I decided to change out the pickguard on my Strat. At first, I liked the pearloid white on the purple, but after a while, I just didn't like it as much. So, what's a fellow to do? Swap out the pickguard.

I thought this rosewood guard carried the rosewood neck theme through the body and the white pup covers and knobs gave some contrast.

I know it's not a look for everyone but I do like it. I haven't noticed any change in tone with a wood pick guard. Maybe a little warmer but that could just be my imagination. Any change in tone is subtle at best.

Jeff

Rosewood knobs next.

I dig it! I had that same thought about putting the rosewood pg on flowing with the rosewood neck and it does flow nice. Where'd you get it? That'd look real fresh on a white body. It'd look pretty cool with chrome pu covers and knobs, maybe? Either way I really like that pickguard.

mmm That's nice, it would have been perfect for my "Bare bodied MIM build"

I've opted for tortoiseshell, but if I'd seen that, well.....
Yours looks great on the purple, very distinctive. For future reference I'd like to know where to get one.
....Mark.

Guys, thanks for the compliments.

I got the pickguard from a guy who sells them on Ebay.

http://shop.ebay.com/gvarko/m.html

They are not cheap, but I relly like the look. Fit and finish was perfect. All holes lined up and fit the body perfectly.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff. I will save that seller. No, certainly not cheap but very very nice.I've spent enough on my project for now but Strats are made to be regularly modified, especially MIMs.

WOOD IS GOOD.
....Mark.

Heyy . . . . that's very similar to a custom 4-ply pickguard made by a mate on our MiJ Squier rebuild !
Check this out :



Goes great with a "naked" strat

Well.. if it works for you, then fair play..

But as you asked for an opinion, I'm going to rock the boat and say: purple and brown? When were your meds last reviewed?

Looks good on the natural finish Strat though.

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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!

Probably been a while At least the voices haven't told me to do bad things...yet.

actually, the photo's do not represent it all that accurately.

The rosewood is quite dark. from 2 feet away, it looks black. It's only under strong light (like a flash or bright sunlight) does the more purple, black, and brown overtones on the rosewood show. It does look a lot better in person than it does in the photos. The flash accentuates the grain highlights a LOT more than it looks in person.

Jeff

Yeah, Adey has a point about brown and purple. You probably wouldn't wear brown pants with your purple shirt. But since we're all used to seeing dark brown Rosewood and light brown Maple fretboards combined with every imaginable color on our Fenders, I think as a continuation of the neck wood, it works. A Maple pickguard would look OK on a blue guitar, if it had a maple fret board, but blue and beige are not an ideal color combination.
...Mark.

SOLID!

Nice grains.

SLYD, I love that look, all nice wood and great contrast, nice choice me likey

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

My wife said the same thing about brown and purple. In fact, when I told her what I was doing, she just kind of turned her nose up, shook her head and walked away.

Then, when I showed the finished result to her, she really liked it. The rosewood has a bit of a purple hue to it and is closer to black than brown (very very dark brown with some lighter streaks for grain lines and some purpleish hues here and there naturally in the wood).

Her comment after seeing it was "I thought it was going to look like the dog barfed on the top of your guitar but it really does look good." Then she mumbled something about next I'll want to buy another guitar to mess with and something about our son's college fund that I didn't really understand....

Jeff