Forgive the possibly silly question

I've just bought a new Roadhouse- my first electric guitar. Got it home from the shop today and looked at the pickguard with my glassses on for the first time and noticed a number of scratches and scuffs but also that the pickguard sems to have a plastic film over it. Should I be taking this off ????? And if so how easy is this with the strings and knobs still in place???

hi , the film just peels off , just tease it a bit at the pup screws and the control knobs , cheers
Alan

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You may have to gently remove the knobs with a couple of spoons to get the plastic underneath them. Some of my plastic did not come off easily and needed a bit more room like that. Spoons prying on either side work just fine.

Wooden popsicle sticks also work well for removing knobs.

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

True, but I generally have more spoons in my house than Popsicles!

Thanks for the info guys. I just hope none of the scratches/scuffs pentrated the plastic film. if so back to the shop!

The scratches are likely just in film, but why take the guitar back to the shop even if the pickguard is scratched if you like the guitar? That's what the pickguard is for; it is just going to get scratched while you play it as soon as you take the film off.

Speaking of the plastic film - I wish Fender would do what Ernie Ball/Music Man does with the film on their pickguards - their film has large enough "holes" so that it isn't up under the knobs or the screws like it is on a Fender. You don't have to remove the knobs to get all the film out from under them.

Been a while since I last bought a new Fender so might be remembering wrong, but check your back plate and your pickups for similar protective film also.

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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!

I just use a heavy guitar pick and pry up as I spin the knob a few times sometimes the knobs are to close to get a stick or spoon under it

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I would leave it on until it starts to curl up at the edges. If this is a new guitar for you, you may need to get used to string height over body and your hand movements when playing. During your learning curve, why scratch up a new pickguard?