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Post subject: White Pickguards???
Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:18 pm
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What's the deal with Strats and white pickguards? The majority of Strats come standard with white pickguards, regardless of body finish, rosewood or maple fingerboard. Even the Custom Shop Strats, such as the Custom Artist, Custom Classic, favor white piickguards. I know there are some Strats with other color pickguards, and pickguards are easy to change, but have you ever wondered why white pickguards are on most Strats?


Last edited by tornadoclaw on Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:08 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:25 pm
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It's my favorite pickguard color, but I doubt that's why Fender uses so many white pickguards :oops:

I would say that it's just tradition.

Had they started with only tortoise shell pickguards, then that probably would have become the standard issue.

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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:07 am
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orvilleowner wrote:
I would say that it's just tradition.


I agree completely with that.

But I would also throw in that -- as a minor secondary reason -- that the white ones are just slightly cheaper, which adds a bit to their bottom line.


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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:12 pm
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It certainly looks nice. White also hides dings and scratches better than any other color, so there's a practical side to it also.


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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:16 pm
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Simple. Cheap. Traditional. What the originals strats had, and what the design of the strat is based on. White matches everything so it's easier to make a load of white pickguards that they can slap on pretty much any color body they make.

Of course, there are a bazillion other colors and styles that fender, allparts and tons of other pickguard makers create for those of us that want something different. From a production aspect, it's easier to say "here's you guitar, with a white pickguard. Change it if you like." then to say "ok, what custom color combination do you all want, so we can hold up production with these"


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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:38 pm
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White goes with anything. It also ages nicely and naturally. :wink:

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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:44 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
White goes with anything. It also ages nicely and naturally. :wink:


Yeah, the older "faded" ones look pretty cool on some guitars. From lots of bar smoke, a beer or two sprayed on it, lots of pick scratches. They don't stay whitey-white for long.


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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:26 pm
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A lot of guitars don't look good with white, but Strats are one of the few that do.

That said--If I could pick my own colour--I'd probably go with black.
But I'd never turn down a guitar based on the colour of the pickguard.
It doesn't affect the sound.

(Now watch someone start a thread on how white pickguards sound better. :D )

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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 12:38 pm
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White is traditional and neutral.

I prefer pearloid !!!!


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