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Heritage Pickguards Y/N/Maybe...


Gitfiddler

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OK, the following is simply the opinion (aka rantings from an old fart) of this writer.  Others are welcome to agree, disagree or opine.  I have no skin in the game and NOT currently shopping for guitars, Heritage or otherwise.

Some guitars look great without a pickguard.  Others need one in order to finish off the overall look and functionality.  To me the latter instruments just seem naked at worst, and incomplete at best. 

The Heritage H-530 is an example of a guitar begging for a pickguard, but doesn't come with one.  I'm sure Heritage will gladly make one IF a customer requests same, and pay the cost for it.  But if an H-535 comes standard WITH a guard, why doesn't the similarly designed H-530??  I felt the same about the now discontinued H-525.  Why was that model pickguardless?? 

Heritage P90 gitfiddles deserve respect and protection from sharp finger nails too!  ?

Thoughts?

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Agree with you Tim.  I ordered my prospect with a pickguard and my Millie came with a pickguard. Only my 137 is bare. 

 

You can always take one off if you have one to take off.

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I don't have a pickguard on my 535.  Doesn't even have the holes drilled in the body (another request you can make).

Unlike the newer pickguard, I had a transition year pickguard that was the old style shape, but a single ply that looked like cheap plastic.

The new pickguards look much better being black-white-black 3 piece and a new curve to the bottom; plus the newer style hardware mount looks great.

Some guitars like a 137 really benefit with a pickguard, but those can only be added as an after-market install.

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Don't see the need unless you are a heavy scratcher, and risk damaging the finish with picks or nails. Not sure (Tim) what P-90's have to do with it! Some pickguards will enhance the look of the guitar. I do like the Gibbons traditional "wing" pickguard and I love a pickguard on a semihollow, however I do also have one 535 sans pickguard. If the top is worth showing off and you don't pick heavy, I say leave it off. 

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Most of the guitars I ordered sans pickguard. I still had them make me one but opted to mount after if I or the next owner wanted it.

The H-530 should have that option. I agree.

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I found this picture on the net. In my personal opinion, it's too good looking to put a scratch plate on. My 555 has a matching wood scratch plate to the body so it doesn't stand out so much. Scratch plates should be on Tele's, Strats, SG's and similar. Other opinions are available.

wconn-185089.jpg

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6 hours ago, skydog52 said:

Most of the guitars I ordered sans pickguard. I still had them make me one but opted to mount after if I or the next owner wanted it.

The H-530 should have that option. I agree.

@skydog52~Great idea, Paul!

Collings, Eastman, Epiphone and G i b s o n all offer pickguards on their ES-330-style P90 guitars.  

Heritage should include one for the H-530.   

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I have a couple of guitars without pickguards.   I really wish I had them, as I tend to rest my little finger below the E string, and the nail tends to scratch the surface.   Given the choice,  I'll use the guard every time.

I agree that the 530 should come with a pickguard, just like the 535.  The logic in not including one escapes me.

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 Although I like the cosmetics, I don't find a pickguard mounted below the high E string is very functional. ( on an ABR  or Nashville bridged guitar )

I get pickwear up above the low E string though

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13 hours ago, mark555 said:

I found this picture on the net. In my personal opinion, it's too good looking to put a scratch plate on. My 555 has a matching wood scratch plate to the body so it doesn't stand out so much. Scratch plates should be on Tele's, Strats, SG's and similar. Other opinions are available.

wconn-185089.jpg

I think a matching pick guard would look striking on this instrument.  Guit? 

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Ren Wall would call them finger rests, not pickguards, at least usually.  They do serve as an anchor point.

My childhood guitar teacher, a brilliant old man who grew up and trained in Italy, would slap my hand if I rested on a pickguard.  He has since left the building.  I do rest my hand from time to time.

These pics are not the best lighting, and the colors aren't quite what you'd see in person.  But these are two H-530s with pickguards and matching TRCs.  I find them useful.

 

 

51267022677_ce97c537d9_c.jpg

51268791645_59ec124b71_c.jpg

51268791725_1dfc6fd445_c.jpg

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I left the pick guard on my 535.  I may take it off of my 137 Custom.  Jim's 150 Special might be better off with out one as well.  He had me reshape the pick guard on it after it arrived. 

img_5202_std.jpg

dscf5701_std.jpg

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On 6/25/2021 at 7:48 AM, High Flying Bird said:

I left the pick guard on my 535.  I may take it off of my 137 Custom.  Jim's 150 Special might be better off with out one as well.  He had me reshape the pick guard on it after it arrived. 

img_5202_std.jpg

dscf5701_std.jpg

Ron, you have beautiful guitars.

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On 6/24/2021 at 1:38 PM, MartyGrass said:

Ren Wall would call them finger rests, not pickguards, at least usually.  They do serve as an anchor point.

I couldn't play any carved- or arched-top guitar without such a thing: for a long time I relied on them to rest my little finger on to give me a fixed position for my right hand.  Although I don't seem do that so much now I still would feel very odd playing a guitar without a rest there.  I could play a flat-topped guitar (tele say) without one, although a tele anyway obviously has one to hold the pickups anyway.

So for me they're really essential: the cosmetics don't matter because I couldn't play without one.

(I play with a pick and between my index finger and thumb and then the next two fingers to play chords etc which I started doing because once I played classical guitar so I'm used to using my fingers.  I don't know what that style is called but I see other people using it too, so it must have a name.)

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On 6/23/2021 at 6:33 PM, rockabilly69 said:

If any of you heathens don't use a pickguard you will lose the eternal kingdom. You'll go straight to H E Double hockey sticks. Guitar hell, that is!

I must be Satan - I've pulled them off well over a hundred guitars .... Including that H535 with the Lollartrons ..

First thing I do

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10 hours ago, GuitarsGuitarsGuitars said:

I must be Satan - I've pulled them off well over a hundred guitars .... Including that H535 with the Lollartrons ..

First thing I do

stop tryin' to trick us with your whiley ways Satan, and put those pickguards back on :)

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