I'm at a point where I have to decide whether to finish a Strat project with the pickguard and accessories. I've got a newly painted Surf Green body (very un-reliced), a one-piece maple neck, and three pickguard choices in the house - an 8-hole single-ply white with white knobs, and two eleven-holers -one w/b/w and the other white pearl/b/w. I'm partial to the 8-hole because it's so '50s and clean looking while the 3-ply ones look sharp and the pearl looks jazzy on the Surf Green. I also have a naturally aged white (8) w/aged pup covers and knobs. I've got some nice staggered F tuners, some regular F tuners, and am considering the Kluson Vintage locking jobs - I like that heavier look with the slot. Of course this is all cosmetic because I'm committed to some Tex-Mex pups (reg 250K CTS pots) for the sound. Oh, I also did a complete hard tail conversion, so there's no trem or back plate, only string ferrules. So (and I say with some trepidation) what's everyone's preferences (no Tortoise shell please, ughhh and no other choices, just what's listed)? Basically it's either a '50s look or a later version's (no CBS huge headstock, also ughhh). I'll be interested in reading how many people would prefer the vintage look.


Partscaster Tele (Cameo Cream/black guard/maple neck)
'92 Am Strat (Black/white/maple)
'96 Squier Strat (Black/white/rosewood)
'97 Squier Strat (Inca Silver/white/rosewood)
Partscaster Strat (Surf Green/ ? /maple)
Some day: Gibson LP just for the difference

Go for the 8 hole for the reason you stated. Please post a pic when done!

Will do....

I say if you are going to build a 50's style, go with the naturally aged white.

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+1

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

Naturally aged + Surf Green!

naturally aged white.

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"Damn Right I Got the Blues"

I would go for the 8-hole pick guard, aged for a real vintage look. Here is one on a Strat that I've given an "relic" treatment.

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Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

The relic-ed - is that the paint job or a bad photo? Looks like lots o' orange peel, but it's essentially what one of mine looks like and I love it. Thanks for your input - given my tendencies to prefer original anything, I'll probably go the route you and the majority suggest and do the aged pg/knobs. I have two sets and the better one is on another Strat so I'll likely swap them. But, something about that pearl attracts me too. I have and 11-hole but if I had an 8-hole I'd give it strong consideration as well. the 11s just look too cluttered withall the little screw heads, ya know? I think I'll be selling a significant number of various parts I've accumulated for this project and a Tele I'm building (at the sealer stage). I'll post pics when I'm finished or maybe a dry run pic (haven't sanded and polished the clear yet).

Have you ever considered the gold aluminum one?

It would be period correct, and i think with the surf green it would really set it off.

Just a thought.

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

Jeffy - nope, I haven't. I haven't seen one on a genuine 50's but if it's correct I'll look on-line. To my taste, however, it might look unnecessarily garish or just take it too far toward warmer color relationships. One reason I like the Surf Green is because of the warmth of a cool (that's not cool in the current parlance) color, but allows the coolness to dominate. Yellow and blue make green and all the steps between - yellow can be warm or cool (mixed w/red or blue respectively) but can warm a blue and cool a red, just as blue can cool a red and yellow and red can warm a blue (and yellow) - very basic color theory that when applied to pigments yields an infinite number of gradations of hue. Judging by your bike, you probably know that. Thanks for the idea.

Now I was think the other way, being that the green has some yellow in it this would bring out the warmth of the color.

I still think it was be a good match.....but this is your guitar, not mine.

Here is one on my 2010 FSR.....

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Marriage is like playing cards...

At first all you want are Hearts and Diamonds.

But in the end, all you really want is a Club and a Spade.

That's a beauty for sure. The aged white should do the same, only in a more subtle way.

Thanks to all who viewed, whether making a reply, vote, or just looking. I've decided to use the aged pickguard and aged pup covers and knobs that I have. I have some work left to do (some more polishing and shielding) but when I complete the project I'll post images: probably will be titled something like Surf Green Strat is (finally, not finely) finished. Actually that's sort of a joke - I've been very demanding of myself and believe it's paid off. Like anyone who has put in an honest effort, I want to believe that no one could have done any better than I have. This is not to boast or to congratulate myself, only to expect excellence and get something genuinely right. I've redone a number of things I haven't been happy about, and so I want to see that reflected in the final product. I'm sure I get everything together and plug it in to hear.....silence. But, it's about "how it looks", said Fernando.

Go with the aged white, it will look cool beans with the surfer green

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You cant always get what you want