Pickguard ideas

[vulpesoutfoxed]

So as I posted a little while ago, I have just recently ordered an SC-2. Now over the past few days I have been thinking about the guitar, and must admit, once it arrives I am considering doing the unthinkable. I have played around with it a little bit and have come up with a pickguard design that i think will look rather nice on the guitar. Have been going back and forth with the idea, I am not yet sure I can modify the appearance of a brand new guitar in such a way. So I guess I will put this out there to the G&L community at large. Where do your feelings lay? Would putting a pickguard on the SC-2 be the most atrocious sin conceivable, marring the beauty of a piece of musical sculpture seemingly dedicated to the notion of less is more? Or is it perfectly acceptable to modify the appearance of that guitar slightly not for improving function but possibly enhancing both personality and aesthetic appeal?

[suave eddie]

I pretty much had to have a pickguard created for my SC-1 after the mods done on it. When I bought it new the dealer had left the MFD in the bridge and added what is now the neck pickup right about in the middle position. I later replaced the bridge MFD with another humbucker and repositioned the neck pickup. This left various routs on the body that needed to be hidden so I had my luthier fabricate a custom pickguard. I actually think it looks better. Check out the picture in my avatar.

[Craig]

Here are some examples of custom pickguards which Richard Poss of the Band of Susans had made for his custom SC-1's,
which were posted in the G&L Porn!!! sub-forum. I think they look great!

Would you care to share your design idea?

[gitman001]

i would love to see the idea also... i have an sc-2 that should be here in a few weeks and no i would not be opposed to modding a brand new guitar. I recently had the pickguards of a couple of my ASAT specials (see todays lunch report) and was surprised at how much my tobacco burst special looked like an SC-2. I thought about ordering a clear pickguard to keep it that way
Scott

[blargfromouterspace]

I reckon the ones Poss has on those SC-1s are awesome. They look soooooo smart. Same with Suave Eddies, and they're very different designs. Seems you can't go wrong!

If you want to mod your guitar then go for it. My guitars typically last about a week before I've drilled additional hole in them somewhere - my guitars are players as opposed to collectible ones, and they're there to be used and enjoyed, not pampered!

[vulpesoutfoxed]

Certainly I can post a my design, did a really quick photo manipulation to get an idea of what my ordered guitar would look like wasn't too difficult to throw my pickguard idea on there. The saddle lock bridge my not be exactly where it should be but it is close, i lined up the saddles pretty closely to where they were on the dual fulcrum vibrato that was the bridge on the original picture.

I will agree that both Richard Poss' and Suave Eddies pickguards each have a very cool look to them. Might even be interesting to see an archtop styled pickguard on the SC-2.

[yowhatsshakin]

Nice shape!
- Jos

[vulpesoutfoxed]

Nice shape!
- Jos

Thank you kindly, I think it complements the guitar nicely. I think once the guitar gets here i will do a tracing and get a pickguard built, though wouldn't mind hearing a few more opinions before I put holes in the guitar. For this mock-up, I used a vintage pearl, since it was the first pattern that I found. Now curiosity is getting the better of me again, Anyone have opinions on which pickguard material would look cool with belair green?

[yowhatsshakin]

Just an idea. You can make the indents on the left side of the pickguard close to the controls look even more like the G&L hook in the headstock so there is another reference to something unmistakably G&L.

- Jos

[vulpesoutfoxed]

Jos, believe it or not I too have been thinking about making the arc's by the controls mimic the "speed bump" on the headstock. Will have to play around with that.

[ecoliguy]

Loving my new SC-2 after a few days, but also thinking it could use a pickguard. I like your design except for the long straight edge; pearl+belair green looks great.

Here are a few mock-ups I made:


And some color options:


Thoughts?

[ecoliguy]

And... roughly cut out of an LP.

[ecoliguy]

Second try; went ahead and screwed it in this time; no going back now.

[blargfromouterspace]

Second try; went ahead and screwed it in this time; no going back now.

HOT! Nice job

[louis cyfer]

i would have just used a little earthquake putty to attach the pickguard. won't harm the guitar, stays on securely and freak people out how it's attached and can reverse it anytime without an issue.

[oneeyedog]

Second try; went ahead and screwed it in this time; no going back now.

looks good.. hope you picked a cool record for credibility!

john

[Ches]

I like using an LP for a pickguard, and thinking along the same line as John . . . I hope it wasn't Mrs. Miller's Greatest Hits!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Elva_Miller

[ecoliguy]

Oh yeah totally cool -- theme to the Young and the Restless (Electra blue label = G&L Himalayan Blue). The last try was the best of the Guess Who (I like the RCA dog). Can always destroy a record I actually like later... I do have two copies of Some Girls and Magical Mystery Tour. I've also got a 8x12" singles-club set that Mission of Burma sold for like $15 total w/ Shepard Fairey prints on the back that would be wicked if tbese aren't super valuable or anything: