfiddle?