I'm thinking of making my backup strat ('09 MIM Standard Strat, Sunburst) a HSS.

My big question is, tortoise shell or black pickguard?



I already have a stock white guard on my #1 strat, so I'm not likely to keep the white guard.

BLACK! Tortise just clashes with the sunburst.

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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I'd go Black for that one. Like the amp, is that a blues junior?

Looks like black is the favorite.

White pickups and knobs, or black?


The amp is Blues Junior NOS that I modded with Billm kits. Upgraded input jack, standby switch, and "basic" kit (tone stack, bias pot, and power supply cap).

I's true. Once you go black...you never go back.

I'd go with black knobs, tip, and p/u covers as well...just MHO

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"I like the way he puts Yngwie J. Malmsteen on his album covers. You know,....so you don't confuse him with all the other Yngwie Malmsteens in the business"


2008 Fender MIM Stratocaster
2010 Epiphone Masterbilt
2009 Fender Super Champ XD

Looks like I'm the voice of dissent. I like tortoise best, but the black does give it a meaner look. I Don't want to highjack your thread, but have you considered mint green?

Black with Black

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I'm with Speedfish on this one. Be different, mint green.

Tortoise would make it look 1960s-ish with the white pickup covers and knobs whereas black would make it look 1970s-ish provided you change the pickup covers and knobs to black too. Sorry, I'm no help beyond this.

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You dig?

+1

Either scheme would look nice.

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

Ah, the age old question of which guard looks best . I always waver, and so, will be of no help to you in the decision making process, I happen to like both. As stated... the tortoise looks a bit more 60's, the black, a bit more 70's. I oddly like the black guard w/white knobs look but that's just me. All black plastic is a bit too much black for me but again, that's just me. Great response huh? Just adding my 2 cents. No matter what you choose, I'm sure it will look great!