Lester Bursts....pickguard or not?

[lawrencedesigns]

I am interested in the general consensus here. I have a desert burst LP that I just felt looked better without the pickguard. So I never attached it. But lately, I have noticed that most Lesters have the guard.
With? Or without?





Keeth Lawrence
Lake Arrowhead, CA

 

[Robert1950]

You should make this a poll. (No by the way)

 

[Derwood]

It's your guitar, so go with what looks best to you.
I think LP's look better with pickguards, many would disagree.
To each his own.

 

[torgeot]

I have a desert burst, no pickguard. I like the look. I also have a 77 natural Maple tope with a pickguard, uh.. so I guess either....

 

[cbpickin]

I prefer the look of the LP with the guard. I rarely like 'em without one. The guard just completes the look imo. Kind of like a Fender headstock with no logo, it just looks funky to what I'm used to seeing. Something about the pickguard that seems inseparable to the LP look in my mind.

 

[dcamp]

The folks on the Les Paul forums arm wrestle over this regularly.I must have a guard on mine,but that being said the "cream" plastic of the modern non custom shop Pauls is way incorrect in color.

 

[billstets]

Do you need it on to play correctly, or are you scratching the guitar there without one? If it serves no functional purpose and you like the look without, then go without it.

You see them both ways. I like them both ways personally, but prefer them with a guard usually.

 

[Drew816]

No way. I just don't like pickguards let alone on a flametop of any kind.

PS: I learned to ski at Lake Arrowhead when I was a kid a LONNG time ago; we lived down in Apple Valley down the street from Roy and Trigger.

 

[oldgtarz]

Tuff call, I have the guards on my Les Pauls because both came with it installed (R8 & R9). I use heavy picks (BigStubby3.0) and play hard, so the guard has a function. I like the look of my unburst R8 without the guard but I hate to see it scratched up and I do miss the interaction with the guard when I'm playing. So after a few hours I put the guard back on.

 

[Chris Rice]

I like the chrome 'guard on my dad's LP (stock except for the 'guard, double cream T-Tops).

 

[marsos52]

i like the look with but with out is fine to
if i had a paul i would want it on the guitar because i used the guard when i play
kind of give me a balance and thats with all gibsons

 

[waggclan]

The Betts family definately don't like pickguards. Look close and you can see the holes where they were removed...​

 

[gkoelling]

If you like it on, or if you don't, it's OK.

I like them on a LP. I also think that 99.99999999% of all LP's made look like crap with black plastic but that's just my narrow minded, unforgiving, opinion.

 

[rockindog]

I keep the pick guard on with all of my Les Pauls. Makes a convenient finger rest for my picking hand and helps prevents picking scratches in the maple top. Finally, the pick guard sort of gives a Les Paul a speedy modern jet airplane appearance and removes some of the round curves found with the design. Don't get me wrong, I like (no make that love) the design of the Les Paul, it's just that the pick guard makes your guitar resemble a jet in a small way. Just my $0.02

 

[datguytim]

I keep 'em on . It's just that classic vibe.

 

[GTRJoe]

I like the no guard look.

 

[Smakutus]

I like them with pick guards better.

Jeff

 

[12guitdown]

Doesn't matter to me. I like em either way.

 

[\DARKMETL/]

I always take them off except on my Edwards Page relic.

 

[majorbanjo]

If you play them...pick guard.....if you look at them.....no pick guard.......there's a reason they call it a "pick guard".....