Hi everyone.

Some time ago I bought in local shop original Fender Strat pickguard. It has 11 holes in '62 pattern. There is some little truss rod accses gap where pickguard meets the neck like on vintage ones.

Most strage think is that this pickguard is Black/White/Pearl not White/Black/White/Pearl.

Has anyone seen this before?

I can't find anywhere pickguard like that.

Its not original- the guard on my deluxe is pearl/white/black/white. same as the trem cover. I bet someone opened the fender packet- took the original out and put a fake one in for more profit?

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I don't think so.

It was factory packed, looked untouched. Shape and everything looks ok. Label was in fact standard stratocaster but I know that fender sometimes makes some mistakes (like classic series trem in my standart MIM).

It's '62 style pickguard (I needed to redrill these two holes that are different than in standart) but pearl over white and black. Similar pickguard was made for KOA strats but these was standart (standart holes, no in fact unuseful gap for truss rod adjustment). Label in package was black. Some parts has red, some black and some tweed labels as I found.

Some pickguards are not listed in Fender catalog like chrome Tele pickguard.

Has anyone seen this before? I think it's original but was put into that package for mistake and sent to europe....

This makes my strat really unique. I've never seen any MIM strat with factory fitted classic series bridge and pickguard like that one.

Pics?

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http://w43.wrzuta.pl/obraz/80R7yBDURG9/7_008#none

http://w43.wrzuta.pl/obraz/9BKEbsWUmzD/close_up#none

Strange. Ive looked at the accesories section, and it seems like Fender dont do a '62 in pearl. In white, Mint green and tortoise- but not pearl.

So that leaves the standard ones, in which they do. But I dont think you should have to re-drill holes for it though. and they are listed white/black/white/pearl.

Im confused.

What guitar do you have- can you list the model? it looks like you have an MIM standard- these guards should drop in with no modification at all:

http://www.fender.com/products//search. ... 0992140000

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It's a 2003 Standart Stratocaster MIM. I don't really remember, a tech done it to me. There was needed drilling one or two new holes for that pickguard. '62 pickguards have for sure one screw in different position than current standard pickguard (maybe it was only that one wchich is between neck and middle pickups).

I don't have original package but I'm sure that it was 100% original. This shop has many original Fender parts. Also this pickguard weren't very new. I remember that I saw that pickguard first time in that shop more than two years ago. It was always stting on the shelf between other Fender parts. First time I thought that it was black because on the bottom there is black ply.

I don't think that anybody put non original pickguard into original package. It still had older lower price as stated in earlier Polish Dealer's catalog. Package was untouched and original.

Maybe Fender for some reason like unavailability of material bought some amount of Pearl/White/Black sheets for some reason, made few Pickguards of it and somebody said: "Let's send that to eastern europe".

Also this strat is example of another Fender mistake - but maybe I'm wrong. Like I stated earlier it has Classic Series/HWY1 Series bridge. Not the narrower spacing one like on all Standarts. Also this bridge has bigger sustain block. In 2003 there wasn't MIM Standarts with bigger sustain block. I've never seen another MIM Standart with wider string spacing.

But....It's a great guitar. After I changed pickups and some accesories/hardware it plays, looks and sounds great.

My MIJ Richie Kotzen signature has this kind of pearl-white-black 3-ply pickguard. I guess this is original part (although I bought it 2nd hand) based on pictures found on this model online.

I've been looking for the same 3-ply part as this is a bit broken from some corners, but haven't found yet.

http://www.siilit.net/temp/strrk.jpg

Gentlemen, good luck finding your pickguards.

But if you can't find exactly the ones you need, then it is quite easy to have pickguards custom made to your requirements. There are services where you make a careful tracing in pencil on paper of the existing pickguard, including all screw and control holes and pickup spaces. You send that to certain companies, they scan it into their CNC machine and make you a replica in the material of your choice.

I have done this in the past with perfect results.

In North America that service is offered by WD Music - see this page:

http://www.wdmusic.com/pickguards.html

In Europe I am told (by Ben at WD) that WD Music used to have the work done for them by Sims Custom. Nowadays you can contact Sims pickguard service direct at:

http://www.simscustom.com/html/pickguard.htm

BTW: that Sims website is well worth a browse for a look at some very unusual custom order guitar stuff...

Cheers - C