Pickguard Mock-Up...Cool or Not?

[jeremy]

love the color and i think thats a good shape to spice up the look. you could modify it once you have it in hand if ya wanted

[larryguitar]

love the color and i think thats a good shape to spice up the look. you could modify it once you have it in hand if ya wanted

I'd actually suggest getting it without drilled holes and attaching it with pickguard adhesive designed for an acoustic, just so if you change your mind that finish will still be pristine; that color would be hard to patch if you wanted to lose the screw holes....

Larry

[Securb]

I think it is sexy.

[beaubrummels]

I thought about that, too... Doing something a little more unique.

I messed around with a Meteora-inspired shape, but it doesn't flow as well on the Tele body.

I'll have to glance at some of the other models you mentioned

If you post a pic of just the body, I could mockup what I was suggesting.

[JMP/HBE]

Decided to mate my new Warmoth baritone neck (full Wenge construction) to a modern Warmoth Tele body in Goblin Flake finish that I've been holding onto. Really digging this particular wood/color combo in person!

However, in my opinion, the body is a bit too plain by itself, despite the really cool finish. Something about the Tele shape and simplistic "modern" features of this one leaves me wanting a little more.

So, I started looking at pickguard options to spruce it up a bit. Came across a classic thinline Tele guard and decided to do a paper mock-up using the printable template on Warmoth's site. The paper was white, so I did a quick photo edit to make it black.

The paper template is draped over a single-coil neck pickup, so it doesn't sit completely flat against the body in that area, but this pic gives a good idea of what this guard shape would look like.

So...what do you guys think? Is this look cool or not?

I like it >

[JB_From_Hell]

Looks good. I think a Tele control plate would look sweet, too.

[Phantasmagoria]

Looks nice with the pickguard (and I don't like pickguards). I can see it being too much bare space otherwise...even though that's a cool finish.

[GuitarDoc]

Close but not quite. I personally like to emphasize the natural curves of the guitar rather than fight them.

[Masta' C]

Thank you, guys! I genuinely appreciate the input and suggestions!

Here it is without a pickguard...thoughts?

[Masta' C]

If you post a pic of just the body, I could mockup what I was suggesting.

I just posted a pic without the guard on it

I'm also down to relocate the volume knob if a pickguard covers the existing hole.

[Masta' C]

Close but not quite. I personally like to emphasize the natural curves of the guitar rather than fight them.

Definitely haven't seen anything done quite like that!

I see you extended the profile a bit on the lower horn. Seeing all the standard Tele pickguard options, my wife was confused as to why most other variations (aside from the OG Tele guard) cut off before the lower horn.

[Masta' C]

Looks nice with the pickguard (and I don't like pickguards). I can see it being too much bare space otherwise...even though that's a cool finish.

Thanks! I uploaded a pic above without the pickguard on it...do you feel it's too much bare space?

This finish would be mind-blowing if it was on a carved top body, but I feel the flat-top nature of the Tele, along with the lack of adornment that a traditional Tele has (i.e. control plate, bridge plate, pickguard, etc) leaves this one looking just a bit too plain...

[Masta' C]

Looks good. I think a Tele control plate would look sweet, too.

Thanks!

Unfortunately, a traditional Tele control plate isn't an option on this one as I have it set up for a blade switch in the "Strat" location, rather than Tele. I know that wasn't apparent in my original picture with the pickguard, but you can see it in the non-pickguard pic I posted above.

Your comment made me wonder if a 2-knob "51" style plate might work, but looking at pics online, I think it would still interfere with the blade switch and also sit a bit too high up on the body if I was to use the existing volume location.

Here's a Squier '51 with the 2-knob control plate as an example:

[Mr. 80's]

Thank you, guys! I genuinely appreciate the input and suggestions!

Here it is without a pickguard...thoughts?

Looks fantastic as is IMHO. Not a fan of Tele's at all but that one looks pretty cool! IMHO the pickguard is just going to muck up its looks.

[Gtrjunior]

Definitely let that sparkle finish show. Although I don’t dislike the guard, I feel that for this particular guitar the finish is way to cool to cover up.