Hi,

Just a quick question about that colour the pickup guard, knobs and pickup covers should be?

I thinking about replacing the pickups etc on my American deluxe...

Currently as you will know I have have 3 ply mint green pickup guard and parchment covers and knobs.

Would this be correct for the time? Every pic have looked doesn't match the look of my strat. Is the mint green darker on my strat that at that time? or as the strats at that time may of aged lighter or is the pics make it look brighter?

anyone?

To my knowledge there was no such thing as a manufactured mint green pickguard in the 60's. They all left the factory as parchment (off white) with some yellowing with age and some turning a mint green with age. But it was completely unintentional and due to the black ply bleeding into the white ply turning it green.

I believe all the plastic parts on the 60's strats were parchment but most discolour with age and it was the desirability of that look that spawned the manufacture of 'aged white' parts and 'mint green' pickguards later on.

So if you want a new looking 60's era replica then go parchment but if you dig the aged look of the plastic parts on these guitars (which many do) then I'd get aged white pickup covers, knobs, backplate and switch tip to go with your mint green pickguard.

thank you!

However, this is a mint green with parchment parts but aged. Not sure if it would look right against my shiny fender deluxe?

What do you think?

or is this more accurate?

parchment scratchplate with aged white knobs?

The first one is reliced and wouldnt work too well in my opinion with a newish looking guitar.

Second one is better suited. Aged white parts and either mint green or parchment guard would work fine. I modded a strat that was white and i went with aged white parts and mint green guard and it looked great!

The pickguard at the bottom is my late 1964 Strat.

In my experience, from 1959 to 1964, the "minty" Fender pickguards got worse and worse: I mean deeper and darker in the green color. Of course, the environment the guitar experienced plays a big role.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.