Les Paul Pickguard.

Funkfingers

Crazyblue1779 said:
I always felt like it was an afterthought because it just doesn’t tie in with the aesthetics of the guitar.

I can just picture the original Les Paul design guys, getting ready to go home on a Friday and then they realised they forgot about a pickguard, so they lifted a random triangular bit of plastic that was lying around and stuck it on and thought sod it, it’ll do. 

The Gibson Les Paul Model was originally marketed as a jazz guitar. Ted McCarty et al were targeting the novel, compact, solid body design at squares, accustomed to big hollow body "jazz boxes". The triangular pickguard was a cut down variation of the object expected to be supplied on the existing products.

thermionic said:

to take one off and leave empty screw holes?

Those empty screw holes are great for starting the finish crazing on a Goldtop.  

YourArsenal87

Almost always on. 

Skipped

Same answer as previously.

I am a very tolerant person. But the 52 to 61 Gibson Les Paul is an iconic design. All of it. The bridge and the colour may change but the pickguard  remains throughout.

You can mess with this, but it is just "wrong" to do so IMO. 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/c3/0b/bec30b65962b17764f1e54a5c7494439.jpg

skippy76

On as nature intended 

TTBZ

thermionic said:

Always on for me. I can see why some people (weird people) prefer a Les Paul without one in certain cases, but to take one off and leave empty screw holes? Come on!

I put a tiny black screw in the pickguard hole on mine, you barely notice it. You could also find a tiny dowel and Sharpie it I guess if you didn't want a random screw in the top of the guitar.

Brize

I love the pickguard - it completes the guitar.

ICBM

Skipped said:

You can mess with this, but it is just "wrong" to do so IMO. 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/c3/0b/bec30b65962b17764f1e54a5c7494439.jpg

The amazing thing is that she actually looks good like that - and I'm not a fan of tattoos generally.

I'm not sure what relevance it has to taking the pickguard off a Les Paul and seeing the whole guitar though, unless it's not the tattoos you're talking about .

idiotwindow

ICBM said:

Skipped said:

You can mess with this, but it is just "wrong" to do so IMO. 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/c3/0b/bec30b65962b17764f1e54a5c7494439.jpg

The amazing thing is that she actually looks good like that - and I'm not a fan of tattoos generally.

She looks better without them though (at least IMO) and I guess that's the point.

ICBM

idiotwindow said:

She looks better without them though (at least IMO) and I guess that's the point.

That Les Pauls look better without the pickguard? Yes they do .

Skipped

I have been looking at a 2013 LPF thread which asked the question: Was the '52 Les  Paul a "mistake"? (strings passing under the bridge).

Let's hope nobody ever asks that question on here.  

RaymondLin

Just for kicks...I've ordered a pickguard for my Les Paul (it should have came with one in the case but its missing it), want to see what mine looks like with it on, just I know I can do it with photoshop but I just want to see it in person.  Going to do it with some blutac rather than drilling. 

proggy

Skipped said:

Same answer as previously.

I am a very tolerant person. But the 52 to 61 Gibson Les Paul is an iconic design. All of it. The bridge and the colour may change but the pickguard  remains throughout.

You can mess with this, but it is just "wrong" to do so IMO. 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/c3/0b/bec30b65962b17764f1e54a5c7494439.jpg

I think she looks fantastic.

Grumpyrocker

proggy said:

Skipped said:

Same answer as previously.

I am a very tolerant person. But the 52 to 61 Gibson Les Paul is an iconic design. All of it. The bridge and the colour may change but the pickguard  remains throughout.

You can mess with this, but it is just "wrong" to do so IMO. 

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/be/c3/0b/bec30b65962b17764f1e54a5c7494439.jpg

I think she looks fantastic.

Me too. Gorgeous picture. 

RaymondLin

hmmmm I kinda like mine with it on now! ( I haven't drilled anything)





vs without.

enjo

Used to think off, now think on.

ICBM

RaymondLin said:

*Miles* better. Just no comparison.

Don't ruin it. You can't un-drill the holes when you've come to your senses.

normula1

On

Nerine

Used to think off because I was a Slash fanboi. 

On all the time now. 

I removed the one on my Custom and had it removed for a while. Then I realised that visually it was just kind of missing something. 

I think they look incorrect with the guard off nowadays. Maybe I’m turning into DaN & mICk!11!!

Milk

I always thought they looked to bare without a pickguard and always preferred the looks with one on.

polotska

For good measure, I’d remove the toggle switch plate as well.