Hey people,

I'm in deep love with my new deluxe american strat!

I want to keep it as new as possible. I don't want any tiny dents and micro scratches (which form circles when the surface shines), I don't let any hard object, including picks and sockets touch its body. I won't move it around to every gig, it's my eyecandy (3 color sunburst, mapple fretboard)

Before buying, I was considering to remove the stickers and the clear cover film on the pickguard. But I changed my mind, I like the factory-new look and will like to keep it as it is.

The clear cover started pulling away so... Is it possible to remove, keep, and re-apply it later? Does a new pickguard comes with it?

And what about the original stickers? (fender usa and s1) Can I find them in the market?

I love the aged look on teles, but not this time.

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quack'n'roll !

Darkwing I hate to break the news to you but if you are going to gig with this ax you are going to have to get over it. I mean are you going to play with the stickers on? You might as well have the stickers hanging from the headstock as you are going to look really un cool. Just remove everything because if you dont the plastic is going to melt into the pickguard and one day you will be sitting with a can of lighter fluid removing it. Also the guitar is going to age except the covered pieces and look uneven. You are just going through the new ax paranoia.lol It will pass and I respect the way you feel about your guitar but just be careful and wipe it down and put it in its case when you are done and all will be fine.

LOL

Hey Darkwing, have you seen Spinal Tap?

Don't even think about looking at Nigel Tufnell's guitar.. seriously, I mean don't even look..

Clearly you're a cautious man..

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Shades of Minnie Pearl! I would remove film and stickers.

Hello Darkwingduck,

Firstly welcome to this forum.

I kept my film and sticker for nearly a year after I
brought it home. The clear film got nasty looking
where the plectrum made contact ant the wee flag
faded unflatteringly. So off it came and it was a
pain in the neck, seemed the adhesive gained bonding
strength. My humble opinion--OFF WITH THE FILM.

Cheers.

Good Gravy! Nothing screams noob and amateur than the stickers and protective film on a guitar. Unless you play it in a plastic bubble, you're gonna scratch it. Do you want to play it or look at it? None of my guitars are in pristine condition but are well played and sound leaps and bounds better than they look which is way more important to me. Get over it. Your playing will suffer because of the stress you place on yourself.

The film will curl up and peel away on it's own eventually anyway.

The stickers and protective film come off immediately, usually along with the factory strings. I bought a '72 Telecaster Deluxe Reissue a while back that must have sat in the store too long. All kinds of sticky residue was left behind when I pulled off the film and it was a major pain removing it from the pickguard.

John

@straycat



Actually I use an antic lp for my main. I wish to keep this one for my room and the studio, so I can watch it all time =) And you've given good points, thank you, I'll take your advice.

@adey

lol ! I didn't know about it, took a look now, gave me a laugh =)

@fhopkins

heh thanks =)

@Mr Bill

Thank you. It's good to know an experience, and good to know that I'm not the only one =) Actually before buying it, I wasn't sure if they were stickers and I was like 'I have to get rid of those things on the pickguard'. Then my idea changed somehow, probably 'new axe paranoia'.

@63supro

haha I hear you =) probably the problem is I'm not sure what I love most, watching it or playing it =) I won't play it much (if ever) on a gig, that's what I feel currently, at least. I think I can get over this...

@john

I see. I've seen a lot of forum threads asking for advice on how to remove it. I've restringed it before my first play. Now it's the time for the clear cover to go I guess... But I'll try to keep the stickers in a file anyway =)


Thanks for your advices everybody.. I'll remove it and keep the stickers in my drawer =)

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quack'n'roll !

I like my guitars to look played. Scratches, dings, I take pride in em. Stickers and plastic are gone asap. \m/

I have a rule of thumb, leave them on for a couple weeks. After that, all the screws and knobs come off, then off with the film.

rk

_________________
RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I usually snap a pic or two of a new guitar in its pristine state with the protective film and stickers on it. Then off come the factory strings and all the film and I get busy personalizing it.

John

Hey what about Stevie Ray Vaughan, I guess he was just some dumb hick that didn't know how to play as good as you, right. He had truck stop stickers on his Strat. I wonder if you could afford to buy that guitar with your mouth? Its a free country. If you want a sticker put a sticker, who are these nobody's to tell you what you can do. Get out here

You waited five and a half years to make this post? Bravo.

This is a wonderful observation!^^^^^^

Me and you both, boxbang

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Mater tua criceta fuit, et pater tuo redoluit bacarum sambucus

Well since it has been brought up, for me nothing beats getting your new guitar home and opening up that case for the first time and looking at all the tags and sticker on her. It just puts a big smile on my face. I keep it that way for a few days before I rip everything off of it.